Previously, I elaborated on:
Now, I'd like to proceed with:
II Jesus is the Sacrifice, who is prepared by God (Luke 2: 21 - 35)
According to Exodus 13 - every first-born child in an Israelite family belongs to God, and the parents must present the child at the temple to be "redeemed" from God. It appears that, in Luke chapter 2, the most appropriate time for Joseph and Mary to present their first-born child Jesus was to wait for the stipulated days of Purification to be complete. Details of the Law for such ceremonial purification is given in Leviticus 12.
According to Exodus 13 - every first-born child in an Israelite family belongs to God, and the parents must present the child at the temple to be "redeemed" from God. It appears that, in Luke chapter 2, the most appropriate time for Joseph and Mary to present their first-born child Jesus was to wait for the stipulated days of Purification to be complete. Details of the Law for such ceremonial purification is given in Leviticus 12.
For a baby boy the mother is required in the Levitical Law to wait for 7 + 33 days, the eighth day being the day of circumcision, and the fortieth being a day of offering. During this period of purification, the mother must not touch anything sacred nor visit the temple. This purification time is twice as long for a baby daughter, i.e. 14 + 66 days.
When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering . . . But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean. Leviticus 12: 6, 8 NASB
Thus, Joseph and Mary brought the 40-day old baby Jesus to the Temple at Jerusalem to make the required offerings to the LORD. They must have been too poor to bring a year-old lamb for the burnt offering, for Luke 2: 24 tells us that they brought "two turtledoves or two young pigeons" - one of them for the burnt offering, while the other was for the sin offering.
And it was on that day too, that the baby Jesus was presented by Joseph and Mary to the Priest at the Temple for redemption. Today, such redemption of the first born child, called Pidyon HaBen is still carried out by Jewish communities throughout the world.
At the presentation ceremony that day, a Godly man from Jerusalem named Simeon, to whom God had revealed that he would meet the messiah before he died, was led by the Spirit of God into the Temple. He approached Joseph and Mary, took the baby in his arms, blessed God and said,
“ Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2: 29 - 32 NKJV
Both Joseph and Mary were amazed by Simeon's prayer. Verse 33 says they "marvelled" at what they heard. That day, God's revelation to Simeon came to pass: when Simeon looked at the baby Jesus cradled in his arm, he saw God's salvation, a salvation prepared by God for all peoples: both Jews and Gentiles. Notice verse 32 tells us that this baby Jesus, this salvation from God, was to become a revelation to the Gentiles, and also a glory to Israel.
Simeon, however, did not stop there. Verses 34 and 35 tells us that Simeon proceeded to pronounce blessings upon the family. And he also told Mary something unforgettable, something which Mary would undoubtedly have kept in her heart too: that her son Jesus was destined for the rise and fall of many, that he was also destined to become a sign which would be spoken against, bringing upon her great sorrow:
Yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also Luke 2: 35a
Finally, Simeon told Mary that, by this child Jesus, the thoughts of many people will be revealed.
Both Mary and Joseph would have gone home that day with many questions in their hearts. What did Simeon mean when he told Mary that her baby boy was destined for the "rise and fall" of many? In what way would her son eventually become a sign spoken against by many? How would this boy Jesus expose the thoughts of many people?
Even more disturbing is Simeon's warning that he would bring her great sorrow, like a sword piercing through her very soul!
Such were the words that Mary must have kept in her heart, on this unforgettable occasion at the temple of Jerusalem. She had merely gone there out of obedience to the Law of God, to make offerings of thanksgiving and purification, and to present her first-born son for redemption. Little did she know that she would return home with an absolutely amazing prophecy from Simeon of Jerusalem.
Today, like Mary we can also keep these words in our hearts. More than that, we know from the Gospel records, and from the writings of the Apostles, how Simeon's prophecy came true precisely in the subsequent years: the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, was indeed the great Salvation prepared by God for all peoples. His suffering at the hands of the Jewish leaders, and his eventual crucifixion brought great heart-breaking sorrow to his mother Mary. Indeed, a sword had pierced her heart and soul!
Furthermore, Jesus was raised by God after three days. He appeared to witnesses chosen by God. And in the presence of his disciples, he was brought up to heaven and was given a place at the right hand of God.
By learning obedience through sufferings, culminating in his crucifixion, offering himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, the Lord Jesus has been made perfect and has become the source and author of our salvation.
When we put our faith in this sacrifice, the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. And He who raised Christ from the dead will also make our bodies alive through His Spirit who dwells in us. We have been predestined by God to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, so that Jesus is the "first-born among many brethren" (Romans 8: 11, 29)
In being raised by God, Jesus, the Salvation prepared by God had at last completed the mission for which God sent him. This was a sign that he is the Son of God. However, this very sign is also bitterly spoken against by many adversaries. His enemies paid to Roman soldiers guarding his tomb to say that the Disciples came in the night to steal Jesus' body while they were asleep! (Matthew 13: 13-15). Even, today, the sign of Jesus having been raised by God on the third day continues to cause offence among many skeptics.
My dear brothers and sisters, let us ponder over all these words. Words so marvellous, that like Mary, we should keep them in our hearts. Hebrews chapter 2 tells us to "pay more careful attention to what we heard" so that we do not drift away. Jesus is our salvation, prepared by God long ago:
How shall we escape, if we ignore such a great salvation? Hebrews 2: 3
In concluding this section, I'd like to share with you two things about this great salvation from God. Firstly, Jesus was made perfect by God through his sufferings, culminating in his cruel death on the cross. In this way he became the "author (or captain) of our salvation", and he is able to make us holy before God.
During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him . . . Hebrewes 5: 7-9 NIV
Secondly, we who are made holy by Jesus our Captain, are together of the same family under God. As such Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters. (Hebrews 2: 10, 11).
As it is written in scripture,
I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you Psalm 22: 22
Dear brothers, let us hold this truth in our hearts: that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was described by Simeon of Jerusalem as the Salvation prepared by God. Throughout his ministry for his Father in heaven, Jesus learned obedience through sufferings. He was made perfect through sufferings.
And through his sufferings, death and resurrection, a sign spoken against by many, Jesus became the Author and Source of our Salvation. We, who are made holy by him are of the same family with him. Jesus calls us his brothers, and in the same congregation with our Lord Jesus, we will also praise God together.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous Part:
Next part:
III Jesus is the Saviour, who is chosen by God (Luke 2: 8 - 19)
(to be continued, in subsequent posts)
(to be continued, in subsequent posts)
