22180.007 Our God of Promise

12 Days of Christmas: Day 7

Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: a light, for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.
(Luke 2:29–32)

Simeon, a righteous, upright, and devout man, speaks these words over Jesus. This occurs as Jesus is being presented to the Lord, consecrated, and set apart as the firstborn male according to the law. Jesus says later in Scripture to John the Baptist that He has come to “fulfill all righteousness.” This being the case, He fulfilled the law perfectly, which would have included being consecrated as a baby.

Simeon was waiting for the “consolation” of Israel and the “Holy Spirit was upon him” (verse 25). The word rendered “consolation” is an interesting word in Greek. It is paraklesis which means “the act of exhortation, encouragement and comfort” (New Testament Lexical Aids: Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible). Simeon was waiting for the encouragement and comfort of Israel!

Actually, all of Scripture is a paraklesis. Stay with me for a moment!

Jesus is called the Word in Scripture:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was fully God. The Word was with God in the beginning. All things were created by him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. And the light shines on in the darkness, but the darkness has not mastered it.
Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only.
(John 1:1–5, 14)

Do you want to know the paraklesis of Jesus? Know His Word. Jesus came to “flesh” out the Word—flawlessly. We have a unique privilege on this side of the cross to have every access to the very Word of God incarnate! We must not take this lightly!

Moved by the Spirit, when Mary and Joseph brought in the child Jesus, Simeon took Him in his arms and praised God! Can you even imagine what Mary and Joseph were thinking?

Simeon proclaims the Lord as his supreme authority and tells those present that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise God gave to him.God always keeps His promises!

God always keeps His promises! I am reminded of the verses in Joshua:

The Lord made them secure, in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could resist them. The Lord handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of the Lord’s faithful promises to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everyone was realized.
(Joshua 21:44–45)

Simeon goes on to say that he can be dismissed in peace—a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being. Yes, Simeon reckoned, all was well. He tells us that his eyes have seen God’s Salvation prepared for His people—all His people—which includes us!

Go back for a moment to the verses found in John 1. God gave the world a light in order to disclose and reveal His Salvation. The word used here for revelation is “a comprehensive word denoting not merely the thing shown and seen but the interpretation, the unveiling of the same” (New Testament Lexical Aids: Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible). Not only does God show us His truth, He interprets it for us as well! Christ is the glory of Israel.

Christ is the glory of Israel. Glory signifies for believers “the exalted status as the objects of divine approbation and blessedness. It is a state in which one is accorded the fullest enjoyment of the admiration and honor of God—the object of His highest regard and praise” (New Testament Lexical Aids–Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible).

Become More

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ.
(1 Peter 1:18–19)

“God is the God of promise. He keeps His word, even when that seems impossible.” —Colin Urquhart

Read the Word

Luke 2:25–35

2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon who was righteous and devout, looking for the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 2:26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 2:27 So Simeon, directed by the Spirit, came into the temple courts, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 2:28 Simeon took him in his arms and blessed God, saying,

2:29 “Now, according to your word, Sovereign Lord, permit your servant to depart in peace.
2:30 For my eyes have seen your salvation
2:31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
2:32 a light,
for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”

2:33 So the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: This child is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. 2:35 Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed —and a sword will pierce your own soul as well!”