And Behold, There Was a Man in Jerusalem.

Shane explores the “man in Jerusalem,” Simeon. When Jesus was presented in the temple Simeon had some very important words to say.

December 24 – Morning

“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon…” Luke 2:25

Lord, make us like old Simeon.  God has His faithful followers in every generation, and is able to make them appear on the scene of history at just the right time to make His testimony known.  Joseph of Arimathea appeared at just the right time to take down the body of Jesus from the cross to give Him an honourable burial, and Simeon came to the Temple at the perfect moment to give testimony to the salvation of God.  May we all become like him.

Simeon – The Man in Jerusalem

            Simeon was just and devout, the Scripture records.  He was known in Jerusalem as just and devout, not only by men, but also by the all seeing eye of God.  Had he lived in the day of grace, he would have personified Titus 2:11 which says, “the grace of God has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.”  Simeon did just that.  He lived righteously and godly in his generation, and he looked for the coming, the first coming of Christ.  It belongs to us to look and wait for His next return.  

The Coming of the Messiah

            Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, which was the first coming of Messiah.  He must have studied and meditated upon the prophetic chapters of Daniel which indicated the time of Christ’s coming.  Perhaps his calculations were a bit off, and so he longed everyday for His Messiah’s coming.  In any event, it was revealed specifically to him that he would see the Lord’s Christ before He died, so he knew He was coming (Lk.2:26).  May we have the same spirit and desire, that we would see the Lord’s Christ before we die. 

            Lastly, when this man saw the Christ, he took Him up in his arms and blessed the God who gave Him.  This man’s vision of the Christ was not narrow and selfish like the rest of the nation.  Careful study of the Scriptures had taught him that Messiah would be “a light to the Gentiles and the glory of the people of Israel” (Lk.2:32).  At last, he departed in peace.

At the end of our lives, may we, as well, be found righteous and devout in our community like faithful Simeon, waiting for the consolation of His coming.   

Like Simeon, Lord, make me true

just, devout, and faithful to You,

waiting for the consolation,

the coming of Your great salvation,

witnessing Christ before I die,

believing Your return is nigh,

guided by Your Spirit true,

holding fast to only You.

December 24 – Evening

“…they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord.”  Luke 2:22

What a joy it must have been to the Father to watch Mary and Joseph present to Him His incarnate Son!  “This is my beloved Son,” He must have thought, for so He said thirty years later at His baptism (Lk.3:22).

The Slaughter of Lambs

            Thousands of lambs rehearsed this moment for hundreds of years before.  Every morning and every evening “two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day,” were offered to Him, presenting in picture His Son upon the altar (Num.28:3,4).  Year by year the Passover lamb was sacrificed, its bones unbroken, and its flesh eaten roasted, not boiled.  This too was a picture of Heaven’s Lamb, whose knees were never broken when He hung upon the cross.  These lambs in picture pointed to the Lamb who was to come.  Their sweet smelling savour arose to the Father, because it reminded Him of Christ who was to give “Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Eph.5:1,2).  Now that history had caught up to prophecy, the Lamb was being presented in the Temple for the first time.

The Firstborn Belonged to the Lord

            The Law had stipulated that every firstborn son belonged to the Lord.  The Lord commanded Moses, “Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine” (Ex.13:2).  This was done to remind Israel that, when He redeemed them, the firstborn of Egypt had to die.  Our Lord was presented in the same way.  But in Him the picture is fulfilled.  Our firstborn nature, inherited from Adam, was judged and punished on the cross in the person of Christ.  He became sin for us in order that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor.5:21).  If an Israelite did not redeem the firstborn of their flocks or herds, they were commanded to break the creature’s neck.  Likewise, you and I, had not Christ redeemed us from the curse, would certainly perish at the hands of an offended God.  His wrath was satisfied in the death of Christ.  

The babe in the manger was the means to an end.  God gave us His Lamb, and throughout His life, all Israel and the world could observe that He was without blemish.  When the time of sacrifice came, Christ ascended the altar of His cross and gave Himself for us.  Hallelujah to the Lamb!  

He mounted up the wood as Lamb,

and as our Isaac He prevailed

Let angels worship and all earth hail:

held in the thicket was the Ram.

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