12/25/11- Merry Christmas!

12/25- Day 29- Simeon’s Prophecy- A Sword will Pierce your soul as well Luke 2:29-35
Light all the candles including the Christ candle.

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. ³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation, ³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: ³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.” ³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:29-35)

(Simeon the Righteous Alexey Yegorov 1830-40)

Thoughts: This was the first prophecy recorded after the birth of Jesus.  Joseph and Mary were bringing Jesus to the Temple to dedicate their firstborn son and offer a sacrifice in His stead.  Simeon was a godly man, but was not known as a prophet.  He was waiting for the Messiah to come, and God had told him that he would see the Messiah before his death.  The prophecy about the Christ is that he would cause the falling and rising of many of Israel.  It is a bringing down of the powerful (falling), and a lifting up of the humble (like Mary and Joseph and some fishermen).  The pride and know-it-alls in their faith (the priests and Pharisees) would fall, but the common people who sought God with their heart would rise.  But the dagger at the end of this is that a sword would pierce Mary’s heart too.  It was not a physical blade, but a double-edged blade of conviction and sorrow. She would come to believe in her son, and she would feel the piercing sorrow of watching him suffer as a sacrifice.

Prayer: Help me, Lord, to humble myself and allow you to penetrate my heart with your presence and love.

12/21/11- Advent Day 25 - Messiah is to be Rejected by His people, but a Light for the Gentiles

12/21- Day 25- Light four candles .
The Messiah would be a stumbling block for the Jews and Light for the Gentiles Ps. 118:22 (1 Pt. 2:7);
                            Isa. 60:3; Acts 13:47-48

²² The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; ²³ the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22- quoted in 1 Peter 2:7)

¹ “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. ² See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. ³ Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. (Isaiah 60:3)

⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us: “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47)

“My eyes have seen your salvation… a light to the Gentiles.” (Luke 2:30-32)

(Simeon prophesying Jesus as the light for the Gentiles).

Thoughts: We already saw on day 3 that God’s plan was to bless all peoples through the choosing of Abraham.  Jesus is the means to that blessing.  In His ministry Jesus healed non Jews, evangelized Samaritans, and told parables of the Good Samaritan to open the way to the Gentiles.  The Jews would not be the only ones to know about God- the way would be open to “whosoever believed.”  God is God of all the earth.  For those who wished for only a small group of pure Jews to know God (like the Essenes or Saducees) then Jesus was a huge disappointment.  We too are called to be lights to the world- testifying to His great Light.

Prayer: May I be a light to those around me, pointing to your true light.


Simeon's Song: "Now That I've Held Him in My Arms" Michael Card
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBZiPRPogn0