Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, and the glory of Your people Israel.
— Luke 2:29-32 —
Jonathan Moorhead: Czech Bible Institute | Czech Republic
One of the grand masterpieces of art is Rembrandt’s, “The Song of Simeon.” In this portrait, the elderly Simeon gazes upon the face of Christ in his arms, with Mary shaded in the background. As beautiful as this piece of art is, it cannot communicate the theology expressed in these verses that show God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises. Apparently God revealed to Simeon that he would see the Messiah prior to his death. Are you in a season of waiting on the Lord? Rest in the faithfulness of God. We do not know if Simeon waited for days or decades for it. Rejoicing in the fulfillment of this personal promise, Simeon glories in the fulfillment of the ancient promises of God concerning this Messiah. First, Jesus, whose name means “salvation,” is identified as “Your salvation.” Simeon understood that this child would be God’s agent of spiritual deliverance. Second, this salvation would be offered to all people, to the world, to Jew and Gentile. Hearkening back to the Abrahamic covenant of Genesis 12:3, through Abraham’s seed all of the families of the earth would be blessed. Forty-two generations lat-er (Matt. 1:17), that promise was fulfilled in Jesus: a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of God’s people Israel. Are you in a season of waiting on the Lord? Rest in the faithfulness of God. Wait on Him, and remember the words of Isaiah 40:31: “Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” God is good, and He will fulfill his promises.
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