Today's Reading: Luke 2:30-32, John 1:4-13, 8:12
Simeon said as he blessed baby Jesus:
"... 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 2:30-32
Today we will look at Jesus as a grown man and as the light prophesied by Simeon. The Apostle John says of Jesus:
"In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it...
That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him,
and the world did not know Him.
He came unto His own and His own did not receive Him.
But as many as received Him, to those He gave the right to become children of God,
to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor the will of man, but of God."
John 1:4-13
"I am the light of the world.
He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness,
but have the light of life."
John 8:12
As Simeon was finishing his blessing of Jesus he said to them,
"Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel...(yes, a sword will pierce through through your own soul, also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." For Mary the cross must have been most painful sword to pierce her heart, but she also saw people reject Him, and His teachings. In the beginning of Jesus' ministry He came to His home town of Nazareth. you can read about his in Luke 4:16-30. Jesus read in the syn agog from the Messianic passage in Isaiah 61 and then said
"This scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." After some more dialog, the people were filled with wrath,... thrust Him out of the city and tried to throw Him over the cliff. This was His home town. Mary knew all these people who were so angry with her son.
"He came unto His own" and His own home town did not receive Him. Later in His ministry much of the rejection came from the Pharisee's, whose rejection ultimately brought Him to the cross. I think when Simeon said,
"that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed"; or brought to light, sheds light on the motive of the rejection. God looks at the heart and Jesus the light of the world, shed light on the hearts of many revealing the evil contained.
Praise God the way was opened for
all of humanity to come to the light of the revelation of Jesus Christ. In Him is light and life for all people. As we receive Him we have the right to become the children of God. As we follow Him, we walk on a path of ever increasing light, transformation and glory.
"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
which shines ever brighter until the full light of day."
Proverbs 4:18 NLT
Stand in the light of His Everlasting Love