Merry Christmas!

Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him.  As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” – Luke 2:34-35

Here was Simeon, someone that Joseph and Mary did not know, who had been given a prophesy for his own life by God that he would not die until he saw the Messiah.  Luke tell us that this prophesy had come because the Spirit of God was with him.  When he sees Jesus, he prophesies again to Joseph and Mary concerning his coming life.   I am sure that Simeon’s prophesy concerning Jesus was centered on Israel.  But it reflects into the whole world as Jesus’ life and death was for the whole world.

“[He] is destined to cause many … to fall, but He will be a joy to many others.”  This is an accurate statement.  Many people fall because the characteristics and truths of God do not change.  They live as long as they can and as stubbornly as they can against God.  Yet there is always a time of falling, even it doesn’t come until death without God.  It is unfortunate that many fall, yet God acknowledges this.  Jesus Himself would later say “the gate is narrow” and “many are called but few are chosen”.  But just as many do fall because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, many are joyful.  He is the source of their life and they strive to follow Him in all His ways.

“He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose Him.”  Not only will many fall because of Jesus, but many will directly oppose Him.  This was definitely the story in Jesus’ life with the religious leaders in Israel and it has been the story of the world itself ever since.  Jesus said “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.”  Those who oppose Jesus will oppose you also because Jesus is in you.  Where He rules in your heart, you are a sign from God and those opposed to God will oppose Him inside of you.

“The deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.  And a sword will pierce your very soul.”  This must be the single most striking description of how the message of Jesus in word or action settles upon our hearts and convicts us to accept His reality as Son of the one true living God or to declare that we do not believe it.  This sword pierces all of our character and all of our actions.  Every part of our character that isn’t given to Him is revealed for its origin and every action that isn’t from Him in us is revealed for its origin.  The very desires of our heart are presented to us for their source.  Only Jesus could do such a thing.

Jesus fulfilled Simeon’s prophesy and that prophesy continues to this day.  I thank God for His loving grace and mercy who allowed Jesus to be born and in who allowed His perfection to be willing to die for such a sinner as I am.  Glory in God today who shows His love over and over to such a hard headed insulant son as me.  I praise God this Christmas morning.