Day 19 (Thursday): Luke 2:25-32, Isaiah 60:1-3
Today’s Passage
Read the passage – Luke 2:25-32, Isaiah 60:1-3
When Simeon met the baby Jesus, he prophesied that Jesus was bringing salvation “in the presence of all peoples”, and “a light for revelation to the gentiles”. Gentiles are non-Jews. How has Jesus fulfilled this? How is Jesus still a light for revelation to all people?
Isaiah 60 has a similar theme of God bringing light into darkness. What does Isaiah say about this?
Questions to Consider
- How has Jesus fulfilled this?
- How is Jesus still a light for revelation to all people?
- What does Isaiah say about this?
Prayer
- Lord, remove any obstacles or fears that might hold them back from saying yes.
- Thank Jesus that he is the light of the world. Ask that Jesus would shine his light into our neighbourhoods. May we arise and shine that light. Pray for our neighbourhoods to be places marked by truth rather than deception and that God’s light would overcome the darkness of false beliefs.
Go Deeper
Bruce B. Barton et al., Luke, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1997), 50–51.
When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to present him to the Lord (2:22), Simeon also went into the temple courts, having been moved by the Spirit to be there on this particular day. God was ordaining this meeting, in keeping with his promise to Simeon (2:26).
Mary and Joseph arrived in the temple to do for [Jesus] what the custom of the Law required. This obedience to the Old Testament law is mentioned several times in Luke. It points out Jesus’ credentials as one who obeyed the law, even from birth, because his parents did exactly as they were commanded. At the temple, Mary and Joseph met an old man who took the baby Jesus in his arms and praised God. The Spirit led Simeon to recognize this baby as the “consolation of Israel … the Lord’s Messiah” (2:25–26).
Simeon’s song is often called the “Nunc Dimittis,” the first words of its Latin translation. Simeon praised God that he had done what he promised and could dismiss your servant (meaning himself) in peace. In other words, Simeon was now ready to die in peace because he had seen God’s salvation. To see Jesus is to see salvation. This salvation has been prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. Jesus Christ is the fullest manifestation of God’s “glory” that his people had ever seen. Luke, writing to Gentiles, pointed out that from the very beginning God’s plan was to offer salvation to Gentiles as well as to Jews. The mission to the Gentiles is a key theme in Luke and Acts. Even the prophets had predicted this (see, for example, Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 52:10; 60:1–2). The Jews were well acquainted with the Old Testament prophecies that spoke of the Messiah’s blessings to their nation. They did not always give equal attention to the prophecies saying that he would bring salvation to the entire world, not just the Jews. Many thought that Christ had come to save only his own people. Luke made sure his Greek audience understood that Jesus had come to save all who believe, Gentiles as well as Jews.
Jesus the Light
Simeon referred to Jesus as “a light for revelation.” Few metaphors capture Jesus’ mission as well. Light makes the stillness come alive; light settles fear; light reveals mystery; light enables relationships. Jesus is God in the flesh, eternal light breaking into a spiritually dark world.
Jesus is your light. He is not a distant sun, remote and driven by physics’ laws. Jesus is the light of your life—your courage, your enabler. Start each day by turning on the light—a moment of meditation on God’s Word, a prayer of dedication to live for God all day.
Tremper III Longman, ed., Isaiah Thru Ezekiel, vol. 6, Layman’s Bible Commentary (Barbour Publishing, 2013), 59–60.
The Old Testament describes a clear distinction between the Israelite people and everyone else. The Israelites are God’s chosen people; the other nations are without God and in spiritual darkness. However, Isaiah has already explained that God will be close to His people so that they will be a light to the Gentiles (42:6–7).
Just as the Israelites are special to God, so is the area of Zion, near Jerusalem and the temple. In this section, Israel is instructed to prepare for a great influx of people from other nations to stream into Zion (60:1–3). The hostility between Israelite and Gentile will come to an end, and the grace of God can be embraced by those who had once been strangers to Zion. They, too, can count God’s city as their city.
This must have been a difficult concept for the Israelite people to comprehend. Never before had Gentiles been considered to be in right relation with God without first becoming circumcised Israelites. But the image portrayed by the prophet is by no means threatening. God’s fulfillment of His promises will somehow bring something much bigger than His people had previously known.
Not only are people coming to visit Zion; they are coming to contribute and to get involved with the good of the area. The wealth of other countries will flow into Zion. The mighty ships of Tarshish will bring back people and riches. Herds and flocks will be commonplace. Foreigners will willingly rebuild walls and make repairs. The anger that God felt toward His people at one time will be gone, replaced by His great compassion (60:4–10).
It is likely that Isaiah is describing the church age or beyond, using the knowledge and worship idiom of his day. If so, think how challenging it would have been for a prophet from the eighth century BC to adequately describe a worship experience where Christ is head of a body of believers and the Holy Spirit is active in involving and empowering all believers, whether Israelite or Gentile.
