Connect Simeon's blessing in Luke 2:28 to Old Testament prophecies about Jesus. The Moment in the Temple • Joseph and Mary bring the forty-day-old Jesus to Jerusalem to “present Him to the Lord” (Luke 2:22). • Simeon, moved by the Holy Spirit, meets them, gathers the Child in his arms, and blesses God—Luke 2:28. The Blessing Itself “ ‘Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’ ” (Luke 2:29-32) Old Testament Echoes in Simeon’s Words 1. “My eyes have seen Your salvation” • Isaiah 52:10—“The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.” • Psalm 98:2—“The LORD has made His salvation known; He has revealed His righteousness to the nations.” • Isaiah 40:5—“The glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together.” → Simeon recognizes that the infant Messiah is the visible, tangible embodiment of the salvation Isaiah and the psalmists foresaw. 2. “Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples” • Isaiah 49:6—“I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.” • Isaiah 45:22—“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.” → God’s redemptive plan was never an afterthought; Scripture repeatedly affirms it was prepared for a worldwide audience. 3. “A light for revelation to the Gentiles” • Isaiah 42:6—“I will appoint You as a covenant for the people and a light to the nations.” • Isaiah 9:2—“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” • Isaiah 60:1-3—“Arise, shine, for your light has come … nations will come to your light.” → Simeon’s phrase pulls directly from Isaiah’s Servant Songs, declaring that Messiah’s ministry pierces Gentile darkness with divine revelation. 4. “And the glory of Your people Israel” • Isaiah 46:13—“I will grant salvation in Zion and My glory to Israel.” • Isaiah 60:1—“The glory of the LORD rises upon you.” • 2 Samuel 7:12-16—God’s covenant with David promised an eternal throne, crowning Israel with unique honor. → Jesus brings to fruition every covenant promise, so Israel’s ultimate glory is found in Him. Layered Prophetic Threads • Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25) ↔ Isaiah 40:1—“Comfort, comfort My people.” • Spirit-led revelation to Simeon ↔ Isaiah 11:2—“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,” signaling Messiah’s arrival. • Universal scope of salvation ↔ Genesis 12:3—“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you,” fulfilled as Jesus blesses Jew and Gentile alike. Why These Connections Matter • They confirm that the birth of Jesus is not an isolated event but the precise fulfillment of centuries-old, Spirit-inspired prophecies. • Simeon’s blessing ties together the Abrahamic covenant, the Davidic promise, and Isaiah’s Servant Songs in one moment of inspired praise. • The inclusion of “Gentiles” alongside “Israel” previews the worldwide mission Jesus will later commission (Matthew 28:19). • By affirming Jesus as “salvation,” “light,” and “glory,” Simeon gives us a three-fold lens through which to read the rest of the Gospels: rescue, revelation, and restoration. Living in the Light of the Fulfilled Word Scripture’s seamless unity—prophecy proclaimed, promise kept—invites confident trust in every word God speaks. Simeon’s brief song in the temple proves that God’s timetable is perfect, His promises unfailing, and His Messiah the crowning glory of both Israel and the nations. |
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