To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Mon, 24 Dec 2001 12:18:16 -0600
Subject: HF052 - Holding the Glory
Hebraics,
As Simeon came to the temple daily, his eyes would gaze upon
each Jewish couple who had come for purification following the
birth of a child. Simeon had been told by the Lord that he would not
die before he had seen God's Messiah. His heart was filled with
longing. Simeon exemplified the true faith of Israel. He was a
righteous man. He longed for King Messiah.
All of redemptive history pivots on the birth of the One known as
the Christ child. And while we know that Christmas itself has many
roots in pagan traditions, yet the Christ story is repeated more
during this time of the year than at any other time. So what better
time that this to share what may be some of the unknown story
about God's Messiah. (To many.)
This is Bible Study HF052 - Holding the Glory.
It says, "And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the
parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom
of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and
said, '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.' And His father and mother were amazed at the things which
were being spoken about Him." (Luke 2:27-33)
To get a better feel for what is going on, we should take a better
look at the man Simeon. Who was this man? Why would Joseph
and Mary be so amazed at what Simeon had to say? After all, they
knew who Jesus was. Had not an angel of the Lord spoken to both
Joseph and Mary? Had not the shepherds of Bethlehem spoke of the
heavenly host who had appeared to them?
What Simeon had to say was certainly startling enough, but who
Simeon was makes it an even more startling. According to
historians, this Simeon was most likely the very the son of Hillell,
who was one of the greatest teachers during second-temple
Judaism.
Not so long before the birth of Jesus, Israel's theology had begun to
develop under the guidance of two great teachers, Hillell and
Shamai. But Hillell was the less strict of the two, and over time it
was the teachings of Hillell that took precedence in Israel. And
Simeon was the son of Hillell.
According to Adam Clark, and to other notable commentarians,
Simeon was also president of the Sanhedrin, and one of the
greatest of the early rabbis of Israel. He was the first rabbi to be
given the title Rabban, an honor of distinction. For so great a man
to speak these words to Joseph and Mary would be an amazing
thing. Everyone in Israel knew of Simeon. As a normal rule of
things, Joseph and Mary would never had had communication with
Simeon. They were just a lowly couple.
What do the Scriptures say about Simeon? It says, "There was a
man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was
righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the
Holy Spirit was upon him." Isn't it strange to our ears? Most of the
time when we think of the rabbis, we get a bad picture. But the
truth is that many of these men were devoted to God. And Simeon
was no exception.
But there is more -- For this we need to skip through the years and
find ourselves with the apostles standing before the Sanhedrin.
They had been forbidden to speak in the name of Jesus. The
Sadducees wanted to put a stop to the doctrine of Jesus. Again
we find a great teacher in Israel interposing. Gamaliel was another
of the greatest teachers in Israel. What happens is another strange
incident?
Gamaliel says, "Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do
with these men . . . stay away from these men and let them alone,
for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of
God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found
fighting against God." (Cf. Acts 5:33-39)
Why did Gamaliel have such a heart for the apostles? Gamaliel
was the son of Simeon. There is no question that Simeon had
passed his story down to his sons and daughters. It is said by
early Christians writers, that Gamaliel eventually became a
believer. As a subnote, who was the greatest student of Gamaliel?
You got it. The apostle Paul.
So there you have some information on Simeon. Are there ways to
validate this information? It seems that both the historical setting
and that part of the Talmud known as the Misnah, gives a round-
about witness to Simeon being a believer in Jesus. The Mishah
collects the teachings and sayings of the most important teachers
of Israel. The Mishah skips from Hillel to Gamaliel, leaving
Simeon's teachings without entry. There could only be one reason
for this. Simeon was a believer in Jesus Christ.
Back to the story -- When Simeon took the baby Jesus into his
arms, we can only picture what must have been going through his
mind. With trembling hands, and trembling voice, we hear him say,
"Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation."
Simeon was holding in his arms the Lord of glory. While his
theology wasn't as nearly complicated as that of the later
Christians, especially at what was given in the Nicene creed, there
is no question Simeon knew he held in his arms the very heart of
God. The Jewish people had long accepted that Messiah was with
God in the beginning. To them everything in the Scriptures spoke of
Messiah.
Isn't it more than interesting how God uses Simeon to give a
prophesy that redemption history wraps itself around. Listen to
what he says to Mary, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall
and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed -- and a
sword will pierce even your own soul -- to the end that thoughts
from many hearts may be revealed." (Luke 2:34,35)
The statement, 'and a sword will pierce even your own soul,' is a
parenthetical remark. Simeon is simply saying that Mary is going
to experience a piercing of her soul as she looks at her Son
hanging on the cross. But it has a second meaning. Mary would
not be excluded from the sword of Calvary. All God's people must
experience death of the old man, and this death is brought about
as we pass through the cross. (The cross has its death side and
its life side.)
But redemption history wraps around the statement, "This Child is
appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be
opposed." The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D.,
would result in the fall of Israel. Only those who had received God's
Son as their Savior would live on as members of the new covenant
community of faith. The rest would come under a new religion
called Rabbinic Judaism. And Rabbinic Judaism would write Jesus
out of the history of Israel.
How about the rise again? Some believers are not aware that the
redemption of the cross begins and ends in Jerusalem. Jesus was
crucified in the environs of Jerusalem, and it is to this city that He
will come again. His second coming finishes up the Church age as
we know it. And his second coming will encompass the rising of
many in Israel.
Israel through her leadership began to oppose Jesus early on. As I
said earlier, Jesus was written out of her history. Whatever can be
found in Talmudic writings concerning Christ, are always without
naming Him directly, but, rather, in negative tones, such as, 'that
man', or, 'the deceiver,' or even 'Balaam.' He is even referred to a
son of adultery, etc.
But the point in this is that Jesus returns at a time when He is no
longer opposed as 'the sign in Israel.' In weeping over Jerusalem,
the Lord said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and
stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather
your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her
wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to
you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me
until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
(Matthew 23:37,38)
This is a crucial prophecy. Before the return of Jesus to Jerusalem,
the Jewish leadership must come to a place where they began to
call Him 'Blessed.' The intimation here is that the Jews will call
upon Him as Messiah, and not simply as a great teacher or
prophet in Israel. The wonderful news is that this has been moving
forward over these latter years. More and more the Jews are
beginning to look to Jesus. And while the final great step has not
been made, you can be sure it will happen.
God spoke through the prophet of old, saying, "I will pour out on
the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit
of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom
they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for
an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter
weeping over a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10)
So Simeon spoke from the Spirit. In his arms he held the future of
mankind, the Lord of glory. When the apostle spoke of God's
wisdom, he said, "The wisdom which none of the rulers of this age
has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Corinthians 2:8)
Some thirty-three years later, Mary stood at the foot of the cross,
her chest pounding, as though her very soul would rip out of her.
She looked at her Son, suffering the pangs of the cross. What went
through her mind. Mary must have remembered the angel, the
magi, the shepherds, but perhaps most of all, she remembered
Simeon; "A sword will pierce even your own soul."
How wonderful the story. It was in the temple confines where
Simeon spoke to Joseph and Mary. And it was in the temple
confines that the Spirit of Christ was poured out on the band of
disciples, of which Mary was one. Pentecost came. Pentecost was
the coronation day of Mary's Son. He received His kingdom. He
was now seated in the heavens. No more cross. No more suffering.
The Lord of glory had taken His place. He was both Lord and
Messiah
.
There you have it -- the story of the glory. But we have one
question left to ask. If Simeon was holding God's glory in his arms,
where is the glory now? Believe it or not, the glory now resides in
the hearts of all true believers. This is not to say that we have been
glorified together with Him. That will come in its time. But we do
have the Spirit of glory resting in our hearts and upon our lives.
Paul calls it the treasure in earthen vessels. Peter speaks of it as
'the resting glory.' (Cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6,7; 1 Peter 4:14)
Think about it. Are you holding the glory in your heart? The study is
open for discussion.
Shalom in Christ,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)