Daily Word - My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation - Luke 2:22-35

Scipture:
Luke 2:22-35 (English Standard Version)
Jesus Presented at the Temple
22And(A) when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem(B) to present him to the Lord 23(as it is written in(C) the Law of the Lord,(D) "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord" 24and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in(E) the Law of the Lord,(F) "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was(G) righteous and(H) devout,(I) waiting for(J) the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not(K) see death before he had seen(L) the Lord’s Christ. 27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when(M) the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and(N) blessed God and said, 29"Lord, now you are letting your servant[a] depart(O) in peace, (P) according to your word;30for(Q) my eyes have seen your(R) salvation 31(S) that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,32(T) a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and(U) for glory to(V) your people Israel."
33And(W) his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed(X) for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign(Y) that is opposed 35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."
Footnotes:
Luke 2:29 Greek bondservant
Cross references:
Luke 2:22 : Lev 12; Luke 2:21, 27; Gal 4:4
Luke 2:22 : 1 Sam 1:22, 24
Luke 2:23 : Luke 2:39; Exodus 13:9; 2 Chr 31:3
Luke 2:23 : Exodus 13:2, 12
Luke 2:24 : Luke 2:23
Luke 2:24 : Lev 12:8
Luke 2:25 : Luke 1:6
Luke 2:25 : Acts 2:5; 8:2; 22:12
Luke 2:25 : Luke 2:38; Luke 23:51; Isa 25:9; Mark 15:43; Gen 49:18
Luke 2:25 : Isa 40:1; 57:18
Luke 2:26 : Psalm 89:48; John 8:51; Heb 11:5; Acts 2:27
Luke 2:26 : Luke 9:20; 23:35; 1 Sam 24:6
Luke 2:27 : Luke 2:33, 41, 43, 48-51
Luke 2:28 : Luke 1:64
Luke 2:29 : Gen 15:15
Luke 2:29 : Luke 2:26
Luke 2:30 : Isa 52:10
Luke 2:30 : Luke 3:6
Luke 2:31 : Psalm 98:2; Luke 24:47
Luke 2:32 : Isa 42:6; 49:6; 52:10; 60:3; John 8:12; Acts 13:47; 26:23
Luke 2:32 : Isa 45:25; 46:13
Luke 2:32 : Luke 2:10
Luke 2:33 : Luke 2:27
Luke 2:34 : Isa 8:14; Matt 21:44; John 9:39; 1 Cor 1:23, 24; 2 Cor 2:16; 1 Pet 2:8, 9
Luke 2:34 : Acts 28:22

Reflection:
Is your life in tune with the Holy Spirit? Simeon was a man who was just towards others and devout towards God. He gladly accepted the mission God called him to perform with much fervent prayer and with patient expectation. His whole life was in tune with the Holy Spirit. His was found daily in the temple in prayer and worship and in humble and faithful expectation for the day that the Lord would comfort his people. As the days and months grew into years he never lost hope. When Joseph and Mary presented the child Jesus in the temple, Simeon immediately recognized the Lord’s presence in his temple. Through eyes of faith he say the infant Jesus as the fulfillment of all the messianic prophecies, hopes, and prayers of the people of Israel. Inspired by the Holy Spirit he prophesied that Jesus was to be "a revealing light to the Gentiles". Jesus came not only as “light and salvation” for the people of Israel, but for all nations as well.
Jesus is the new temple (John 1:14; 2:19-22). In the Old Testament God manifested his presence in the “pillar of cloud” by day and the “pillar of fire” by night as he led them through the wilderness. God’s glory visibly came to dwell over the ark and the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-38). When the first temple was build in Jerusalem God’s glory came to rest there (1 Kings 8). After the first temple was destroyed, Ezekiel saw God’s glory leave it (Ezekiel 10). But God promised one day to fill it with even greater glory (Haggai 2:1-9; Zechariah 8-9). That promise is fulfilled when the “King of Glory” himself comes to his temple (Psalm 24:7-10; Malachi 3:1). Through Jesus’ coming in the flesh and through his saving death, resurrection, and ascension we are made living temples of his Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16-17). Do you recognize that you are God’s temple and that his Spirit dwells within you?
Simeon blessed Mary and Joseph and he prophesied to Mary about the destiny of this child and the suffering she would undergo for his sake. There is a certain paradox for those blessed by the Lord. Mary was given the blessedness of being the mother of the Son of God. That blessedness also would become a sword which pierced her heart as her Son died upon the cross. She received both a crown of joy and a cross of sorrow. But her joy was not diminished by her sorrow because it was fueled by her faith, hope, and trust in God and his promises. Jesus promised his disciples that "no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The Lord gives us a supernatural joy which enables us to bear any sorrow or pain and which neither life nor death can take way. Do you know the joy of a life fully surrendered to God with faith and trust?

Prayer For The Day:
Lord, may I recognize your visitation and be prepared for your action today, just as Simeon was prepared and ready to respond to your visitation and action in his day.