The Messiah Simeon Waited For

When Simeon offered his testimony and prophecy to Mary and Joseph, he probably had a glimpse of why the Jews would not like their Messiah. As mentioned in the last two posts, Simeon stressed God’s design for the savior to reach all peoples, not just the descendants of Jacob.

Over the years, the Hebrew leaders forgot their mission. They forgot why God asked them to remain pure and set apart.

 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6 (NKJV)

”Also today the Lord has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, 19 and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God, just as He has spoken.” Deuteronomy 26:18-19 (NKJV)

As the Queen of Sheba saw the greatness of Solomon, and of the God of Israel and journeyed to learn more, so all the peoples of the world should have felt compelled to seek out Israel and learn more about Yahweh. But instead of keeping themselves pure, they intermarried with the nearby peoples. And instead of acting as a beacon for the world, they insisted that any blessing as the chosen people should remain with them.

Christ’s coming and sacrifice would reestablish what God had intended all along. He wanted people who loved him and acted like a city on a hill or a torch lifted high.

He wanted all people to see the light.