Luke 2:25-35, "The Consolation of Israel" - a podcast by Benjamin Glaser

As we continued to walk through the second chapter of Luke we came to the story of Simeon. 

Simeon is described as "just and devout" and there are several references to the Holy Spirit having spoken to him, even moving him to go to the Temple that day and what does Simeon discover? That the Messiah, the one he has been waiting his whole life to see is there present with his parents. Rejoicing he says, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word.", and this is the key phrase in our sermon today. 

Are we preparing ourselves as we approach the Holy Scriptures to listen to what God is saying in His written revelation to His people? Do we take seriously this awesome gift of the Creator of the heavens and the earth giving to His people His very word? A wise man once said that if we want to hear God talk then all we need to do is read His word out loud! 😃

 The reason why Simeon knew that the time had come and who the "Consolation of Israel" would be is because he read the Scriptures and believed what they said. In submitting himself to the word he was showing himself to be much wiser than the "teachers of Israel" and the Pharisees who knew the Bible well, but knew nothing of what it said. This is why Simeon was ready to see Jesus and someone like Nicodemus at first totally missed what was right in front of his face. We all know people with lots of head knowledge and little ability to put that understanding into real life action. 

For Christians it is very important that we come to the Bible with humility, ready to listen, ready to put into practice what we read, and ready to rest and trust in the blessed truth that the salvation of all men has come in Jesus Christ, the very son of the living God, revealed in the word, who has laid down his life for sinners. 

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