The Fall and Rising of Many

Luke 2:21–38 NKJV

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. 22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” 33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” 36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Here in the middle of Luke ch. 2 we have another amazing account recorded. Another powerful declaration is made concerning Christ. So far in Lukes Gospel we have had several major declaration concerning Christ, all the time revealing who Jesus is and confirming to Theophilus the certianty of the things in which he had been instructed.

Here we have an account of two individuals who made declarations about Christ, Simeon and Anna. But why Simeon and Anna. Why did God choose to use these two people to make these announcements and why did Luke include these in his gospel?

There is is a theme here I believe. First with Simeon and Anna Second with the circumstances surrounding these to testimonies and what was declared.

They were waiting for the consolation and redemption of Israel

Of Simeon it says

Luke 2:25 NKJV

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

And of Anna it says

Luke 2:37–38 NKJV

37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

What is the consolation of Israel

Isaiah 40:1–2 NKJV

1 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. 2 “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.”

This was a prophecy for the consolation of God and deliverance from exile in Babylon. So in the way that a father would comfort their child after disciplining them, console them by hugging them and letting them know that it going to be ok now, so God consoled Israel by letting them know that his chastisement was complete.

But the deeper prophecy here was for the Messiah who would come to console Israel Comfort her and tell her that hers sins have been paid for.

And Anna also testified these things to all who look for redemption in Israel.

Why is this significant? Because God gave this special privilege to Simeon because he was waiting and looking for the Consolation of Israel and Anna testimony is recorded because she daily fasted and prayed in the temple, (for the redemption and consolation of Israel).

There is a wonderful blessing for all who look for consolation and redemption.

Matthew 5:4 NKJV

4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

When we look for consolation and redemption it is because we are aware of our great spiritual need. we understand our sinful condition and we long for redemption.

The circumstances surrounding these testamonies

Luke 2:21–24 NKJV

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. 22 Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Leviticus 12:1–8 NKJV

1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. 3 And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled. 5 ‘But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days. 6 ‘When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 7 Then he shall offer it before the Lord, and make atonement for her. And she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who has borne a male or a female. 8 ‘And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons—one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’ ”

Why was a women unclean after giving birth? and why did she require a sin offering. Well it’s not because having children is sinful. look in..

Genesis 3:16 NKJV

16 To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”

The specific curse for sin given to the women was that her sorrow would be multiplied in child bearing. So birth process served as a reminder that we are sinners, that we need to be redeemed, that we need to be consoled. So the law that a women would be unclean after child birth was to serve as a reminder that we are sinners we need salvation. This is why a sin offering was made at the end to remind them that God would redeem them that God would console them.

So the fact that the account in Luke of Simeon who was waiting for the consolation of Israel happened at this particular time at the end of Mary’s days of purification is no accident at all. She had just completed waiting for the days of her purification when she could come to the temple and bring a sacrifice for her atonement and consolation. And there they find Simeon who had been waiting for Israel’s consolation having receieved the promise from the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw the Lord’s Christ.

The layers of revelation and truth here is staggering.

So we have looked at the the fact that Simeon and Anna shared a common heart in waiting and looking for the consolation and redemption of Israel. We have considered the circumstances of the completion of Mary’s purification followed by her atonement. Now lets consider the declaration itself.

The declaration

Luke 2:26–32 NKJV

26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 28 he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 29 “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Luke 2:33 NKJV

33 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

Luke 2:21 NKJV

21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

The name Jesus meaning “The Lord is Salvation” And as Simeon had said

Luke 2:30–31 NKJV

30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

Jesus is Salvation prepared before the face of all people, the consolation of Israel and a light to the Gentiles. However, Simeon gives a farther warning to Mary

Luke 2:34–35 NKJV

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against 35 (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Christ is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel. Even though the salvation of the Lord is prepared before all He is not salvation for all but only for those who believe in Him. He will raise up many but many stumble and fall because of Him.

2 Corinthians 2:14–16 NKJV

14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?

Blessed are those who morn for they shall be consoled.

This is the difference. Do you look for the consolation? do you look for the redemption? We don’t have the Jewish legal rituals to serve as a daily reminder of our condition but just look around you. Consider the state of the world and you can see clearly that we need redemption. Look at your own sinful condition morn and weep long for the consolation and the redemption of your own soul. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.