My own eyes have seen thy salvation

Scripture Lessons

Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15       God commands the Israelites to consecrate every firstborn male.

Psalm 111                             “He sent redemption to His people.”

Colossians 3:12-17              “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”

Luke 2:22-40                         Mary and Joseph present Jesus at the temple.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have in our gospel lesson today a couple themes that I’d like to expound upon and which connect. First, there is the theme of God’s glory and specifically, how His glory has been present in the history of Israel. Secondly, there is the theme of receiving the gifts of God, and how good and pious people are just that (good and pious) not because of their strict adherence to the law, but because of their faithful observance of God’s word. The faithful are made so, by hearing and receiving God’s word.

God’s glorious presence was manifest to the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the promised land. “²¹ And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. ²² The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” Exodus 13:21-22. Once they erected the tabernacle, closely following God’s instructions, His glory filled the tabernacle. “³⁴ Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40: 34-35.

Subsequently, when the first temple was constructed under King Solomon, and the ark was brought in, the glory left the tabernacle and came into the temple. “¹⁰ And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, ¹¹ so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” 1 Kings 8:10-11.

The first temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, but prior to that destruction, the glory of the Lord left the temple. “¹⁸ Then the glory of the Lord went out from the threshold of the house, and stood over the cherubim. ¹⁹ And the cherubim lifted up their wings and mounted up from the earth before my eyes as they went out, with the wheels beside them. And they stood at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the Lord, and the glory of the God of Israel was over them.” Ezekiel 10:18-19.

When the second temple was constructed, the glory of the Lord did not return. Ezra 6:13-18 describes the completion of the second temple and the dedication of it but says nothing of the glory of the Lord filling the temple as He had done before with the tabernacle and the first temple. Ezra 3 describes the rebuilding of the altar and the laying of the foundation of the second temple. “And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. ¹² But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy.” Ezra 3:11-12. Old men were old enough to remember the grandeur of the first temple. They likely also mourn the collective sin of Israel which brought God’s righteous judgment upon them.

God encouraged the faithful to rebuild the temple and He promised to return in glory to the temple. Haggai 2:1-9:

In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: ² “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, ³ ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? ⁴ Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, ⁵ according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. ⁶ For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. ⁷ And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. ⁸ The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. ⁹ The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”

The second temple, built by the exiles returning from Babylon (around 537 BC), was less grand than the first, but at the time of the nativity, the second temple had been expanded under Herod. The Holy Place and Most Holy Place were 15 stories tall! A program continued of ongoing renovations and expansions for many decades. However (and this is a big difference), the glory of the Lord had not returned to the temple in the 600 years since His glory departed. 600 years is a long time. It is plenty of time to build up doubts about whether the Lord will fulfill His promises or not.

God spoke through the prophet Malachi: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3:1.

God’s word declared this. These are promises of the Lord. The pious and faithful of Israel received God’s word, trusting that He would fulfill what He had spoken. Thus, Mary was purified in accordance with God’s word (the Levitical law). Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to be presented and redeemed in accordance with God’s word (the law). Simeon waited patiently for the consolation that was promised throughout God’s word, the promises spoken to Abraham and his offspring, the scripture. Simeon also received with faith the special promise of the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Messiah. God the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that Jesus was the Christ. Likewise, Anna the prophetess was given eyes of faith to see the fulfillment of God’s word, that is to know that Jesus was the Christ. Thus, two witnesses (Simeon and Anna) testified that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.

Each of these faithful and pious believers gives an example of how we are blessed to live, that is to say in faith and trust, knowing that God always fulfills His word. Mary, Joseph, Simeon, and Anna exemplify the Christian life as they wait, faithfully, doing the things that they are commanded to do, in faith, and receiving the gifts of God as they come…in God’s timing.

Yet in the midst of joy that the Lord’s word has been fulfilled, that the glory of the Lord has come into His temple, there is a foreboding word. “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising (resurrection) of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Mary will be pierced in her soul when she sees Jesus suffer and die on the cross. Israel will be pierced by the Word of Christ which divides right from wrong, truth from error, light from darkness. The suffering Christ is a stumbling block and a rock of offense. God’s word cuts through the chains that bind you to sin and sets you free.

Rejoice all you faithful! God has come into His temple and has revealed salvation to you and to all people. Rejoice in your baptism to know that God’s promise of forgiveness and salvation has been fulfilled. Rejoice as you receive this blessed sacrament and then sing with Simeon, “my own eyes have seen the salvation which You have prepared in the sight of every people.”

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.