The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-01-09
Lesson for January IL
SIMEoN's PROPHECY

SIMEoNS PROPHECY
LESSON TEXT-Luke 2:25-35, 40.
GOLDEN TEXT - Mine eyes have
seen thy salvation, which thou hast
prepared before the face of all people.
Luke 2:3O, 81.
PRIMARY TOPIC When Simeon
Saw Jesus.
JUNIOR ToPIc-why Simeon Re-
joiced.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR
ToPIC-What Jesus Can Do for the
World.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT
TOPIC-Jesus, the Hope of All Nations.
The occasion which brought Simeon
to recognize Jesus as the Messiah was
his being offered to the Lord by Mary
and Joseph. According to the Jewish
custom Uev. 12), at the age of eight
days the male child was circumcised
and thus made a member of the COW
ienant nation. In this case the child
was given the name "Jesus" which In
dicated his mission wv. 22-24). Then
at the end of 40 days he was offered
to the Lord on the basis of the original
redemptive purpose, which was the
priesthood of the first-bOrn, and not ac-
cOrding to the Levitical order (EXOd.
1872; CT. 80 :26). The offering in such
case was lamb for such as could af-
ford 1t, but for the poor pair of tur-
tie doves or pigeons was adequate.
The Savior thus came to the level Of
the poor.
I. Simeon's Character ". 25).
1. Upright. He sustained right re-
,lation to his fellow men. He was
"just."
2. Devout. He was of such char
acter as to enjoy personal fellowship
with God.
8. Waiting for the consolation of
Israel"-Messiah. Waiting for the full
fllment of the divine purpose In the
coming of Messiah had a blessed effect
upon his life, inducing Righteousness
and gOdliness. Waiting for the second
coming of Christ is set forth in the
New Testament as having salutary
effect upon believers Il John 3:3;
Thess ] %, 10Y.
4. Under the sway Of the Holy
Spirit One thus enabled would be in
a condition to recognize the Messiah.
A spiritual mind is absolutely essen
tial in order to discern the divine pur-
pose Il Cor. 2:14).
u. Simeon's Revelation wv. 26-2S).
He was assured that he should not
die until he had seen the Lords Christ.
When Christ was brought to the tenn
pie, the Holy Spirit upon Simeon en-
abled him to discern the babe as the
promised one. Happy is the one whose
character and spiritual experience is
such that he can discern the presence
of the Lord. Truly it is in him that
we live and move and have our being.
To be in this state is to practice the
presence of God. So definitely was he
led by the Spirit that when Mary and
Joseph brought Jesus into the temple,
he took him up in his arms and blessed
God, indicating his personal and af-
fectionate appropriation of the Mes
siah as his Savior and Lord.
III. Simeon's Song wv. 29-32).
This is the song known as the "Nunc
Dimittis," so named from the Latin
words with which it begins.
1. He prays for peaceable depar-
ture ". 29). Perhaps it was more than
a prayer; it was praise to God that
now he is having a blessed departure
out of this life, having seen and han
died the Savior. Truly blessed are
the dead who died in the Lord.
2. lie praises God for worldwide
salvation wv. 30-32). The "Nunc Di-
mittis" is the universal song, thus wide
ly differing from the "Magniticat" in
that it is wider than the Jewish hope.
Simeon saw Christ as the Light to re-
veal salvation to the Gentiles. This
is the true glory of Israel. 1t is in
keeping with the divine purpose in call
ing and disciplining this nation to
make it the channel through which he
might bless all the peoples of the
world (Gen. 12:1-3). j
w. Simeon Blessed Joseph and Mary.
The revelation through Simeon
caused them to marvel. To have such
wonderful predictions made concerning
their Babe filled them with amazement.
His blessing contained wonderful and
even dark words of prophecy.
/. "This child is set for the fall and
rising again of many in Israel" This
means that Christ was to be touch
stone-destiny would be determined by
the attitude of the people toward him.
How definitely this has been fulfilled
in the experience of that people!
2. "a sign which shall be spoken
against" This had definite fulillment
in Israel and is being fulfilled today
among many peoples.
8. A sword was to pierce Mary's
soul. This perhaps refers to her suf-
fering as she entered into sympathy
with his unutterable suffering as he
went to the cross, and her desolation
afterward.
The Day Of Rest