Luke 2:30-32 (ESV)
[30] for my eyes have seen your
salvation
[31] that you have prepared in the
presence of all peoples,
[32] a light for revelation to the
Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
This is part of Simeon’s prophecy
when Jesus was brought to the temple at 41 days of age. Simeon was “waiting for
the consolation (comforting) of Israel” (vs 25). Anna testified “to all who
were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (vs 38). Jesus, this little child
presented to the God in the temple, was the Jewish Messiah, the Christ. He was
the consolation and redemption of Israel. But he was much more. He was also “a
light for revelation to the Gentiles.” Indeed, this news was “prepared in the
presence of all peoples.” The particular form of the word for peoples used here
is used only three times in the New Testament. In each place it refers not to
all the people of Israel, but to all tribes, tongues, and peoples or nations. Jesus
came not only for the redemption of Jerusalem, but for the redemption of all
who would believe, and ultimately for the redemption of all Creation.
The phrase, “a light to the
nations” is found several times in Isaiah. In Genesis 12 Abraham was told that God
would bless all the families of the earth through him. In Exodus 9:16 Israel is
told that God had raised them up so that his name would be proclaimed in all
the earth. They were to be a light to the nations, but they failed in their
task. They turned inward and were more focused on surviving than in testifying.
That unfortunately sounds a lot like the church today.
The church can easily become
inward focused and lose sight of their mission. When outside forces increase,
when persecution arises, or when cultural norms move away from biblical norms, the
church has two choices. It can double down on mission, or it can turn inward
and focus on survival. The sad truth is that the more the church chooses to
focus on survival, the less it survives. Israel was called to be a light to the
Gentiles and a testimony to the nations. They largely failed. The church today
is called to be a light and a testimony. How are we doing?
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