Redemption of Israel-Advent 13, 2021

When you combine pious people and the long-awaited redemption of Israel, add in that the baby is the Messiah and the Son of God, it’s a given that everything must be done completely and without fail, “by the Book.”

Luke 2:21 On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived. 22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

Mary and Joseph were poor, but that was not a reason to cut corners, not with so much at stake. The Law made allowances for the poor.

Luke2:36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Being old and widowed wasn’t a reason to cut corners either. Devoted. Pious. Faithful. And she wasn’t the only one.

39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Questions for further study:

There are three events mentioned: circumcision (8-th day), purification (40-th day), and presentation (like Hannah did with Samuel). Why would it have been important to Joseph and Mary to have presented Jesus, to have named Him in accordance with angelic command, and to have Him circumcised… all according to the Law?

Why would Joseph have participated in the purification rites, normally only required for the mother who by law was to remain “at home” until the 40 days were complete? (See Leviticus 12:1-6) Remember the circumstances of Jesus’ birth.

Circumcision was on the 8-th day then 33 more days at home. Why would Joseph and Mary have done purification rites at the temple in Jerusalem which was about 5 miles away instead back in Bethlehem when purification wasn’t required to be done at the temple? Think back to Anna’s speaking of the “redemption of Jerusalem” and what it would have meant to the faithful to know Jesus was presented as the firstborn in the very center of Jewish worship.

Read Psalm 130: Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD; 2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. 3 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. 5 I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. 7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

What full, complete, and “by the Book things” are going on in the passage above as it relates to the redemption of Israel?

Finally, for today, we are told they returned to “their own town” of Nazareth in Galilee which was 60 miles from Jerusalem. Geography was no obstacle, advanced age or youth, married, widowed, a man or a woman, poverty…none of these are truly obstacles when one desires to do things “by the Book” in total devotion to God. In what areas of your Christian life are you tempted to cut corners?

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Advent 2021 began Sunday, November 28th and continues to Friday, December 24th as we explore the multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King. By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “Interlude” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

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Last year’s Advent Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.