12 Days of Christmas - The Real Story (Day 8) - The Visit to the Temple
Luke 2:21-38
Most renderings of the story of Christmas go straight from the shepherds visiting the manger to the wise men coming to see Baby Jesus. However, it would be something like 6 months before the wise men from far in the east would arrive in that little town of Bethlehem. They have seen His star, but it would take them some time to prepare a caravan and make their way to Israel.
Only 8 days after the birth of Jesus we find another very important part of the story.
In Genesis 17, God makes a covenant with Abraham that every man child shall be circumcised the 8th day.1 This was an important sign for the Israelites of the everlasting covenant with God. And so on the 8th day, every baby boy was taken to be circumcised.
As the time came when little baby Jesus was 8 days old, Joseph and Mary took the little baby and traveled the 5 miles or so to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. According to the law, it was necessary to bring a lamb to be offered as a sacrifice at the temple for this newborn baby, and in addition, either a young pigeon or a turtledove. 2
Apparently, Joseph was unable to provide the money for a lamb, because we find in the same law an exception for those who were not able to bring a lamb: “And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons;”3 The second turtledove or pigeon was offered as a substitute for the lamb.
Although vague, the record in Luke indicates that no lamb was brought to the sacrifice, but rather two birds.4 Could it be that a lamb would not have been appropriate as an atonement for the very Lamb of God? Perhaps in this case the second dove or pigeon was offered as a substitute for a lamb, as only this would be an appropriate offering.
Of all the people at the temple, there were two individuals who recognized the Christ on His arrival, even as this little infant. One, a man named Simeon, and the other a prophetess named Anna. We know very little of these two individuals, but we know that they both walked with God.
Simeon is described as having the indwelling Holy Spirit upon him.5 And it was the Spirit that led him to come to the temple at this moment, and as Joseph and Mary entered the temple grounds, Simeon took the child into his arms and in a beautiful moment, he praises God for letting him see the salvation of the world, a light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel.6
And Anna the prophetess, coming at that same moment, gave a similar expression of praise.7
I wonder if we, like Simeon and Anna, would recognize the Savior of the world if we saw Him as a little baby. We may think of Him as the great creator of the universe and the King of kings, but do we hear His still, small voice?
Gen 17:9 KJV - And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
Gen 17:10 KJV - This [is] my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
Gen 17:11 KJV - And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
Gen 17:12 KJV - And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which [is] not of thy seed.
Lev 12:6 KJV - And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
Lev 12:8 KJV - And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
Luk 2:24 KJV - And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
Luk 2:25 KJV - And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [was] Simeon; and the same man [was] just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luk 2:28 KJV - Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luk 2:29 KJV - Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luk 2:30 KJV - For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luk 2:31 KJV - Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luk 2:32 KJV - A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Luk 2:38 KJV - And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.