A MOST interesting scene is brought before us in the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem, eight days old, is brought by Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord. As they enter the Temple, they are met by an aged man, named Simeon, just and devout, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel. Now the Holy Ghost was upon him, and had revealed to him that he should not see death, until he had seen the Lord's Christ. The Spirit led him to the Temple, and the moment the Babe is brought in, he takes Him up in his arms, and blessed God, saying, " Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation," &c.
Wondrous mystery! the Creator of the universe, made in the likeness of men, sin apart, a babe in the arms of this aged disciple, who recognizes and owns Him as the Christ of God. The consolation of Israel had come, and as the eyes of Simeon rest upon Him, he blesses God, and rejoices in His great salvation.
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, of great age, a widow of above fourscore and four years, which departed not from the Temple, but served God day and night with fastings and prayers, 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. Taught of God, this aged widow beholds in the unconscious Babe of Bethlehem, in the arms of Simeon, the object of her hope and the desire of her heart, Israel's Messiah, the sent one of God.
Filled with joy, she pours out her heart in thanksgiving to Jehovah, and becomes the first messenger to all in Jerusalem who looked for redemption. It was a day of glad tidings, and she could not hold her peace (2 Kings 7:9). Her heart was full, inditing a good matter, and out of its abundance her mouth spake of Him, so that there was not one that looked for redemption in that city, that did not hear the glad tidings at her lips. Israel's Light had come, and an aged widow of fourscore years and four is the chosen vessel of God to declare His name to the people of God. His ways are perfect. A wondrous theme was Anna's, the Person and the work of Christ, as yet a Babe, but the promised Redeemer, the One of whom Moses and the prophets had written. She saw Him; she believed on Him; and she spake of Him. It was with Anna as with the Psalmist, “I believe, therefore have I spoken" (Psa. 116:10). Blessed news! Joyful news!
“And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40).
Years after this, Jesus, at the age of thirty having been fore announced by John the Baptist, went forth on His public ministry. But the world was opposed to the grace and truth that fell from His blessed lips. “He was despised and rejected of men” (Isa. 53:3), and finally crucified, the Scriptures being fulfilled in His condemnation and death (Acts 3:18). On the cross He endured the hiding of God's face, and bore the awful stroke of Divine justice and judgment against sin once for all. He died, and was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3, 4). And He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12).
Aged Anna pointed all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem to the Babe of Bethlehem. That same Jesus is now a glorified man at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, and if you, my reader, desire redemption, let me point you to that Blessed One. In Him alone is redemption to be found. "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:23, 24). “There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all" (1 Tim. 2:5, 6). All have sinned, but Christ gave Himself for all. All therefore may have the blessing. Redemption was obtained by Him. Do you want it? It is utterly impossible for you to obtain it by your own doings. It is obtained for you by another, obtained already.
We read in the 130th Psalm, 7-8— With him is plenteous redemption, and he shall redeem Israel from their iniquities." And what is true for Israel, is also true in the highest sense for every one that now believeth. With Him is plenteous redemption for all who believe on His name. Christ on the throne of God is God's testimony to accomplished redemption. Cease therefore from your own fleshly efforts. Believe on the Son of God, seated in the glory of God, and redemption is yours, eternal redemption. Then will the words of the apostle (words which the Holy Ghost teacheth) in 1 Cor. 1:30, be true of you, “Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” And again," in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of Ms. Grace" (Eph. 1:7). This is plenteous redemption indeed. Can you take these precious truths to yourself?
Perhaps you are one who trembles at the thought of God and His holiness on account of your sins. It may be that you have striven to set matters right, trying to mend the past by struggles to give up sin and to live righteously, and yet you do wrong continually. You have thought and sought to please God by reforming your ways, but still find your ways crooked and mixed with sin. You have tried to master sin, but found sin mastered you. You have striven to overcome Satan, but only to find to your sorrow that he led you captive still. Ah my reader, if this be your miserable experience, it is evident that, like thousands more, you are still fast entangled in the deceiver's snare. You have been trying to save yourself, seeking to be your own Saviour, as though you could redeem yourself. You are occupied with the wrong person, "I” instead of "Christ;" self, instead of the ever blessed One, the Son of God.
And what is the result of all this? Why, you are no farther than when you first started, no, not one single inch. In fact, you are farther off than ever, having yourself sought to heap up a great barrier of self-righteousness, in addition to your many sins. You are still far from God, miserable, afraid to meet Him, afraid of death, because you have no knowledge of redemption in Christ, nor the pardon of your sins. Oh unhappy soul, wherefore toil you so? Do what you will, your efforts are utterly vain. You cannot obtain redemption thus. It is too late to be doing to get to God. Christ has obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb. 9:12). Believe on Him, and eternal redemption is fours.
The trembling sinner feareth
That God can ne'er forget;
But one full payment cleareth
His memory from all debt.
When naught besides could ease us,
Or set our souls at large,
Thy holy work, Lord Jesus,
Secured a full discharge.
“Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things ... but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18, 19).
Again, dear reader, I appeal to you, “Is this redemption yours?” Are you washed from your sins in His precious blood? It is not yet too late, but every moment shortens the day of grace, and brings nearer the Day of Judgment. Christ still waits on the throne of God, but at any moment He may come again. Christians, redeemed by precious blood, yea, having eternal redemption in Him, await His return for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body (Rom. 8:23). At that glorious moment all His loved ones shall be translated to glory. Are you one? If not, I beseech you to come to Him now. The redemption of the soul is precious (Psa. 49:8). God sent redemption to His people of old (Psa. 111:9). He has sent His Son also, who has obtained it for you. At your peril you neglect or refuse it. Oh! heed the voice of warning, and listen to the voice of beseeching, “Come unto me" (Matt. 11:28).
All who looked for redemption in Jerusalem were pointed by Anna, the aged widow, to Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem. To that same Jesus you are pointed now, Christ the Lord, in the glory of God, a present Saviour, bestowing eternal redemption on every one that believeth.
“In the Lord we have redemption,
Full remission in His blood,
From the curse entire exemption,
From the curse pronounced by God;
What a Saviour Jesus is!
O what grace, what love is His”
E. H. C.