TOPIC:"This Child of Destiny"
"Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, 'This Child is destined' " (2:34, NIV).
Within days after His birth Jesus was taken to the Temple by His parents to be dedicated to God. An old man by the name of Simeon, standing in the midst of the Temple, and in a moment of insight and recognition, made this amazing prophecy regarding the infant Jesus: "This Child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel" (v. 34). There you have a prediction by Simeon that this Child would divide the very people who built and loved this magnificent Temple.
I wonder: Do we realize how astounding and amazing that prophecy was by Simeon? He had such divine insight. He saw before it actually happened that Jesus would be the great Divider. Simeon predicted that Jesus would raise up those who believe in Him and be a stumbling block to those who disbelieve. Now that is astonishing! To make a prediction long before it actually happens. For there were many that night when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea who might have declared, "Nothing spectacular took place in Bethlehem today."
But you and I know that is not true. Because on that night of nights one of the greatest events in the history of the world took place - God became man in the Person of Jesus Christ. Notice again the words of our text: "This Child is destined." Destined for great things. Destined to change history. Destined to die in order that men may live. Let's take a careful look at the words of our text.
Think, to begin with, that God has DECLARED Jesus to be a MAN of DESTINY. Notice again the words of verse 34: "This Child is destined." The KJV has it: "Behold, this Child is set."
The birth of Jesus was no accident. It had a divine purpose behind it. The Apostle Paul put it this way: "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son" (Galatians 4:4). And what was God's purpose in sending Christ? . . .