Considering Jesus: The Glory Of Israel

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

Luke 2:29-32 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

In Luke 2:25ff we are told the story of when elderly, devout Simeon saw the infant Jesus being brought to the temple. He was told that he would live long enough to see the Messiah, and so when he saw Jesus, he praised God and quoted Isaiah 42:6 about Jesus being a light to the nations and paraphrased Micah 2:32 about Him as the glory of Israel.

To the Gentiles He was a light like they had never known or even conceived, since they were without hope and without God in the world, and strangers to His promises. (Eph. 2:12) But for Israel, Jesus was the glory that they should have been expecting. He was God with them, the perfect example of man in the flesh, the fulfillment of the prophecies and all their sound hopes. 

John said that he saw his glory, (Jn. 1:14) but that did not understand, appreciate or receive Him.(Jn. 1:12) He was the glory of the nation, one of the main reasons for the nation to continue to exist as a people, and still they missed it.Their glory came, and to their shame, they did not see Him.