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THE KING’S BUSINESS
carnè, with' hàSte”' to : find the Christ,’ and today men will scarce come at all; and if "they do, it is with such reluctance that they must be urged and reasoned with and pleaded with, and almost pulled to thè Sa vior’s feet. These shepherds were, indeed, rare, souls. They found it all just as God said it would be ( v. 16, cf. v. 20 ; ch. 19 :32; "Acts 27:25). . There i,s a baby lying in a manger, they gazed upon the One who was to be the Christ, the Lord, the Savior of the world. Who can measure the possibilities that are wrapped up in a poor baby? Tuesday, September 28. Luke 2:17-20. The shepherds did not keep to themselves the good news, but they told only that “which was spoken to them.” They were model witnesses, Christ was the whole sub ject of their testimony. With most people their testimony awakened little besides won der, but Mary “kept in her heart” and “pon dered” all these wonderful revelations. That is the way to deal with God’s word, keep it in your heart and meditate upon it ( Ps. 119 : 11 R. V.; 1:1, 2). The shepherds again proved themselves true and wise men; they did not lose their heads, but went back to their humble toil. But they went back in a new spirit “glori fying and praising God.” It is worthy of note that they glorified and praised God for “all the things that they had heard and seen; even as it was told unto them.” Wednesday, September 29. Luke 2 :21-24. Mary and Joseph obeyed the Mosaic law in every detail (v. 22, cf. Lev. 12:2, 3, 4, 6, 8). The fact that Mary had bèen so hon ored by the Lord never led her to dream for a moment that she was superior to the law which God Himself had given to Moses. The time would come when that babe who was to.be presented to the Lord with all the rites of the ceremonial law explicitly ful filled, would most completely fulfill that law; and by His death on the cross of Calvary take it out of the way (Col. 2:14-17), but that time had not come as yet. That Joseph
and Mary were poor, very poor, was shown by the fact that On this occasion they of fered in sacrifice a pair of turtle doves and not à lamb as was required of wealthier people (Lev. 12:6-8). Mary had that an cient piety that shows itself in studying GOd’s written word and acting exactly ac cording to it. Thursday, September 30. Luke 2 :25-28, We are told four things, about. Simeon: (1) He was “just,” i. e., “righteous” ; (2) “devout” ; (3) “waiting (looking) for the consolation of Israel.” There was not much outward sign of the consolation of Israel: Simeon had nothing to rest upon but God’s word, but that was enough for him, and ought to be enough for us. We today ought to be looking for the coming of our Lord, the hope and consolation of the believer (Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3 :12 R. V.) ; (4) “The Holy Spirit was upon him” (cf, Num. 11: 25, 26, 29 ; Acts 4 :8 ; Luke 1 :41; 67). Sim eon is a good example for the believer to day (Titus 2:11-13; Eph. 5:18; 1 Thes. 1: 9, 10). Simeon had been granted a glimpse into the future to cheer and sustain him (v. 26, cf. Ps. 25 :14) : this revelation had been made to Simeon “by the Holy Ghost.” Three times in three verses is the Holy Spirit mentioned in connection with Simeon ; it is evident that he was a true Son of God (cf. Rom. 8:14). It had been told to Simeon that he should see two things, death and the Lord’s Christ; but he should see the Lord’s Christ first ; this was an abundant prepara tion for seeing death. Note carefully whither it was the Spirit led Simeon, “into the temple,” that is, the House of God. By -going to the House of God he met Jesus. We can always meet Him in the House of God, even if thè singing is poor and the preaching dry (Matt. 18:29). The child Jesus was in the House of God because his parents took him there. The plain duty of parents today is suggested in this. He was only a babe (Lev. 12 :l-6) when his parents took him to the House of God: it is im possible to begin too early to take our chil dren to the House of God.
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