The Consolation of Israel

With Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, it is a time of expected thankfulness and merriment. Indeed, especially for those in Christ, there are many reasons for thankfulness and joy, but it is also a time when many are more acutely aware of their suffering or the loss of a loved one. Yes, this season is a time for thankfulness and joy, but it is also a time for comfort.

As I was reading Luke 2, the description of Simeon “waiting for the consolation of Israel” stayed with me. It isn’t a name of Jesus that we typically focus on or are familiar with. Yet, it is the name of Jesus that Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, used to describe Who Simeon was waiting for.

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

according to your word;

30 for my eyes have seen your salvation

31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory to your people Israel.”[1]

Luke 2:25-32

From this passage in Luke, we know that “the consolation of Israel” is the Messiah because the Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen “the Lord’s Christ” [Messiah] (vs 26). Simeon had been waiting for the Messiah. It had been roughly four hundred years since God had last spoken through a prophet to His people, the Jews. Israel had experienced much suffering as a nation from their captivity in Egypt to being taken captive by the Assyrians (the Northern kingdom of Israel) and the Babylonians (the Southern kingdom of Judah). The Jewish people were currently under the pagan rule of Rome. Israel was waiting for their Messiah although many had lost hope, were not righteous and devout like Simeon, or were looking for a political and national Messiah.

But Simeon wasn’t waiting for a political Messiah. He was waiting for “the consolation of Israel.” I could give you a technical definition for consolation, but instead, let’s look at Isaiah 40:1-2.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that her warfare is ended,

that her iniquity is pardoned,

that she has received from the Lord’s hand

double for all her sins.[2]

Isaiah 39 finishes with the announcement of the Babylonian conquest, but chapter 40 begins with comfort. “Isaiah is a book in three sections. Chapters 1–35 are prophetic, with the theme of condemnation. Chapters 36–39 are historic, and the theme is confiscation. Chapters 40–66 are messianic, and the theme is consolation.”[3] Even with Israel and Judah’s repeated sin, God had compassion for them. He extended His grace and mercy through the promise of the Messiah. He speaks through Isaiah words of comfort.

Did you notice what God’s words of comfort were? “that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins” (emphasis added). Double here means to fold in half. If you fold something in half, both halves are equal (unless you are horrible at folding). God’s pardon for sin was exactly what was needed for all Judah’s sin.

I looked at several commentaries, and they all seemed to agree that Isaiah 40:1-2 was the backdrop for the use of “the consolation of Israel” in Luke 2. The Jewish people still needed comfort. They still needed pardon for their sin. Animal sacrifices were temporary. Worldly comforts were temporary. The Jewish people needed an eternal atonement and pardoning. They needed a lasting comfort.

When Simeon took baby Jesus up in his arms, he blessed God, “for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel” (vs 30-32).

What an astounding statement that we Gentiles miss. Gentiles were unclean. Except for a few in the Old Testament, Gentiles were not included with God’s chosen people, Israel. In fact, where Simeon took baby Jesus up in his arms was beyond where the Gentiles were allowed. It was beyond the court for women. Here he declared that Jesus, the Messiah, was a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to God’s people Israel. It’s a wonder that Simeon wasn’t assaulted by other Jews who overheard his inclusion of Gentiles.

Simeon shared the good news of the Gospel that day. This baby Jesus was the salvation the Jewish people needed. He was the true comfort they needed because He came to once and for all reconcile all those who trust in Him by the shedding of His own blood on the cross. What greater comfort is there than the atonement of your sins? That you will never be separated from the love of God? That there is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ? That eternal life is your sure and steadfast hope? No wonder Simeon said he could depart in peace. The only One who could establish true and lasting peace was in his arms. The consolation of Israel had come.

Reflection

1. Take time to praise and thank God that salvation in Jesus is for the Jew and the Gentile. Praise God for His mercy and grace.

2. Pray for the nation of Israel. Many of them do not know that the consolation of Israel, their Messiah has come. Pray for their eyes to be opened and to come to saving faith. Think of others you know personally that have not come to saving faith. Pray for them as well to trust in the atoning work of Jesus.

3. Israel was looking for a political Messiah to save them. They didn’t understand their true need. We too daily look for comfort and salvation from our struggles and suffering in anything or anyone other than God. Intellectually we may know that God is the true source, but practically we trust other things and people. In a current struggle, who or what are you trusting rather than God?

4. Our greatest need is pardon from sin. If we are in Christ, then our sin has been paid for and forgiven, and we have been clothed in Jesus righteousness. However, this side of heaven, we still battle with the sin nature. Are you relying on your own willpower to fight sin or resting in Jesus’ righteousness and obeying out of love and gratitude to God?

5. God sees our suffering, our hurt, our grief. He is the God of all comfort. He sent His Son, the consolation of Israel, and He has given the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to indwell us. He has also promised eternal life where there will be no need for comfort because there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. What about God’s character and what He has done gives you comfort right now?

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Lk 2:25–32. [2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 40:1–2. [3] David Guzik, Isaiah, David Guzik’s Commentaries on the Bible (Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik, 2000), Is 40:1–2.