Dawn Reed

As Easter approaches, I’ve been thinking about Mary.

When she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord (Luke 2:22), was the stable delivery still fresh in their minds?

They had waited the necessary days for the “purification of the mother.” Leviticus 12 spells out the requirements for a woman who had given birth. After 40 days (for a son), the mother was to bring to the priest a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. Verse eight tells us if the mother could not afford a lamb, she was to bring two doves or two young pigeons for the burnt and sin offerings.

Luke 2:24 reveals that Mary and Joseph brought with them a pair of doves or young pigeons. While that could indicate they were of poor means, the lamb was already there: the Lamb of God.

Simeon saw them across the way and knew exactly Who they were holding. He’d been waiting for Him. Walking right up to Mary, he took Jesus in his arms.

Without hesitation Simeon praised God, knowing that this was the promised Messiah he had longed to see. “A light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel,” he declared in front of everyone.

Did Mary and Joseph smile that Simeon knew Who the Baby really was? It was conceivable that they wouldn’t have told many the full truth. Now, here was an old man-a stranger-who proclaimed many things about the Baby’s future.