The Son of Man
There were blood stains on the hay in a stable. A young mother had just given birth to a male child. Eight days later, there was a bloody knife; the baby screamed as He experienced pain for the first time. The Son had just been circumcised according to Jewish tradition.
Through the years, there were accidents as the Child grew: a skinned knee, a split lip, and maybe a bloody nose. These were just normal growing-up experiences. As a young man, he took his place alongside his stepfather in the carpenter shop. He experienced busted fingers because the hammer would sometimes fall in the wrong place. Sometimes, a slip of the saw would draw blood. These were just things a working man learns to live with.
The blood that coursed through His young veins would have been sprinkled on His surroundings as He grew, and often. He would look at the blood and remember the words of the prophet Jeremiah, who years before had said, “Behold, the day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.”
He knew what that covenant was and how it would be sealed. This knowledge made His human side cringe, but His love for His Father kept Him going.
The Son of Man Begins His Ministry
There came a day when He stood in the door of the shop for the last time. He wanted to stay, but He knew He couldn’t. His Father had told Him it was time to go. It was time to be about the Father’s business.
He said goodbye to his mother; she held Him for a long time. As she held Him, she remembered what the angel had told her about the Son:” He will be great, and will be called The Son of The Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Her heart soared when she remembered this. But then she heard the voice of old Simeon that day long ago when Jesus was circumcised, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (Yes a sword will pierce through your soul also.)”
The Son of Man Divides Time
These words brought dread to her heart, and this caused her to hold to Him even tighter. But He gently pulled away; He kissed away her tears. Then He turned and quietly walked away. He was ready to start His ministry, a ministry that would divide time and bring Life to a dying world.
“And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
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. So he came by 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, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.””
Luke 2:21, 25-35 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/luk.2.21-35.NKJV
Douglas & Deborah Huff
From Down Where the Pavement Ends
Email-pavementendsministry@gmail.com
