At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” [Luke 2.25-35]
Is there significance that resultant to Jesus' Advent the deepest thoughts of many hearts would be revealed?
Yes, in fact, there is. The prophet Jeremiah spoke about the human heart:
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? [Jeremiah 17.9]
If the human heart is the most deceitful thing there is, and Jesus revealed that deceit, what was it about Jesus that accomplished that? What did Jesus say that revealed the human hearts' deceit?
It is my belief that Jesus said many things that revealed deceit in the human heart. But first, we should understand what that deceit actually is. To do so, we need only to understand the context of Jeremiah's exposé of the human heart in Jeremiah 17.9. The undeniable context of Jeremiah's prophecies was God's dealings with His people regarding their idolatry.
Now, if we consider references to the heart found in Matthew's Gospel alone, much can be learned. Take a moment to see those references here. While every "heart" reference found in Matthew's Gospel has eternal significance, one of those references clearly identifies the idolatry problem:
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ [Matthew 13.15]
How does Matthew 13.15 identify idolatry? Because Matthew 13.15 is almost verbatim idolatry terminology!
Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 115.4-8]
The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot breathe. And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them. [Psalm 135.15-18]
Idolatry, at its basest, is a sin of the heart. It is in fact the original sin committed by Adam and Eve when they doubted God's intent in forbidding that they eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Instead of trusting God for what He actually said, they, at Satan's lying suggestion, put their self interests above God's Word. And, from then up to this very day, man has, from the heart, made self-centric decisions believing lies and effectively doubting God.
In pure self interest, man has made for himself idols to do for himself what God promised He would do for those who obey Him (blessings). Man's idols offer remedies that require no repentance from man for his curse-causing disobedience to God (see Deuteronomy 28). Every financial problem, tragedy, sickness and difficulty in life is the result of sin. Every effort (way) of man to remedy these problems instead of repenting is idolatry. God's attitude about idolatry is no secret: He strictly forbids it in any way, shape, form, or fashion.
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]
And here is where Jesus' directive to His followers becomes even more demanding:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]
What "way" should we suppose Jesus was talking about? Our clue is the fact that Jesus said "your own way." "Your own" way cannot be God's way. If it's not God's way, then it is self-centered - it is idolatry. For the record, Jesus did not say "dial it back a little" but instead, "give it up."
The human heart's deceit is its self-centeredness. Man's self-centeredness is what Jesus' entire life and ministry shed light on. That self-centeredness is addressed head-on in Matthew 16.24. Indeed Jesus revealed (and reveals) the deepest thoughts of many hearts.
Father in heaven, in just my 2nd day reading in the New Testament this year in the One Year Chronological Bible, there is no break in Your Bible-long focus on overcoming idolatry in man so that Your might redeem him. May this truth no longer be cloaked by powerless Word-less religion (an idol unto itself) but instead be revealed as the power of Your Holy Spirit displaces it in those who are truly students of Your Word - those who actually give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.
