Thank you for joining us for the Friends of Israel today. I'm Steve Conover, Executive Director here at the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. With me is our host and teacher, Chris Katulka. Steve, I'm so glad to be here. I'm so glad to be speaking with our listeners. You know, I'm so thankful that you've been able to connect with us at the Friends of Israel today. And, you know, as you reflect on God's goodness this Christmas season, Steve and I want to invite you to join us in sharing His love, God's love, with the Jewish people. When you give financially to the Friends of Israel, your gift becomes a testimony of the gospel in action, meeting needs, bringing comfort, and pointing hearts to the Messiah Jesus. Visit foiradio.org because there you'll find a donate button to make a difference today. and your financial gift keeps us on the air teaching truth about Israel and the Jewish people all over this country's airwaves. If Chris' teaching and our regular interviews have ministered to you, consider giving to our ministry as you consider your year-end gifts. Steve, today on the program, we are wrapping up our series on the three songs of Christmas. And we're not talking about Christmas carols. We're actually talking about the three songs that can be found in Luke chapter one and Luke chapter two. Now, we've already looked at the two songs that were sung by Mary and Zachariah prior to Jesus's birth. Well, today we're going to wrap up our series by listening to Simeon's song that come from Luke chapter 2, where Simeon encounters salvation right before his very eyes. But first in the news, we're really devastated to bring this to you. Authorities have identified the gunman behind the terror attack who killed at least 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration in Australia on Sydney's Bondi Beach. Navid Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50. The two had been investigated in 2019 for reported ties to ISIS, but cleared after six months. Steve, here's my take. This is really hard to say, but this is actually one of Australia's deadliest shootings in their history, and it's linked to the deadliest anti-Semitic massacre outside of Israel since October 7th, 2023. I really think it's time for Western nations to wake up. Well, my friends, Christmas is upon us. We just lit the third Advent candle in our church, and it's a candle that often symbolizes joy, marking a joyful pause as Christmas nears, representing the happiness of the shepherds who first heard the news of Jesus's birth and the overall delight in the Messiah's arrival. Lighting that third candle also means we're getting close to the birth of Jesus. Now, we're not following Advent candles in our messages, but we are focusing this Christmas series on three individuals from the Gospel of Luke who sing songs in response to the birth of our Savior. The songs of Mary, Zechariah, and Simeon. But here's what I want you to see from all of these songs. All of them focus on the coming of the Messiah Jesus, But all of the songs are grounded in God's faithfulness to Israel by way of the promise that God made to Abraham all the way back in Genesis chapter 12. Now last week we went through Zachariah's song, which is famously called the Benedictus. I stress that Zechariah's song is all about Jesus' birth as a sign that God is acting on behalf of Israel, that God didn't forget his eternal covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Through Jesus, God would rescue Israel from their enemies and even more importantly from their sin and bring deliverance to the entire world. Now the week before that we talked about Mary's song, the Magnificat, and once again we saw how God chose the humble to bring his glory into the world and how Mary considered herself blessed by God to be the conduit of his blessing by remembering the promise, the oath that God swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Mary grounding her song in Genesis chapter 12. Now, if you didn't get a chance to listen to last week's program, you can always go back and listen at foiradio.org. Today, we're turning our attention to Simeon's song in Luke chapter 2, starting in verse 22. Simeon, he stands at the threshold of fulfillment. Mary and Zechariah praised God before the birth of Jesus. Now Simeon praises God after the birth of Jesus. Luke describes Simeon as a righteous and devout man, one who lived with his eyes fixed forward, waiting for what the scriptures called the consolation of Israel. That phrase alone places Simeon squarely within the long covenant story, that covenant that God made to Abraham. The consolation of Israel is not vague comfort or private peace. It's the promised restoration of God's people. The moment when the covenant God would act decisively to redeem, restore, and to vindicate Israel. Simeon's entire life is shaped by waiting. Waiting not in passive resignation, but in faithful expectation rooted in the promises that God made to Abraham and reaffirmed through men like Moses, David, and the prophets. See, Luke tells us the Holy Spirit was upon him, guiding his hope and anchoring his patience in divine promise rather than simply human speculation. Simeon's waiting is covenantal waiting. He lives with the awareness that God had sworn an oath to Abraham that his descendants would be blessed and that through them blessing would flow to all the nations. Yet Israel's history has been marked. It's been marked by suffering, exile, and even foreign domination. See, under Roman rule, the longing for consolation, the one that Simeon had talked about, that consolation had grown even sharper. To wait for Israel's consolation was to believe that God had not abandoned his covenant, that he would yet send his Messiah, and that redemption would come not merely as political relief, but even more important, as covenant renewal. Simeon waits because he trusts that God remembered his promises. And Luke emphasizes that Simeon's hope is not self-generated. The Holy Spirit reveals to him that he will not see death. before he sees the Lord's Messiah. This promise transforms Simeon's waiting into certainty. His life now moves toward a fixed horizon, the encounter with God's salvation in human form. When the Spirit moves him into the temple courts on the very day Mary and Joseph bring Jesus for the rites required by the law, Simeon recognizes what others might overlook. In a poor Galilean couple carrying an infant, Simeon sees the culmination of centuries of promise. His faith, it's not dependent on appearances, but on the faithfulness of God. See, when Simeon takes the child Jesus into his arms, the weight of Israel's story rests there as well. He holds not only a baby, but the embodiment of God's covenant faithfulness. His response is worship. Sovereign Lord, he says, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. Simeon's first words are directed to God who keeps his promises. The fulfillment of the promise releases Simeon from waiting. His life's purpose complete. The peace he speaks of is not merely personal serenity. It's actually shalom. The deep wholeness that comes from seeing God's word fulfilled. Simeon can now depart this life because the covenant has moved from anticipation to realization. God has done exactly what he said he would do. And that's why Simeon continues, for my eyes have seen your salvation. Salvation for Simeon is not an abstract concept or just a future hope. It's something he can see, touch, and hold. See, the Hebrew Scriptures repeatedly described salvation as God's concrete action on behalf of his people, rescuing them, redeeming them, and restoring them. Simeon understands that salvation has not arrived in the form of any army or political decree, but as a child consecrated in the temple. This salvation is personal and national at the same time. Simeon sees that God's saving work is unfolding in a way that honors the covenant, yet surpasses Israel's expectations. He declares that this salvation has been prepared in the sight of all nations. This is a crucial statement, my friends. See, Simeon doesn't want God's work to be seen as hidden or limited. The covenant with Abraham always carried a global horizon. It was always global in the way that God laid out the promise that he made to Abraham. From the very beginning, God promised that through Abraham's seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed. Israel was chosen not as an end in itself, but as the means through which God would bring redemption to the world. Simeon understands that the arrival of the Messiah marks the moment when that promise begins to be fully realized. What God is doing for Israel is something he intends the nations to witness and ultimately to share in as well. Simeon's next words, they actually make explicit what has been implicit throughout Israel's scriptures. The child he is holding is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel. This is not a contradiction. but covenantal harmony. Why harmony? Because Israel's glory and the Gentiles illumination are inseparably linked. Israel's calling was to be a light to the nations, to embody God's truth and righteousness so that the world might know him. Yet Israel often struggled to fulfill that calling. Simeon now sees that Israel's glory is concentrated in this child. Jesus' mission fully aligned with God's purposes. Through him, the light that was entrusted to Israel now shines outward to the Gentiles. For Simeon, this revelation does not diminish Israel's place in God's plan, it confirms it. The Messiah is the glory of Israel precisely because he will fulfill God's covenant to Abraham. He is the promised seed of Abraham, the son of David, the faithful servant through whom God's redemptive purposes reach their climax. The inclusion of the Gentiles is not a deviation from the covenant, but its expansion according to God's original design. Simeon holds together what later generations try to separate. That's called replacement theology. But instead, what we see through Simeon is God's enduring commitment to Israel and his gracious invitation to the nations. Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph marvel at what Simeon says. They already know that this child is special, but Simeon's words situate their son within the vast sweep of redemptive history. The marvel is appropriate because Simeon has articulated something breathtaking. The salvation of God has arrived and it will reorder the world as God sees it. Now, when we come back, we're going to see how Simeon's song moves from praise to prophecy. So stick around. The 2026 Israel in Focus Pray for Israel calendar is here, and it's the perfect way to start the new year. Steve, I saw it. It's beautiful. Each month features powerful scripture-based prayer that's focused for Israel and the Jewish people with really stunning photos from the Holy Land. This calendar is unique in that it serves as a daily reminder to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, safety for IDF soldiers, or hope for Holocaust survivors. You know, it's a really great way to faithfully pray for God's chosen people all year long. Each month has such a beautiful image that I know you'll enjoy it all year. So whether it's for your home, office, or a gift for someone you love, get the 2026 Israel In Focus Pray for Israel calendar today and start your 2026 with prayer. Get your Israel In Focus 2026 calendar at foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. Welcome back, everyone. We're wrapping up our Christmas series where we're singing the songs all about Christmas. And it's not the traditional songs like Hark the Herald Angels Sing or Joy to the World. They're great songs. But see, Luke, the gospel writer, shares with us three songs that were sung leading up to Jesus's birth and one after his birth. They are Luke's Christmas songs, and they include Mary's song, Zachariah's song, and Simeon's song. We just left off where Simeon's focus turns from praise to prophecy. Simeon's blessing to Mary and Joseph also speaks words that carry a sober edge. This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be spoken against. Simeon understands that the fulfillment of the covenant will not be universally welcomed. Israel's history shows that God's redemptive acts often provoke resistance. The Messiah will reveal hearts, expose false securities, and challenge entrenched expectations. Some in Israel will stumble over him because he doesn't conform to their visions of power or triumph in the moment. Others will rise because they recognize him as the true fulfillment of God's promises. The covenant always has this effect. God's word brings blessing and judgment, salvation and exposure. The Messiah will force a reckoning within Israel revealing who truly trusts in God's promises and who relies on status, tradition, or even self-righteousness. Simeon sees that the consolation of Israel will not come without cost, struggle, and division. Yet even this painful process is part of God's redemptive work, refining his people and bringing them into deeper faithfulness. Simeon's final words to Mary are actually very deeply personal. And a sword, he said, will pierce your own soul too. Mary, who had already sung of God's covenant faithfulness, is now reminded that fulfillment will involve suffering. The promises to Abraham did not unfold without hardship, and neither will the mission of the Messiah. Mary will experience the pain of seeing her son, Jesus, rejected, opposed, and ultimately crucified. And yet, Simeon's words do not negate the promise, they deepen it. Redemption comes through suffering, and glory emerges through sacrifice. The covenant is fulfilled not by bypassing pain, but by redeeming it. Simeon's encounter with Jesus in the temple brings Luke's opening sequence of songs to a fitting close. Mary sings of God's covenant faithfulness breaking into history. Zechariah proclaims the oath sworn to Abraham now being fulfilled through redemption and restoration. And Simeon, at the end of his life, holds the promise in his arms and declares that God's salvation has arrived for Israel and the nations. Together, these songs form a theological symphony, each voice harmonizing around the central truth that God remembers his covenant with Abraham and acts in faithfulness to his word. Simeon's song is the quiet confidence of a man who has seen enough to die in peace. His waiting is over because God's waiting is over. The long silence has been broken. The consolation of Israel has come. Not as Israel expected, but exactly as God promised. In Jesus, God acts on the covenant he established with Abraham. The blessing promised to the nations begins to flow, Israel's glory revealed, the light shining in the darkness, and a righteous man, having seen salvation with his own eyes, can finally rest. In Simeon's words, we hear the voice of a faithful Israel at peace. The covenant has not failed. The promise has not been delayed forever. The God of Abraham has kept his word and in the arms of an old man in the temple courts, salvation has taken flesh. In Israel, on the verge of becoming a state, a teenage Talakot survivor arrives on her shores alone. His name is Zvi Kalischer. Little did he know his search for a new life in the Holy Land would lead him to the Messiah. Zvi, enthusiastic to share his faith, engaged others in spiritual conversations, many of which can be found in our magazine, Israel, My Glory. While Zvi is now in the presence of his Savior, his collected writings from well over 50 years of ministry continue to encourage believers worldwide. Now, Apples of Gold, a dramatic reading from the life of Zvi. We are approaching Christmas. And during this time of year, some ultra-Orthodox men like to mock me. They do not like Jewish people who have placed their faith in Christ. One morning they greeted me sarcastically, Congratulations to you, Zvi! I already knew what they would reply when I asked, Why are you congratulating me? Oh, you do not know, one mocked, your God is born. Oh, you're going against yourselves. What do you mean? You call yourselves the chosen people of God, but you do not obey God. Isaiah 2-3 says, For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. But look what is going out of Zion. You are not spreading the truth about God. because you do not understand it, even though you read it every day in your synagogues." Now they wanted to know what I meant because they realized I was not speaking about the New Testament. So I gave them my Bible and said, please read Deuteronomy 6, verse 13. There it is written, you shall fear the Lord your God and serve him, lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth. They were surprised. Show us where it is written in the Bible about your God. So I opened the Bible to Isaiah 53 and they read. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised, and we did not esteem him. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. They all looked at one another, One asked, about whom is this written? The older men tried to persuade the younger ones to leave, but the younger ones persisted to know about whom this passage was written. So I showed them Zechariah 9 and Isaiah 9. The students turned to their teachers and asked, why have we never heard about this? Why have you never taught us what is in our Bible? The older teachers were extremely unhappy and tried to find a way to discredit me. One demanded, Zvi, show us where it is written that the Messiah was born in Bethlehem. I replied, read Micah 5.2, but read aloud so your young pupils will know the truth. The young men now had more questions for the teachers who were not happy. The students thanked me for speaking with them. We will come again and ask you more questions, one said. I pray they will believe according to the Bible, so they will know the Lord personally. Then they too will appreciate the wonderful time of year and celebrate the birth of Jewish Messiah who came to redeem us from sin, as prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures. Thank you for joining us for today's episode of the Friends of Israel Today. Chris, next week is the last program of 2025. Where are we headed? Well, Steve, depending on who you are and your background, you know, you may view Jesus differently. It was the same in Jesus's time too. So for the next few weeks, we're going to look at three perspectives on Jesus, the Romans, the religious leaders, and the people of Israel. We look forward to it. On behalf of the entire Friends of Israel radio team, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. And as mentioned, our web address is foiradio.org. Again, that's foiradio.org. Our mailing address is FOI Radio P.O. Box 914, Belomar, New Jersey 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio P.O. Box 914, Belomar, New Jersey 08099. You can call our listener line, that number is 888-343 Again, that's 888-343-6940. Today's program was engineered by Bob Beebe, edited by Jeremy Strong, who also composed and performs our theme music. Lisa Small, she's our executive producer. Sarah Fern, she's our associate producer. The late Mike Kellogg, Red Apples of Gold. Our host and teacher is Chris Katulka, and I'm Steve Conover, executive director. The Friends of Israel today is a production of the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. Passion for God's word, compassion for God's chosen people.