Feast of the Presentation

We might have a tendency to see this as a cute story, but there is so much more going on. When we think about the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2nd—also known as Candlemas—it's easy to picture a sweet scene of Mary and Joseph bringing their baby to church. But what if I told you this moment represents one of the most significant events in all of human history? What if this "cute story" is actually the fulfillment of ancient prophecies about God himself returning home?

The Lord Returns to His Temple

February 2 is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple, also known as Candlemas. This momentous occasion reminds us of God's plan for our salvation and the light Jesus brings into our lives. To understand this feast, the Church gives us Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament. In Malachi 3:1, the prophet says, "Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple." But wait—isn't the Lord already in his temple? We come to the temple to seek him, right? To say that the Lord arrived at the temple one day would be strange. To understand what Malachi means, we need to turn to an earlier prophet, Ezekiel, chapter 10.

When God's Glory Departed

Because of the wickedness and corruption of the temple, the Shekhinah Glory of the Lord left the holy place. I can't think of anything more devastating than that. The temple was sacred to Israel because it was the dwelling place of God on earth, the place where people came to commune with the Creator. To say that the Glory of Yahweh has left is disastrous. Ezekiel was writing around the time of the Babylonian conquest. The destruction of the temple and the exile of the people communicated that God had "left the room." Even after they returned and rebuilt the temple, it was not the same; they did not feel that God had fully returned.

The Promise of Return

If we turn from Ezekiel chapter 10 to chapter 43, we find this beautiful prophecy. In Ezekiel 43:2-7, we read about what it will be like when the Lord truly returns to his temple. It says, "Suddenly, the glory of the God of Israel appeared from the east. The sound of his coming was like the roar of rushing waters, and the whole landscape shone with his glory... And the glory of the Lord came into the Temple through the east gateway... The Lord said to me, 'Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel.'" This is Ezekiel's vision of the Messianic time, when God would take up his rightful place among his people. It is against this background that we can understand Malachi's words: "Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple." The Lord's glory had left, and the people were waiting for it to return.

The Unexpected Return

Now we can better understand our Gospel from Luke 2:22-40 and why it matters so deeply that Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God, comes to his Temple. The Feast of the Presentation is not merely the story of a holy child being dedicated like any other firstborn. It is the moment when the Lord himself returns to his dwelling place, fulfilling the ancient promises spoken by Ezekiel and Malachi. So how does the Shekhinah Glory of the Lord return to his temple? Precisely as a little baby in his mother's arms. God's ways are not our ways. Remember, Jesus was born in a feed trough, not a palace. The Shekhinah Glory of the Lord comes as an irresistible infant.

The Refining Fire and Cleansing Soap

Malachi continues in verses 2-3: "The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming... But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or like a fuller's soap." A refiner uses fire to separate silver and gold from base metals. To reach purity, the metal must endure intense heat. And fuller's soap—strong and harsh—was used to bleach garments white. Commentators note that fullers worked outside the city because the process was foul-smelling. It was harsh work, but necessary. So what does the Lord do when we meet him in his temple? God uses fire and cleansing to purge from us all that keeps us from being his faithful "new creation" people. What God wants to do is burn away and cleanse thoroughly—and this is never easy. He removes all that does not reflect his Son: pride, envy, cruelty, injustice—this dross, this base metal that does not belong to the Kingdom.

Light to the Nations

This feast is also known as Candlemas. Simeon's declaration in Luke 2:32 that Christ is "a light to the Gentiles" led Christians to bring their candles to church on this day to be blessed for the year. This is where the name Candlemas comes from, and why some keep their Christmas lights up until today. Here we see the themes brought together: refining fire (think of a blow torch) and cleansing soap (think of Clorox), and the Epiphany proclamation that Christ is the Light of the World—a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.

Our Story and Our Vocation

Luke draws readers of every age into this scene. No matter who we are or where we are, the story of Jesus—from the feed trough to the empty tomb and beyond—can become our story. And when it becomes our story, it becomes our vocation. Each of us has a role in God's purposes. For some, it will be public and visible. For others, it will be quiet and hidden. For many, it will be a mixture of both. The point is this: it involves all of us. We are all members of this story.

Putting It Into Practice

Picture Mary handing the child to Simeon—and now imagine Mary handing that child, the Son of God, the Savior, Lord, King, Messiah, to us. We look down at baby Jesus. What are we meant to see? We are meant to see the God of Israel, the Shekhinah Glory of Yahweh, returning to his temple—to you and to me. Will this purifying work be painful and unpleasant? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes. This is what happens when we meet the God of Israel in his temple. Through this child—through salvation, through the sacraments, through the disciplines of the Christian life—God through his Holy Spirit continues to transform us for His glory, and for his purposes. As we follow Jesus on the road of daily cross-bearing, may we be continually refined, made holy, and made useful to the Master. Like Simeon, when we gaze upon him, we find our salvation. This is the heart of the Presentation of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple.