Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. The Law of Moses required that all males attend the three feasts of the Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. The House (or Academy) of Hillel, a school of Jewish law that "thrived in 1st Century B.C. Jerusalem" taught that women must also attend the feast of the Passover. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Hillel.) Attending this feast was an act of "devout obedience" by Mary and Joseph. (See http://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/2-41.htm.)
At age 12, Christ went with his parents to the feast of the Tabernacles. "At twelve a Jewish boy became a son of the law, with the responsibility of a man, putting on on the phylacteries which reminded of the obligation to keep the law." (See https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/phylacteries and http://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/2-41.htm.) Like his parents, Jesus was strictly obedient to the law of Moses. It was not until the Christ's death and resurrection that the ceremonial law of Moses was fulfilled. (See https://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/law-of-moses?lang=eng.) What would it be like to have a perfectly obedient child? You would never have to worry about him coming home late at night. If he said he would do a chore, the chore would always get done. Interestingly, Jesus' parents' worries stemmed from Christ spending 'too much' time preaching his Heavenly Father's gospel or teaching at the temple.
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And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they [the wise men] departed into their own country another way. Just as God protected Jesus so that he could fulfill his mission, God protects missionaries. The protection afforded to missionaries is truly a miracle. I escaped many dangerous situations on my mission unharmed. Sometimes the protection comes through other people, sometimes through promptings of the Holy Ghost (to not go somewhere, or to run), sometimes through a heavenly messenger.
With that said, some missionaries do experience physical harm. Some missionaries die on their missions, as did the martyr Stephen. Before being stoned, Stephen said to his persecutors, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers" (Acts 7:51-52). I do not know why some missionaries experience harm, and others do not. What I do deeply believe is that, "All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." Because Jesus Christ suffered all things and died for all mankind, he can succor us when we need comfort and peace the most. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. What would it be like to be the mother of Jesus? What must have been going through Mary's mind as she ran (with her other grown children) to see Christ, after he was charged with casting out devils through Beelzebub? (Matthew 12:46). What anguish did she experience as she stood by the cross where her child of 33 years hung? How could she bear listening to the priests' and peoples' reviling as she watched her son hang in agony. (John 19:26). Surely the Holy Ghost was with Mary in these moments. Surely there were angels round about her, supporting her. Yet she must have felt exquisite pain as she helplessly watched her innocent son. No wonder Simeon prophesies, three decades prior, that a "large barbaric sword" should pierce Mary's soul. (See http://biblehub.com/commentaries/luke/2-35.htm.) And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. I have great respect for widows and older, unmarried people who serve in the temple. Their faith is almost tangible. I have learned from their examples. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet. Christ's coming into the world was monumental. It was foretold by prophets since the days of Adam and Eve. Kings feared him. Stars obeyed him. Wise men sought him.
Wise men and women still seek him today. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation. The Holy Ghost brings people to Christ. That is one of his most essential roles. Christ did not come unto Simeon immediately; he had to wait for many years. When Christ was near, the Holy Ghost led Simeon to Christ at the temple. If I want to come to Christ today, I need to worship him in the temple. The temple is literally the House of the Lord, the connection between heaven and earth. As a result, I feel peace and joy in the temple.
Some words on the "consolation of Israel": "Luke’s use of the phrase “the consolation of Israel” is striking, and it is clearly to be taken in a messianic sense. Throughout their history, the people of Israel had suffered greatly, both for their own sin and because of the oppression of others. Their land was frequently overrun by foreign powers who knew the strategic significance of Palestine, which connected Africa, Europe, and Asia. They suffered under slavery in Egypt and endured the troubles of exile. In short, they were a people in desperate need of consolation and comfort—the kind of permanent comfort that could come only when the Son of David would arrive to guard them and to provide for the forgiveness of their sin. "Simeon spent his life waiting for this consolation, for the Messiah to come and redeem his people. He had been given a unique promise that he would not die before he saw the Christ—the Messiah—with his own eyes (Luke 2:25–26). When he was an old man, this promise was finally fulfilled, and he marveled at the glory of God in the face of the infant Christ. Thus, he was prepared to die and meet His Creator." (See http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/consolation-israel/.) There is interesting symbolism in Simeon seeing Christ. Jesus Christ is the life of the world. Yet, when Simeon finally had the promise of seeing Christ fulfilled, he was prepared for mortal death. The purpose of life is to prepare to meet God (see Alma 34:32). Without Christ's atonement, we would remain tarnished by sin, and would not be worthy to dwell in God's presence. Christ is the King of Kings. Yet his first mortal reign was not of powerful, glorious dominion. The Israelites may not have found a dominated war leader, but they did find the only person who could provide the permanent comfort that comes from the forgiveness of sins. I should follow Simeon's example and attend the temple regularly. I should repent daily of my sins and recieve the "consolation of Israel" in my life. They brought [Jesus] to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; ... and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. The King of Kings was born in humble poverty. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explains, "These two [Mary and Joseph] were desperately poor. At the purification offering which the parents made after the child’s birth, a turtledove was substituted for the required lamb, a substitution the Lord had allowed in the Law of Moses to ease the burden of the truly impoverished. (See https://www.lds.org/ensign/1977/12/maybe-christmas-doesnt-come-from-a-store?lang=eng.)
Christ was always humble. He relied on his Heavenly Father for everything. "I seek not to mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5:30). I need to submit my will to the Lord. I can have what I want, or something better. (See https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/i-am-a-child-of-god?lang=eng&_r=1.) It all depends on how I humbly submit to the Lord's will, and the Lord's timing. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. Jesus had a humble, loving step-father. Before the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, and told him that "that which is conceived of [Mary] is of the Holy Ghost," Joseph desired to "put her away privily," without specifying the cause. Joseph did not want to make a public example out of Mary, or put her to shame. (See http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/1-19.htm.) His name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. Jesus' mortal life was part of a much larger plan. Jesus Christ is central to the Plan of Salvation. He was prepared from the beginning to perform the Atonement. Just as God had a specific plan for Jesus Christ (down to a predetermined name), God too has a detailed plan for my life. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. Jesus had a devoutly obedient mother. She followed all applicable laws (circumcision, purification) with respect to the birth of her son. I too should follow civil and eternal laws.
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