Two Young Pigeon Wey Dem Offer

For di big temple courts, rich families dey lead lambs go meet di priests. And one young couple wey carry baby hand over one small cage wey get two small birds inside. Na wetin dia pocket fit carry be dat.

Around six weeks don pass since dem born Jesus for Bethlehem. Now Mary and Joseph make di short journey go north, just few miles, go Jerusalem. For dia front, di temple stand up tall, di one wey King Herod rebuild and make bigger, im white stone and gold dey shine for sun. Na di centre of Israel worship, full with pilgrims, priests, and di sound of animals and prayers. Mary and Joseph no come as tourists. Dem come because di law of Moses ask two tins from family like dia own, and dem wan keep am.

Luke talk say di days of her purification, according to di law of Moses, don complete. Di law talk say after woman born boy, di mother go wait forty days, then she go come di sanctuary with offering, so dem go declare her clean for di ceremony, and she fit join for worship again. Dis no be punishment. E be part of di rhythm of life wey God give Israel, one way to mark birth, and blood, and new beginning, before God. So Mary don count di days. And now di time don reach.

Second reason dey too. Dem bring Jesus, Luke talk, to present am to di Lord. E quote di law: every first son wey open im mother womb, dem go call am holy to di Lord. Since di night of Passover for Egypt, when God spare di first sons of Israel, every first son belong to God for special way. So Mary and Joseph carry dia son climb di temple steps and hold am out before di Lord. For one way, dem dey give am back to God. Of course, dis pikin don be God own from di beginning.

Then di offering come. Di law ask new mother to bring one lamb wey be one year old, and one young pigeon or turtledove. But Luke tell us wetin Mary and Joseph really offer: two turtledoves, or two young pigeons. Na di gift wey di law allow for family wey no fit afford lamb. So with dis one small detail, Luke tell us something important. Mary and Joseph poor. Di Son of God, di King wey God promise David family, grow for house where lamb cost pass wetin dem fit pay. Heaven Saviour come di world through family wey dey count every coin.

Di law talk say dem go redeem di first son, dat is, buy am back, with payment of five shekels of silver wey dem go give di priests. E be reminder say di pikin life na gift from God. Di interesting tin be say Luke no mention any payment. E only tell us say dem present Jesus to di Lord. E be like say Luke dey more interested to show say dem give dis pikin to God, pass di price.

You go find dis visit for Luke chapter two, verse twenty-two reach twenty-four. Poor family, two young birds, and one baby wey dem give to God. And for di verses wey follow, one old man wey dem dey call Simeon go soon waka enter. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which small, honest offering you fit bring give God dis week, even if e no look like much?