Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
When God gave His Son, He demonstrated a love beyond our imagination. It was His Creation formed in perfection that had been corrupted.
It was His people formed in His image that had been driven away by sin and the shame of mankind has reverberated throughout history ever since.
To what kind of people did God reveal His goodness?
- A people who were ready to receive Him.
- A people who were meek and lowly.
- A people waiting for His coming
- A people who love Him.
For those who are led by the Spirit and long for His coming, the Lord has bestowed grace.
We can read about those who longed for Jesus and see how God responded to them…
Luke 2:25-26 “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.”
Like a beautiful story, we have examples like Simeon of how God showed compassion…
Simeon was a man of ordinary means who held great faith, and yet he longed for a coming Messiah. His patience was rewarded on what might have seemed like any ordinary day, but the ordinary soon became the fulfillment of a magnificent promise.
Luke described him as a just man, devout, and one who waited.
The Spirit of God is always present during these times of revelation, whenever God is revealed to mankind.
How the Lord blesses those who wait for Him. The promises God made to the prophets and the faithful was not lost on one simple man’s faith. As the Spirit of God had prophesied, so did He fulfill those promises in His perfect time.
As Joseph and Mary came into the Temple, they chose to follow what the law had required….presenting their child before the priest in dedication.
Elliott’s observances is worth mentioning here:
“In common practice, the child would have been presented to the priest who offered the two turtle doves on behalf of the parents. In this instance Simeon, though not a priest (there is, at least, nothing but a legend in an Apocryphal Gospel to fix that character on him), takes on himself, standing by the priest, to receive the child as he was presented. This fits in, as far as it goes, with the idea of his having been an Essene, revered as possessing prophetic gifts.”
A Man who Waited
As the Christ child was laid into Simeon’s hands, the Lord proved once again that He is always faithful and He keeps His promises.
Then we witness Simeon’s response:
Luke 2:28-32 “he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
We aren’t told when the Lord first gave Simeon the prophecy, he might have been a young man when the Lord mentioned the blessing he was to receive. Like Israel anticipating God’s promised land for the nation, Simeon waited patiently, knowing the Lord would be faithful.
Deuteronomy 31:8. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
What promise has the Lord given to you?”
There are promises throughout God’s Word that have been reserved for His people. As we consider them like so many before us we know that they will be received in their due time.
Simeon’s moment with the Messiah not only fulfilled a prophecy to Him, it renewed Hope.
How many people need hope today? If only they knew where to find it….
*Jesus is the image of Salvation, to all who would believe.
*Jesus is the light for all people living in darkness.
*Jesus is the glory of Israel through whom the promise had come.
Hope was Born
Joseph and Mary were amazed at what they saw, the glory of God displayed in a child, in all innocence with great hope. Simeon then turned to them and continued His prophetic declaration.
We then witness Joseph and Mary’s response:
Luke 2:33-35 “The Child’s father and mother were amazed at what was spoken about Him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”
With the blessing also came a warning.
To those who look to Christ, He has brought life but many sadly have stumbled over this revelation, only to lose their own soul.
Jesus exalted the law and made it honorable, it was the law that exposed mens hearts and revealed to them their inadequacy. For many, their pride has limited their joy.
Simeon’s prophecy became a reality in more ways than one at Jesus’ death; many years later the Roman spear pierced the heart of Jesus on the cross–the loss would have pierced His mother’s heart as well. The blessing of birthing the promise brought with it immeasurable pain.
*For those whose hearts are softened, the Spirit of God pierces the heart with God’s love, what may seem like a wound becomes a moment of restoration.
The Testimony of Anna
As Simeon was praising God, along came a prophetess named Anna. Luke went on to describe her reaction as well.
vs. 38 “She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.”
How the Father must have relished the opportunity to watch people’s reactions, rejoicing in a moment that was long coming.
Simeon and Anna’s reactions were not uncommon, whenever anyone has had an encounter with Jesus, they were profoundly changed. Their change brought rejoicing and revelation to others.
*Whenever people encounter the Lord, we see a similar pattern. Their rejoicing is the joy that comes with knowing and experiencing the Savior. The declaration is this joy overflowing to others.
When we read of other people’s reactions as they interacted with God, we see a similar effect as Simeon….worship.
In Genesis 17:1-4, when the Lord appeared to Abraham, it says he fell on his face to worship Him.
In Judges 6:22-23, when Gideon perceived the angel of the LORD standing before him, his moment of shock and fear brought a reminder from God to not fear.
In Judges 13:20 when the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame we see Manoah and his wife falling with their faces to the ground.”
In John 20:28 We witness Thomas answering Jesus when he realized it was Him, “My Lord and my God!”
The Wicked Response
Each time mankind has had an encounter with God, worship and awe springs forth from their lips. For those who wait for Him, He fills up the longing within their soul.
But For the wicked, it is not so…..
Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.”
Exodus 14:24-25 “The Egyptian in Exodus were thrown into a panic and fled.”
Exodus 20:18-19 “When the people of Israel rebelled in the desert, they were afraid and trembled.”
Fear dominates the hearts of the rebellious, rage against God’s commands comes forth from God’s enemies, and the knowledge of the consequence of sin becomes much more apparent.
*The world doesn’t look for a Messiah because the world is in rebellion against God.
It is God’s people who long for Him, who come before Him in righteousness and humility. For those who abide in Him, He draws near and His people rejoice. He leads them, and they follow in trust.
And then He reminds them…
Deuteronomy 31:8 “The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
As the Lord led the children of Israel into the promised land, He continues to lead His people today–He goes before them, preparing their way. They need not be afraid because He loves them.
The Advent of the Messiah fulfilled all of the law and prophets and He will bring to completion all that He has purposed for this world.
The Son of God was the means by which mankind was redeemed from sin and that hope remains today.
U.T. 