Preface
As we all are quickly approaching the traditional celebration of the Holiday of Christmas, I was moved to revisit the Biblical record of the prophetic writings from the prophets and the apostles concerning the physical coming of Jesus of Nazareth as The Messiah.
As I read through the most commonly referenced accounts about Jesus, I was drawn toward one person who is perhaps mentioned once in the Gospels. Below is my account of this man’s story and how his unique encounter with Jesus, maybe a blessing for us during this time of year, as well as throughout our lives.
Waiting to Embrace and Behold the Comforter
There was a man who was in the decline of his life and was ready to die. His reputation was that he was a righteous and good man throughout his life. His occupation was unclear, some contend that he was a priest, and others state that he was a prophet of the Highest. Nonetheless, he indeed was a God-fearer, thus avoiding all evil and bad conversation. He was as they say, beyond reproach before mankind and His Creator.
One of his most important desires if not his inner passion was to embrace and behold the only source that would relieve his troubled soul. Throughout his long life, he had witnessed corruption, wickedness, and extreme variance within his immediate family and his nation. For years, he believed that the very wrath of God had fallen on his nation and his people. His only daily hope was an inspiration that he would not taste death until he witnessed with his eyes, God’s heavenly sent Messiah!
The Embodiment of the Law, Prophets, and Holy Spirit
This man in question had the eye of faith, he was constantly steadfast in all of the known promises of those who came before him, as he knew and practiced all the required sacrifices that were required by law until something remarkable happened to him that forever changed his life!
At the appointed time, God had led him to go to the temple one day, where he encountered this couple with a child. It was at this time that this man, whose name was Simeon, would become enraptured with unspeakable joy when he took the child whose name was Immanuel [God with Us], from Joseph and Mary, who brought Immanuel to the temple to be dedicated to the Creator.
As Simeon embraced Him with all affection, honor, and reverence, he praised God and gave glory to Him for His goodness in sending The Messiah [the Anointed, long-awaited Savior for all eternity]. Over 2000 years ago, Brother Simeon is on record as speaking these life-giving words that are written below, which are taken from the Book of Common Prayer, 1662 and written later, by Messiah’s disciple Luke in Luke 2:29-32:
Lord, now let Thou servant depart in peace according to Thy Word.
For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
To be a Light to Lighten the Gentiles and to be the Glory of Thy people Israel.
A New Era, with a New and Living Voice of Prophecy
Simeon was very blessed to behold, embrace and recognize that Jesus, born in Bethlehem, was the physical embodiment of the Word, the soul Savior and the Light for all people. Until the actual coming of Immanuel into the world, we only knew the rule of God through the Mosaic Law and the prophets. As Simeon witnessed Immanuel before his eyes, from that moment until the end of this age, the Word and rule of God are proclaimed and experienced in a personal, intimate way. This is made possible by the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit within the individual worldwide.
In addition, the pairing of Simeon and Anna reflects the author Luke’s penchant for male-female parallelism when he writes about the recipients of divine blessing and salvation. Two such stories frame the story of Jesus’ birth—that of Elizabeth and Zechariah in Luke 1 and Anna and Simeon in Luke 2.
Interestingly, in both, the woman is portrayed as the more positive example of discipleship. The women are not only more receptive to the message, but they are also more willing to act upon it, with Elizabeth realizing that her cousin is carrying the messiah and praising God for this blessing and Anna spreading the good news.
Alfred Plummer, in his classic commentary on Luke, suggested that the difference between Anna and Simeon provides a clue to Luke as a salvation historian, a chronicler of the mighty acts of God for his people through the ages.
Yes, a messiah has arrived, as Simeon recognizes, but, as the prophetess Anna suggests, a new era, with a new and living voice of prophecy, has at the same time dawned. In this new era, the live voice of God will continue to speak about the messianic one. Anna is the first in a line of prophetic disciples who will speak about Jesus to all who were looking for the redemption of Israel.
[Gleaned from Biblical Archaeology Society, article, Mary, Simeon or Anna: Who First Recognized Jesus as Messiah, written by Ben Witherington]
Some Closing Thoughts
This story of Simeon offers so many powerful spiritual blessings to our soul care. Case in point, it is so easy to say that the Mosiac Law has no power nor influence in the role of God’s plan of redemption, not true, Messiah is the embodiment of all of Scripture.
Luke 2 record of this story uses Simeon, Anna, Elizabeth, and Zacharias, Luke 1:7 to highlight this truth, that they all were advanced in an age which implies that they represented the old means by which God worked before the coming Messiah. As Simeon was passing away, so was the Law dispensation and presentation of the move of God in the gradual unfolding of His plan of redemption.
Another reality that is noted in this teaching is how before that actual outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, God had filled Elizabeth, John the Baptist, and Simeon as well as others. This reformational change is the very representation of the new era of the Kingdom of God which The Messiah implemented in His coming, which is readily available to those who are willing to encounter Messiah on God’s terms.
Finally, Immanuel offers Light and Salvation for all nations, not only Israel but to non-Jewish nations by bringing His glory, grace, mercy, loving-kindness, and shalom to all who will behold His presence while acknowledging and following Him as Lord of their lives.
Grace and Peace
Brother Alonzo
