Week 4 Reflection

Simeon’s Song | Luke 2:25-32

For thousands of years God’s chosen people had waited hopefully for the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25 NKJV), the One anointed by God who would rescue them from their heartache. In Jewish culture, priests and kings were anointed with oil to be sanctified for service in the temple, but soon One would come who was sanctified not by oil, but by God Himself. He would be God’s chosen High Priest, and “a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:6 NKJV). The Holy Spirit of God had revealed to Simeon, a just and devout man in Jerusalem that he would see this Holy One, the Lord’s Christ before he died (Luke 2:25-26 NKJV).

The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity had been active in the lives of the righteous since the beginning of time. He guided, supported, and interceded on their behalf. Luke 2:27 tells us that Simeon “came by the Spirit into the temple.” He wouldn’t have known that the infant Jesus and His parents had gone there for purification and dedication as commanded by Mosaic law, but for the Spirit that had led him there. He held Jesus up and blessed God saying, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel” (2:29-32 NKJV).

Simeon as a faithful follower of God might have known the prophecies of the coming Messiah. Numbers 24:17 (NKJV) had predicted the coming of Jesus, “A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” Similarly, Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV) predicted, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Additionally, Isaiah 9:6 foretold, “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (NKJV). Finally, Micah 5:2, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting” (NKJV). The Light had come into the world! The Prince of Peace had arrived! Now there was hope for the nations. Praise God for sending His Son Jesus Christ for our salvation!