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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. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul” (Luke 2:25-35 nlt).

The yearning for redemption permeated the hopes of many within the land of Israel in the first century. Simeon and the prophetess Anna (Luke 2:36-38) belonged to those circles that adopted a somber position of mourning over the present situation (see Matthew 5:4; Luke 6:21) and yet looked forward to the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38).

The Jewish people found themselves occupied by Rome, and many also saw a religious decline, as well; they longed for God to fulfill His promises to His people.

The Gospel stories of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus frame the arrival of these two figures within the Jewish hopes of redemption. The births of God’s Messiah and his forerunner proclaim that God has not abandoned His people. He has answered their cry for deliverance.

The path both figures, John and Jesus, will lay out within their ministries is the call to repentance. In Matthew, we hear John declare, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2 nlt), and we later find Jesus preaching the exact same message in the very next chapter.

Repentance brings redemption near. In this way, Simeon was correct; Jesus was set for the fall and rise of many in Israel. It was not enough to belong to the chosen people, because one must choose to believe in the One that God sent. Herein lies the path of redemption.

Simeon waited all his life yearning to see God’s redemption. He hoped for it; he prayed for it. He didn’t live to see the consolation of Israel, but he did see the way God would bring it about. He saw the Lord’s anointed—he saw Jesus, the Messiah.

God is faithful to His word. It may seem like He delays, and we wonder if we can trust His promises. But God fulfilled His promise to His people, and He fulfilled His personal promise to Simeon.

Do we have the patience to wait for God to fulfill His word? In our waiting, do we actively pursue our obedience to Him? Simeon longed for God’s redemption of His people. Do we long for the redemption of all people through Jesus?

PRAYER

Father, You are a God who fulfills Your Word. You are faithful. The greatest demonstration of Your faithfulness to this world was sending Your son Jesus. May we pursue lives of obedience that bear the fruit of repentance. Amen.