Luke 2:25-32 (ESV)
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 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.’”
Luke didn’t tell us if Simeon’s hands were recognizably worn, contoured by the evidence of a long-practiced skill or trade. We don’t know if his ascent into the temple was a little slow and labored. We don’t know if he understood the significance of his trip that day. We just know that he carried with him a promise that God made to him personally: he would see the Messiah in his lifetime.
Did he marvel with each passing day, month, year – that his eyes would see God’s salvation? His eyes. His parents lived in anticipation, as had their parents, and their parents. Each passing generation added another layer of longing for the promise foretold by prophets and more recently revealed…to him.
Did the wonder in his eyes match the astonishment in Mary and Joseph’s as he cradled their son? Did these new parents shed joyful tears as they watched Simeon bless God the Father for sending Him? And did some of those tears spring from the relief of yet another confirmation that the angels’ messages were true?
God was validating His plan as it unfolded before the eyes of a waiting world.
It’s easy to rush past this small interaction in the Christmas narrative, but slowly savored, it offers a breathtaking image of the Trinity. God the Spirit reveals to Simeon that he would see the Messiah before he dies. Jesus is born – the Word made flesh. God the Spirit leads Simeon in a divine appointment to the new family of three. Simeon cradles God the Son in his hands and then engages God the Father, blessing Him for keeping His promise and sending the long-awaited “consolation of Israel” in human form, now nestled in his arms. God the Spirit, the Son, and the Father, in perfect union, orchestrate a single moment in the temple to introduce salvation to a darkened and pain-laden world.
God is still validating His plan as it unfolds before our eyes. We find ourselves in another “waiting” season of redemptive history, as we collectively anticipate the return of Jesus, not as a baby, but as a bridegroom. And as we wait, the Holy Spirit keeps confirming that, amidst a world crippled by confusion and crisis, God’s plan is actually unfolding just like He promised it would. He’s whispering reminders of the promise. He’s validating the Messiah, in a thousand ways.
Every time a heart is stirred and softened to the presence of Christ…
Every time a relationship is reconciled by the peace of Christ…
Every instance where the church is built on the foundation of Christ…
Every time the gospel is presented with the love of Christ…
Every time a sickness is reversed by the healing power of Christ…
Every time depression and despair are overpowered by the goodness of Christ…
Every time a prayer is answered in the name of Christ…
Every time eyes are opened in true understanding of the mercy of Christ…
Every time a believer is baptized to declare the joy of new life in Christ…
…the Holy Spirit reaffirms the promised unfolding work of the risen Messiah until He comes again.
Jesus is building His church today. He is reconciling men, women, and children to Himself, today. He is spreading the joy of the knowledge of God everywhere, today. And He’s doing it through those who are led by His Spirit. It’s unthinkably amazing that God chooses to use people like Simeon, and like us, to carry out His redemptive plan.
The invitation for us is to marvel at our God, Three In One, who never stops working, even in our waiting. May it be said of us, as it was said of Mary:
Luke 1:45
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”