Advent: Simeon

DAY 24: Simeon at the Temple

“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.’
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.” – Luke 2:25-33 ESV

My Thoughts:
The baby Jesus was circumcised 8 days after his birth, according to Jewish custom and the Law of Moses. Circumcision was the sign and seal of the Abrahamic Covenant. And when Jesus was 40 days old He was also dedicated to God at the Temple, being the first born male of Mary. And according to custom and Law, a sacrifice was offered as well. And since Simeon was directed by the Holy Spirit to go to the Temple, he meets the young couple and child.

Simeon's Moment by Ron DiCianni

Simeon’s Moment by Ron DiCianni

Simeon was given a great gift indeed—to see the Christ Child! As Warren Wiersbe says in The Wiersbe Bible Commentary of Simeon, “He was a man who was led by the Spirit of God, taught by the Word of God, and obedient to the will of God, and therefore he was privileged to see the salvation of God.” It’s also interesting to note that while an angel appeared to many, and a dream was given to Joseph and the wise men, the Holy Spirit is the one to reveal God’s Word to Simeon. And much like Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and the angels praised God in song or poem, Simeon will praise God as well in poem.

In looking at Simeon’s poem of praise to God we can also see how he rightly understood the scope of Christ’s salvation. That it would be for all people—for Jew and Gentile, man and woman, servant and master. After all, the first to worship Jesus as the Savior were outcast shepherds and foreign priests… and now a faithful believer at the Temple.

Prayer:
Righteous God, you have crowned Jesus Christ as Lord of all.
We confess that we have not bowed before him
and are slow to acknowledge his rule in our lives and world.
We give allegiance to other masters – prestige, money, power, sex, comfort –
and refuse to be governed by your justice and love.
We often treat you as powerless, disconnected and unapproachable,
instead of the Servant King who loves us and has the power to transform our lives.
In your mercy, forgive us. Raise us to acclaim Jesus as ruler of all,
that we may be joyful servants, obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

*Banner artwork based on Saint Francis Solanus Chapel stained glass window

Posted in Advent Tagged with:
  • Experiencing Advent

    The focus of Advent (which means "coming") is first and foremost on the first coming of Christ, specifically Jesus' incarnation and birth. And the second focus of Advent is on the fulfillment of the kingdom promises, specifically the second coming of Christ. It is my intention to reclaim and rediscover the Advent Season by writing a blog post twice a week for Advent that is full of Scripture, quotes, music, artwork, and prayers. And I hope you will join me for the journey to Bethlehem. To begin the journey, start here.
  • Archives

    Email Subscription

    Submit your information below to receive new blog posts by email.

    Name *

    Email *