“Behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just 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. So he came by 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 which You have prepared before the face of all people, a Light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel,’” Luke 2:25-32.
When Jesus was born, a man by the name of Simeon was living in Jerusalem. His entire life is spoken of in only eleven verses in Luke’s Gospel. He was a devout, God-fearing man. In his life, he was led by the Holy Spirit.
We are not told in what way or how the Holy Spirit had revealed to him, “That he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” He had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would live to see the day when God’s promise to send the Savior into the world would be fulfilled. That day had come.
Forty days after the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary went to the temple to fulfill the Old Testament Levitical law. “They brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’ [see Exodus 13:2]), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, ‘A pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons,’” Luke 2:22-24. In Leviticus 12:2-4, 6, 8, we read, “If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. She shall then continue in the blood of purification thirty-three days . . . When the days of her purification are fulfilled . . . she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting . . . And if she is not able to bring a lamb, then she may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons – one as a burnt offering and the other as a sin offering. So the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.”
All of this explains how it happened that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus came to the temple at the same time that the Holy Spirit moved Simeon to go to the temple. It all took place 40 days after Jesus was born.
By revelation of the Holy Spirit, Simeon knew who Jesus was. He took the Baby up in his arms and loudly praised God in the temple for sending the Savior of all people. Jesus is the only Savior of all races, all classes, and all colors! To His troubled disciples, He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,” John 14:6. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,” Acts 16:31.
Simeon’s song, as we might call it, is a mission message! The Savior of the world is here! “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature,” Mark 16:15.
The Babe whom Simeon held in his arms grew to manhood. He fulfilled the Commandments of God in our place. He took our sins upon Himself and carried them to Calvary’s cross where He suffered and died to pay the price for our redemption. Join Simeon in thanking and praising God for sending you a Savior and for bringing you to believe and trust in Him!
O Father, God of Love, Hear Thou my supplication;
O Savior, Son of God, Grant me Thy full salvation.
And Thou, O Holy Ghost, Be Thou my faithful Guide,
That I may serve Thee here, And there with Thee abide. Amen.