“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon … and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he and seen the Lord’s Christ … when the parents brought in the child Jesus … then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation” ~ Luke 2:25-30
We are sharing this “pleasant stone” on this holy day, because in it is the very heart of the Gospel. Old Simeon was “just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.”
God had told His faithful old servant that He would let him live on earth to see “the Lord’s Christ.” There was no way at all Simeon might have thought to look for this Messiah in a little baby brought to the temple to be presented to the Lord by humble parents. But Simeon “came by the Spirit to the temple” that day. God directed him. And the minute the old man took the Baby Jesus in his arms, he knew.
“Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said … mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” The glorious simplicity of the Gospel broke on Simeon “by the Spirit” that day. He saw what so few of us see, that salvation is not a process, it is a Person! “… mine eyes have seen thy salvation.”
God instructed Mary and Joseph to call His name Jesus because He was to “save His people from their sins.” Simeon saw the Lord’s salvation when God allowed him to see “the Lord’s Christ.”
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord … for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.”
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