The inspiration of Simeon and Anna

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord Luke 2: 22 

Jesus had been born in Bethlehem as prophesied and eight days later Mary and Joseph went the five miles to the temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice in keeping with the Law of Moses. 

In the temple they met a pair of elderly, devout people who had been waiting patiently for the Messiah. Simeon was a devout man waiting for ‘the consolation of Israel’ - the Messiah and he had been promised that he would see him before he died. He rejoiced that this day had come and very accurately prophesied to Mary that ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’  I wonder if Mary remembered that as she watched the horror of her own beloved son being beaten and crucified. 

Mary and Joseph marvelled at what was said but more was to come. The very elderly Anna, a lady whose life was devoted to prayer and fasting also came up ‘at that moment’ and told anyone who would listen that this child was the Messiah (the redemption of Jerusalem). 

I love the patient faithfulness of these two elderly people, devoted to the Lord. They had not given up as the years passed by. They had not settled down to a passive, inactive, elderly lifestyle. They were as fervent in their faith as ever. The Bible is full of the very elderly being significantly used by God; Abraham, Moses, Gideon’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth. So often the elderly laid the foundation for the next generation to build on. 

Simeon and Anna are a source of inspiration for us. They had been waiting for years to see the fulfilment of their dreams, not just for themselves but for their nation. They hadn’t given up nor had they doubted and they were not disappointed. Their hope was placed firmly in God. 

Perhaps today you have been waiting for years to see the fulfilment of your dreams – the salvation of a loved one, a healing, a miracle or for revival and a great outpouring of God’s love and miracle working power in your church, community or nation. 

At the start of a new year, may we, like Simeon and Anna, not give up but with fresh faith believe again that God is working on our behalf, that he has heard and is answering our prayers.

‘And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not’ 

Galatians 6: 9 KJV

We shall reap if we faint not

‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light’ Isaiah 9: 2

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem very few people would have realised that ‘the light of the world’ had arrived. For sure the shepherds proclaimed his birth and all that the angel had told them but whilst ‘all who heard it were amazed’ (Luke 2: 18) I wonder how much of a long lasting impact it made on most of them.

Even when the ‘light of the world’ started his ministry in Galilee 30 years later, fulfilling the Isaiah prophecy, few could be called his followers. Most enjoyed the fruits of his ministry - the healing, miracles and provision of food – but on the day of Pentecost there were only 120 believers left of the thousands who must have been touched by the presence of Jesus amongst them.

However two old people realised who this baby was and whilst they would not have seen the outworking of the prophecy, they rejoiced over the birth of the baby. Mary and Joseph had done everything the Law required. Jesus had been circumcised and named on the eighth day and then they went to the Temple in Jerusalem, only about 5 miles from Bethlehem, to offer a sacrifice for Mary’s purification and to present the infant Jesus, as their first-born, to the Lord.

Simeon was a devout man and he was waiting for ‘the consolation of Israel’ - the Messiah. He had been promised that he would not die before he had seen him. The Holy Spirit was on Simeon so that at just the right moment he went into the temple courts to meet Mary and Joseph. Taking Jesus into his arms he rejoiced over the birth of this baby and prophesied

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 

For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.’

Simeon knew this baby was the ‘light of the world’ for both Jews and Gentiles.  However whilst his coming would be good news for some, raising them up, it would not be good news for everyone. He foresaw trouble for many in Israel. Jesus would be a stumbling block for those who disbelieve. Even for Mary his mother ‘a sword will pierce your own soul too.’  I wonder if Mary remembered that as she watched the horror of her own beloved son being beaten and crucified.

At that moment, Anna an elderly prophetess, came up and realising who the child was, gave thanks and spoke to anyone who was anticipating the ‘redemption of Jerusalem.’ I wonder how many of them looked at the baby and imagined what this child might become.

These two old people are a source of inspiration for us. They had been waiting for years to see the fulfilment of their dreams, not just for themselves, but for their nation. They hadn’t given up nor had they doubted and they were not disappointed. Their hope was placed firmly in God.

Perhaps today you have been waiting for years to see the fulfilment of your dreams – the salvation of a loved one, a healing, a miracle or for revival and a great outpouring of God’s love and miracle working power in your church, community or nation.

May we, like Simeon and Anna, not give up but with fresh faith believe again that God is working on our behalf, that he has heard and is answering our prayers.

‘And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not’

Galatians 6: 9 KJV

Simeon and Anna

When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord Luke 2: 22

Jesus had been born in Bethlehem as prophesied and eight days later Mary and Joseph went the five miles to the temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice in keeping with the Law of Moses.

In the temple they met a pair of elderly, devout people who had been waiting patiently for the Messiah. First of all Simeon came up to them. He had been promised that he would see the Lord’s Messiah before he died. He rejoiced that this day had come and very accurately prophesied to Mary that ‘This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

Mary and Joseph marvelled at what was said but more was to come. The very elderly Anna, a lady whose life was devoted to prayer and fasting also came up ‘at that moment’ and told anyone who would listen that this child was the Messiah (the redemption of Jerusalem).

I love the patient faithfulness of these two elderly people, devoted to the Lord. They had not given up as the years passed by. They had not settled down to a passive, inactive, elderly lifestyle. They were as fervent in their faith as ever.

In today’s culture, young is beautiful but the Bible is full of the very elderly being significantly used by God; Abraham, Moses, Gideon’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth. So often the elderly laid the foundation for the next generation to build on.

As I have written before, the elderly in the back of the church can be a huge fount of wisdom and experience to tap into. Unfortunately they are largely ignored as irrelevant whilst the younger generation like to learn from their own mistakes without tapping into the wisdom that is available from those who have gone before.

I wonder how many others at the temple paid any attention to Simeon and Anna that day. Despite telling anyone who would listen, were they ignored or did anyone take note that the greatest event for the Jews and Gentiles, the Saviour of the world had just been presented at the temple?

Many of today’s elderly have been waiting and praying patiently for years for revival and have lived through previous outpourings and know a thing or two about them. Some of them may well have the promise from God that they will not die till they see revival. They may even have a head’s up on what God is doing for any willing to listen to them.

God loves all generations and wants to use everyone, young and old to reach a lost world. Crossing the generational divide is a wonderful expression of God’s heart. As we come to the end of 2014 let us not give up on the promises of God but by faith take them into 2015, believing that he who has promised is faithful.

Courage to obey

When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, ‘Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.’

‘My father,’ she replied, ‘you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised, now that the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. But grant me this one request,’ she said. ‘Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.’

‘You may go,’ he said. And he let her go for two months. She and her friends went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. Judges 11: 34 – 39

I read recently that real courage is obeying even when you know the consequences. Jephthah had made a rash vow that if God gave him victory in battle over the Ammonites, then he would sacrifice the first thing that came to meet him when he got home.

God did give him victory in battle and the first thing to greet him when he got home was his daughter, his only child, celebrating his victory in battle and homecoming. What I notice though is her response. She neither begs nor pleads with her father or God to let her off a vow that she has not made. She understands the bigger picture; her father has had great victory in battle because God helped him. The Israelites would continually need God’s help to win victory over their enemies and breaking this vow would seriously compromise their future cause. Vows made to God are serious things and should not be readily broken. Jephthah’s daughter understood this. (see blog Broken vows break relationships).

Instead she just asks for two months to go and weep with her friends over what would never be; her own husband, home and children. She had the courage to go through with this even though she knew the consequences for herself. I am sure during those two months some friends would have encouraged her to defy the vow. You can imagine them saying that surely God would not expect her to die because of something her father vowed. The consequences though for the nation would have been greater if she had not gone through with it.

Imagine too the anguish of Jephthah’s heart that he must have endured. No daughter or grandchildren now. Did he beg God to let him off his vow I wonder? Nevertheless, he went through with it; that takes courage – a courage only exceeded by his daughter’s.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was another woman who had the courage to be obedient to God’s calling, despite the consequences. When she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit before marrying Joseph, the consequences were awful. There was a very real chance Joseph would reject her and I am sure society did. Unmarried mothers were outcasts in those days. However she also got hold of the bigger picture and knew she was the most blessed of women because she had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. Simeon prophesied to her that a sword would pierce Mary’s soul (Luke 2:35). Watching Jesus being crucified must have been indescribable and like having her soul pierced just as Jephthah’s soul must have been pierced when he had to kill his own daughter. What courage these people displayed.

I do not expect we will have to face such awful choices but may we have the courage to obey God in our circumstances even when we know the consequences will be hard. 

Waiting for the promises

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God. Luke 2: 25 – 28

There was also a prophetess, Anna …. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:  36 – 38.

Once again, we see the missed opportunity for so many people, when Jesus himself was brought to the temple. The religious leaders and priests who lived and worshipped there did not meet him but two elderly, righteous and devout people, who for a long time had been waiting for the Messiah, met their heart’s desire. 

It can be very trying to persevere, sometimes for years, to see what God has promised us but the story of Simeon and Anna encourages us not to give up.  We do not know how long Simeon had been hanging on in faith to see the Messiah but we do know his faith was rewarded.

Anna too had spent most of her adult life worshipping and praying in the temple and she too was not disappointed. She was an old lady, very old by those days, and yet she too got to see the Messiah.

For Jewish people there was no greater joy than to see the long awaited one. Simeon must have been thrilled to know he would see the Messiah and imagine his joy when he was able to take the baby in his arms and bless and prophesy over him and his parents. What a privilege. Anna too was able to pronounce to all who were willing to listen that this baby was indeed the Messiah.

We also may have been waiting for years for some promise from God; the salvation of a relative, our healing, our partner in life, a ministry opportunity and as this year closes may I suggest you go back and look at the words that God has given you in 2012 and maybe in previous years.

Thank him for those that have come to pass and pray over those you have still to see an answer to.  Like Simeon and Anna, some promises we have to wait a long time for but let us reaffirm our faith in God and our trust that He will work all things together for good in his timing. 

Bless you for reading this blog this year and let us go forward into 2013 with renewed enthusiasm for our wonderful God. I pray.. that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1: 10)