Why Simeon?

“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.” Luke 2:25-27 (NIV)

I wonder what Simeon had planned for that day. Maybe he planned to work in his garden or visit a friend or tend to a few jobs around his house that needed doing. Whatever his plans were, they were interrupted by the Holy Spirit. This was not the first time the Spirit had spoken to him. Earlier in his life the Spirit had given him the promise that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.

As he entered the temple that day he wondered how he would know which baby would be the Messiah. How often we have had been told that someone would meet us at a bus station or an airport but we have never seen that person before. How will we know the one that is there to meet us? What will be the sign that will let us know that this is the one? It always happens that we do recognize the one. I am sure that the Holy Spirit prompted him saying “This is the One.”

We are not told how long Simeon had been looking for the Messiah. We are not told when he first heard the promise from the Holy Spirit. All we know that from that day onward he was always looking for the Messiah and when the baby came, he was ready.

Simeon is an example for us today. As Simeon looked forward to the first coming we are to look forward to the Second Advent. I am sure that as he waited he went about his usual daily routines. We are commanded to occupy until He comes. We are to live our lives but live them in expectancy. He could come at any time but He will come.

The story is told about a soldier during the war who had been away for a long time. One day the soldiers got word that they would be going home. When the soldiers arrived at the dock there were wives and sweethearts there to meet them. As he looked over the crowd he did not see his wife. He gathered up his pack and went home. When he arrived home his wife met him at the door and said, “Oh, you are home, I have been waiting for you.”

“You may have been waiting for me,” he said, “but the other wives were waiting and watching.” Are we just waiting or are we waiting and watching? We need to be like Simeon who was both waiting and watching.

After he held the baby and prayed a blessing over him he said that he was then ready to go home. When Jesus comes again will we be ready to go home or will we have things that we must do first? When he comes it will be time to go home. Let us be ready.