”Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout [carefully observing the divine Law], and looking 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 (the Messiah, the Anointed). Prompted by the Spirit, he came into the temple [enclosure]; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him the custom required by the Law, Simeon took Him into his arms, and blessed and praised and thanked God, and said, “Now, Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to leave [this world] in peace, According to Your word; Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light for revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was previously unknown], And [to bring] the praise and honor and glory of Your people Israel.”“
Luke 2:25-29, 31-32 AMP
My granddaughter, Quinn, was walking backwards and talking as she usually does. And just about the time her story was ending I gasped, “Quinn, watch out! You nearly ran into the wall.” But isn’t that the peril of walking backwards through life. You may run into a wall or two. I would argue same could happen if you walk with your head in the clouds or you focus too much on what may come. Life is a balance beam. The past shapes us, the future, well the future is glorious, but the present is a gift.
I feel like that is how Simeon his life. He held onto a promise God made at some point in his past. He was always looking for the day when Messiah would come, but when directed by the Holy Spirit of God, he was present for the GIFT.
Simeon’s name means, “one who hears and obeys.” Oh to live like Simeon. What did the Spirit’s prompting feel like? Was it a nudge or a push that propelled him to the Temple that day? Whatever it was Simeon succumbed to the force, but he didn’t just hear it, he obeyed it. And because Simeon obeyed, he was rewarded.
Looking backward, looking forward, and looking upward, there is a gentle balance between the three.
We have been promised:
”And after He said these things, He was caught up as they looked on, and a cloud took Him up out of their sight. While they were looking intently into the sky as He was going, two men in white clothing suddenly stood beside them, who said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This [same] Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”“
Acts 1:9-11 AMP
”For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.“
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 ESV
”Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords.“
Revelation 19:11-13, 16 ESV
”He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.“
Revelation 22:20-21 ESV
These words were written long past, but they are a certainty to come to be. They are a promise from God, and just like Simeon, we do not know the when of this definite event, but we can be like Simeon. Cling to the scriptures, live a life looking forward to His coming, and look upward for the sky to be opened, and watch for the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS to ride down on His white horse. In the meantime live also in the present spreading the gift of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Oh Lord our God make us sensitive to Your nudges and Your promptings. In Jesus name.
Nudge or push I pray we are observant and obedient to the call. You pick another of my favorite verses in Revelation 19. I close my eyes and I can see it.
My favorite verses as well
Come KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS