The Messiah Simeon Waited For

Day 20, A Blessing

Luke 2:35a Then Simeon blessed them…

Picture the scene. The four of them—Simeon, Mary, Joseph and infant Jesus—standing in the temple. Most likely, this would occur in the Court of the Gentiles. Rather than a peaceful church scene, this is chaos. Traders with their animals, customers trying to barter for a better deal, priests and Levites heading through to report for duty, strangers from the known world coming to learn more about the Jewish God. Dozens if not hundreds milled around them. It is neither quiet nor picturesque.

But Simeon created a pocket of serenity within the craziness of commerce and mingling neighbors.

As only someone who has seen many years can do, Simeon gratefully handed the baby back to Mary, then encouraged the young parents to bow their heads. He put one wrinkled hand on each. Then he prayed for God’s provision and mercy on these two people who loved God so much they were risking everything.

Did Simeon know anything of the trials of the next few years? Did he see the coming slaughter of the innocent or the flight into Egypt? Did he know how many times Joseph would need to rely on God’s wisdom to preserve the child Jesus for his ministry?

We don’t know. We know he had a glimpse of hardships and pain coming by his own words. But we don’t know how much he knew and how much he, in his own wisdom and reliance on the Holy Spirit, did not reveal to them because they were not ready.

Perhaps he simply gave the standard blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. It would cover the details. Joseph and Mary need to be kept in the center of God’s will.

“The Lord bless you and keep you;

 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”

Simeon blessed them after he offered his praise, but before his warning and prophecy. I think he worked it that way to remind them that with God there is always hope.

A Sixty-Day Countdown to Christmas


More Days

Introduction to The Messiah Simeon Waited For

Holding Jesus

Day 3, A Sketch of Simeon

Simeon Was a Godly Man

Day 5, Simeon's Testimony

Day 6, Prophecies for the Gentiles

Day 7, Blessing to Nations

Day 8, A Holy People

Day 9, Welcoming God's Firstborn

Day 10, The Name of Simeon

Day 11, Staying Alive

Day 12, Following the Spirit

Day 13, Taking Up Jesus

Day 14, God's Slave

Day 15, True Peace

Day 16, Seeing Reality

Day 17, The Intent of the Law

Day 18, For All Peoples

Day 19, Making Mary and Joseph Marvel

Day 20, A Blessing

Day 21, Hinting at the Rest of the Story

Day 22, Mary Will Grieve

Day 23, Making Simeon into Simeon

Day 24, Prophet to the Prophets

Day 25, A Priest Like Melchizedek

Day 26, Destined for Sacrifice

Day 27, Jesus and the Passover Lamb, part 1

Day 28, Jesus and the Passover Lamb, part 2

Day 29, Jesus and the Passover Lamb, Part 3

Day 30, Jesus as the Lamb (con.)

Day 31, Simeon as a Man of Gratitude

Day 32, Sacrificing Lambs in the Old Testament

Day 33, The Silent Lamb

Day 34, The Messiah as Light

Day 35, Jesus the Stumbling Block

Day 36, Jesus as the Rock

Day 37, The Precious Cornerstone

Day 38, The Stone in Zion

Day 39, The Cornerstone and the Gate

Day 40, The Stone of Judgment

Day 41, Into Zion First

Day 42, Restoring the Booth of David

Day 43, Forgotten Stones

Day 44, Blessed to Receive

Day 45, Crown Him with Many Crowns

Day 46, Identifying the Son of God

Day 47, The Best Storyteller Ever

Day 48, In Bethlehem, the City of David

Day 49, Born a King

Day 50, The Living Jesus

Day 51, The Mountain Tree (Part 1)

Day 52, The Mountain Tree (Part 2)

Day 53, The Root of Jesse

Day 54, David's Branch

Day 55, The Cursed Tree

Day 56, Time Fulfilled

Day 58 through 60

Day 57, Born David's King