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Devout and Faithfully Waited - Simeon's testimony
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luk 2:25
This snippet is part of a set exploring seven attributes of a man named Simeon. These seven attributes defined his faith in God. They are also something that each of us can display as we, like Simeon, wait to meet our Lord. Three have already been considered, two more are examined below.
Attribute 4: Devout – “do all to the glory of God” 1 Cor 10:31
Simeon was devout (Luk 2:25). Being truly devout requires a focus on, and a dedication to, God. It requires us to fully devote ourselves to our Lord just as a faithful soldier does to their commander and cause (Acts 10:2-3). A good soldier is fully committed at all times and in all situations – no matter how difficult i.e., Acts 8:2.
We are to be devout in the same way (2 Ti 2:3-4). Our commander is our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 12:2). Our armour (Eph 6:11) and strength (Eph 6:10) and security (Rom 8:31) are provided by him and for him (Col 1:16). This means, whatever task we are commanded to do we know we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom 8:37).
Attribute 5: Patient and Faithfully Waited (Gal 5:5)
As well as being devout Simeon patiently and faithfully waited for God to deliver on his promise (Luk 2:25-27). I believe this approach motivated many of his choices including which town to live in, proximity to the temple, how often he visited it and how long he spent in it. Unlike Simeon, we don’t wait for the consolation of Israel (Luk 2:25), we wait for something better – the day when we shall see our Lord Jesus Christ and be like him (1 Jo 3:1-2, 1 Co 15:53)!
While we patiently and faithfully wait for our Lord we have the incredible privilege to live by faith (Gal 2:20, 3:11) conditioning our heart and mind (1 Jo 3:3) and enabling us to have a deeper relationship with God, seeing more clearly what he has done and is doing for us (2 Co 5:7).
Simeon’s seven attributes
- Meet with like-minded people (Heb 10:25) because God will be found among them (Mat 18:20)
- Listen and be a doer of God’s word (Jam 1:25)
- Righteous, and lived accordingly (1 Jo 3:7)
- Devout 1 Cor 10:31
- Waited Faithfully (1 Th 1:10)
- Lived in the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30)
- Led by the Holy spirit (Rom 8:14)
Simeon, our Lord and the temple
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luk 2:22-35
