The Messiah Simeon Waited For

Introduction to The Messiah Simeon Waited For

When I saw this tree, I called it Simeon.

It is mostly dead. It only had a few leaves to show its tenacious hold on life. But even so, it towers over its younger and healthier counterparts. It is so tall it looks as if it reaches for the clouds.

It is Simeon.

In the gospel of Luke, two people stand out at Jesus’ dedication at the temple. One, the widow Anna, I dedicated last year’s advent posts to. This year, the focus turns to the man in that same chapter.

Both of these individuals, these godly ones who touched Mary so deeply that she mentioned them by name when Luke interviewed her many years later, were old. One might even call them ancient. Both had lived past their expectancy and probably past all those they knew and loved.

Maybe it’s because I’ve taken the turn to the downward side of middle-age that these saints and their testimony speaks to me. Or perhaps it’s their passion and zeal for God. The temple was full of priests and religious officials who might herald the Messiah, yet these two that society declared done were the ones to praise and notice his arrival.

They were the ones who gave him worship.

And for that, if nothing else, they are worth getting to know better.

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