Simeon and Anna

“For my eyes have seen Your salvation.” — Luke 2:30

When Jesus was eight days old, He was given His name, Jesus, just as the angel had said.

Then, when He was about six weeks old, Mary and Joseph took Him to the temple in Jerusalem. God’s law said that parents should bring their firstborn son to the temple to present him to the Lord, and offer a sacrifice. Rich families would offer a lamb. But Mary and Joseph offered what poor families gave: two young pigeons.

In Jerusalem there lived an old man called Simeon. He loved God, and he had been waiting all his life for God to come and comfort His people. The Holy Spirit was with Simeon. And the Holy Spirit had told him that he would not die until he had seen the Christ, the Saviour God had promised.

That day, the Holy Spirit led Simeon into the temple courts. And when Mary and Joseph came in carrying baby Jesus, Simeon knew. This was the one!

Simeon took the baby in his arms and praised God.

“Sovereign Lord,” he said, “as You have promised, You now let Your servant go in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people to see: a light to show the way to people of every nation, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

Mary and Joseph were amazed at what Simeon said about their baby. Simeon blessed them. Then he told Mary that her son would cause many people to rise and to fall, and that one day she would have great sorrow, like a sword piercing her heart.

There was also a very old woman in the temple called Anna. She was a prophetess. Her husband had died when she was young, after only seven years of marriage, and she was now eighty-four years old. Anna never left the temple. She worshipped God there night and day, praying and fasting.

Anna came up to them at that very moment. She began to thank God, and she told everyone who was waiting for God to rescue His people all about this child.

Simeon and Anna had waited and waited, their whole long lives. Many people had probably given up hoping. But Simeon and Anna kept on trusting God and praying. And at the very end of their lives, they held the answer in their arms.

When Mary and Joseph had done everything God’s law said, they went home. And the child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him.

The promise kept: Simeon called Jesus “a light for revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32). That was a promise from Isaiah, who said God’s Servant would be “a light for the nations” (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus didn’t come for one nation only. He came for the whole world.

Read it in your Bible: Luke 2:21–40

Dear God, thank you for Simeon and Anna, who never stopped waiting for you. Help me to keep trusting you and praying, even when I have to wait. Thank you that Jesus is the light for the whole world. Amen.