How quickly Christmas is over and one more story by tradition must be told. Yet the prophesy of Jesus happen long before His birth. Simeon waited for the promise of the Messiah. Now how did he know it would happen in his life time. The time frame for the Messiah had come. There were scribes that counted the days according to Daniel‘s time frame of when the invents of the Messiah birth should be. Day of consolation had come when Mary and Joseph brought the babe into the temple. The day of the promise Messiah. Was the time line exact, some say yes and some say close enough. Problem with records everything was hand written by scribed back then. No printing presses at that time. Everything was copied and rechecked by hand. Roman Calendar was different then the Hebrew Calendar. So discrepancy noted in history by skeptics had to do with whose calendar was being used.

Simeon came into the temple filled with the Holy Spirit and came up to Mary and Joseph and picked up the baby in his arms and declare that Jesus was the Son of God and Israel’s long awaited redeemer. I do not doubt those watching were curious at Simeon words but not startled by words of salvation or hope for Israel. Yet no doubt Simeon death would be a testimony to someone afterwards that Simeon had seen the Messiah, if nothing but to religious leaders that would help in the burial once he died. However we will never know beyond the record of Simeon rejoicing of what witness and testimony of his demise would bring when God called him home. God had given Simeon the hope to see the Messiah but to actually see him with his own eyes was the miracle. For him to testify by the Holy Spirit who had filled him before he even walked in the temple, because he was a believer who only needed God’s witness to know who Jesus was.

If you want truth spoken to the heart ask of God. His spirit lives in each believer. The Holy Spirit departed at the cross to heaven, yet returned to fill both Gentiles and Jews. Jews first in the upper room and Gentiles upon faith. An order because of teachers needed to tell the Gentiles about the Holy Spirit, and to also explain it to those that witness the events of New Testament after Christ. God’s spirit does not change, nor how he testifies to the believer. Yet we can know that the Holy Spirit is only going to testify about God and His Word/(Son). Simeon opened his mouth to praise God by the power of the Holy Spirit, he testified of the things of God as well as the Messiah. The word of God had come in the flesh to the temple and Simeon was a witness of God’s word in the temple being truth.

The young parents Mary and Joseph were their only to offer the sacrifices after having a son or the offering for purification after the birth of Jesus. Though there was no sin due to this birth, sacrifices by the law had to be made according to the law. Joseph and Mary obeyed the eight day law and entered into the temple for Mary purification and Jesus circumcision. No doubt it was always a blessing given over the young babies but this blessings from Simeon was unusual because of the declaration once more who Jesus was. Mary would hold these things in her heart and ponder them. If nothing more but to remind her this was no normal baby in arms that she was to love and raise. The responsibility was great upon Mary and Joseph.

Dear Heavenly Father thank you for the reminder of the Holy Spirit who testifies of who the Messiah is both from prophesy and actual event. May your Spirit always testify of you to the heart of all that believe, to give us hope of who you are and your Son. In Jesus precious name, Amen.