Under Holy Spirit Inspiration Simeon and Anna Affirm Jesus When He Is a Baby
Shortly after Jesus is born his parents take him to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to God and go through the purification rites as prescribed by Moses.
As they do so, they receive two startling surprises from what others say about Jesus. They know how to hear from God.
Simeon
First is Simeon, a godly man full of the Holy Spirit. He lives in expectation of the promised savior. God assures Simeon he will live long enough to witness the coming Messiah.
Prompted by the Holy Spirit Simeon goes to the temple, takes Jesus in his arms, and praises God for what Jesus will do.
Anna
Next is Anna, an elderly woman and prophetess. A devote widow, she spends her time worshiping God. She walks up and thanks God for Jesus, confirming he is the fulfillment of prophecy.
We Can Hear from God
Note that neither Simeon nor Anna are part of the religious elite. They lack the pedigree and the man-made credentials to do what they did.
But they do have Holy Spirit wisdom, and that’s all that God needs in order to use them—and us—to accomplish his purposes
There’s no special training or insider connections, just people who put God first and focus on him. The Holy Spirit will guide us.
[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 1-3 and today’s post is on Luke 2:22-40.]
Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.