“My eyes have seen your salvation”
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Taking Jesus to the temple for Mary's purification ceremony resulted in a significant encounter with a godly man. We assume that Simeon was old, though in fact all we are told is that God had promised him that the long-awaited Messiah would come during his lifetime (25) and that seeing the Messiah would enable him to depart this life in peace (29).
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What Luke emphasises is not Simeon’s age but that the Holy Spirit was especially active in him (25,26,27; cf. Lk.1:15,35,41,67.) Through the Spirit, Simeon recognised who Jesus was and why he had come. “The consolation of Israel” and “the Lord’s Christ” are each titles of Jesus as the Messiah (25,26; Christ and Messiah both mean anointed one.) As such, he has come from God (cf. 1:32-33) to bring God's salvation to all who believe in him (32; Lk.2:11; Acts 26:23; Rom.1:16).
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The Holy Spirit can open our eyes too, so that we recognise and believe these same two truths about Jesus – who he is and why he came. “How important it is for people to see God's salvation, Jesus Christ, before they see death” (Wiersbe). Then, and only then, will young and old alike be ready to die – and to live – in God’s peace (John 14:26-27; 2 Cor.5:1-10).