Awaiting the Manger: 7 Days of Discovering Jesus in the Old TestamentSample

Simeon’s Light

The elderly prophetess knelt near the entrance to the inner court of the temple. Since her husband had died so many years ago, she never left. She’d spent many nights in prayer and worshiping and fasting. She grasped her aching back and straightened. She’d only been married seven years when he had died, but since then she hadn’t been alone. Her years serving the Lord had provided a life richer than a queen. As she turned to sit down, she spotted her old friend walking toward her amid the temple workers performing their morning tasks. “Simeon, come.”

Simeon’s gaze skipped around as he hurried closer. Spry for his age, Anna thought, but especially spirited this morning.

“Shalom, Anna,” he said as he approached her. “Have you...” His voice softened, and he glanced at the entrance, “...seen anyone?”

“Simeon.” Anna patted the stool next to her. “Sit. What’s causing this unrest in you?”

Tentatively, the aged man took his seat. “It’s...” A mysterious grin lifted the corners of his mouth. “I can’t speak it. I think...Maybe,” his shoulders relaxed, “the Spirit of God led me here today.”

“Well, I’m sure he did,” she said. “Why wouldn’t he want you to come to the temple on this day, or any day?” She eyed her sleeping mat and meager belongings, and lowered her voice. “Or night.”

Simeon stood, stared at the entrance, then sat back down.

“What is it, friend?” Anna asked.

Simeon let out a shaky breath and almost spoke, but then held back. He had never shared his deepest hope with her. Countless years earlier, as he was desperately praying, the Holy Spirit had told him he would not see death before he saw the Messiah.

“Oh Anna, have we not waited all these long years?” he finally said. He tapped his foot against the temple floor, counting the seconds going by. “I thought maybe today....” He glanced toward the small crowd of worshipers entering the temple for midmorning prayers.

“Oh, friend.” She placed a hand on her chest. “Would that he did come today.” She tilted her ancient head. “But we don’t know. It could be one hundred years.”

“Sooner than that, I think.”

Anna paused, studying his face, but Simeon said nothing, so she continued. “Many before us also waited. Think of our first parents—Adam and Eve. Before anyone else, they received the promise. The serpent would be crushed by the Savior.”

Simeon nodded. “Yes, and the Redeemer too would be crushed, but not completely.”

“Only his heel,” Anna finished Simeon’s thought. “And think of Noah. He could’ve been the deliverer, but...”

“A great man—if God hadn’t hidden him safe in the ark, none of us would be here.”

“But he fell to temptation. He was not the Messiah.” Anna glanced toward the Holy of Holies. “Moses.”

Simeon clasped his hands together. “Moses! Deliverer, yes. God’s great favor rested on him, did it not? Ten plagues, the Red Sea, the holy Law, water from the rock—” He shook his head. “He shouldn’t have struck the rock.”

“No.”

“And it wasn’t even David—a man after God’s own heart.”

“All those beautiful psalms.”

“But not David.” Simeon imagined the prophet Nathan’s discouragement when David fell into great sin. “By then it must have seemed like an eternal age had passed.”

“After David, our fathers’ and mothers’ disobedience spread like weeds, strangling the truth.” Anna’s voice cracked. “Unfaithful leader followed unfaithful leader.”

“With a few flashes of hope. Don’t forget Elijah and Elisha. They raised those boys from the dead! I would’ve thought either one of them was the Messiah.”

“Yes, and there was Josiah, Esther, Daniel, the prophets.” A dove suddenly swept in from the outer court. It must have escaped its cage. It circled and then flew out again.

The two elderly saints, wearied from talking, sat silently on their chairs as the hours passed. Watching, waiting. Shadows fell. Evening was coming. The temple gate would soon close.

Anna’s eyes rounded as she looked at Simeon. “Maybe not today...”

A man led a lamb toward the altar, handed it to the priest.

And then, a couple strode in, simple clothes, poor. The woman held a child in her arms, close to her heart. The husband carried a cage with two turtledoves. Eying the altar where sacrifices were made, the mother’s gaze tarried for a long moment.

The husband gently placed his hand on the mother’s back, guiding her. As they walked toward them, Simeon looked at Anna. Her gaze locked with his. Tears were already streaming down her cheeks. They knew. They both knew. They were finally seeing the one who was promised before the beginning, the seed of the woman, the God who sees, the joy of the barren—Emmanuel, God with us.

Simeon took the child in his arms and sang. “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

Practice

As you walk through this day, in all you do, give thanks to the long-awaited Savior for the gift of his coming.

Reflect

What aspects of Christmas give you the most joy? (Philippians 2:5-8; John 1)

Pray

Dear Jesus, as Simeon and Anna rejoiced at your coming, may I always revel in the gift of you.

Sing

Joy to the World

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We hope this plan was helpful to you. You can read more from Ocieanna Fleiss in her latest book, Awaiting the Manger, available here .