When God's Promises Come True: The Story of Simeon and Anna

From a message by Jon Alsdorf

Have you ever had to wait for something important for a very long time? Maybe it was a vacation, a job promotion, or even a marriage proposal. In our instant-everything culture, we're not very good at waiting. We want our ketchup to squeeze out fast, our microwaves to heat food instantly, and our movies available on demand.

But God operates on a different timeline than our modern American "get it done now" pace. Throughout Scripture, God invites us to be patient and wait on Him. The passage in Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that "they who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength and mount up with wings like eagles."

What Happened After Jesus Was Born?
In Luke chapter 2, we encounter the story of what happened after Jesus' birth - a story about two people who had been waiting faithfully for God's promises to be fulfilled. Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to fulfill three overlapping requirements from the law of Moses.
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Why Did Mary and Joseph Go to the Temple?
First, there was the purification after childbirth. According to Leviticus 12, after a male child was born, the mother needed to go through a 40-day purification period. This wasn't about sin - it was about medical cleanliness and health practices of the time.
Second, they needed to make an offering. The typical offering was a lamb, but there was provision for those who couldn't afford it - they could bring two turtle doves or two young pigeons instead. The fact that Mary and Joseph brought the birds rather than a lamb shows they were not wealthy. Jesus was born into economic humility.

Third, they came for the presentation of the firstborn. Every firstborn son belonged to God and needed to be presented at the temple, then "redeemed" back to the parents for five silver coins. Think about this: here was the baby born to redeem all humanity, and His parents had to redeem Him back from God.

Who Were Simeon and Anna?
What Made Simeon Special?
In the busy chaos of the temple, Mary and Joseph encountered a man named Simeon. Scripture describes him as "righteous and devout" - not sinless, but serious about his faith. Like Moses and David, who were also called righteous despite their failures, Simeon had pursued God's pathway of forgiveness and redemption.

Most importantly, Simeon was "waiting for the consolation of Israel." This phrase comes from the second half of Isaiah, which prophesies about Israel's restoration and redemption. But Simeon wasn't waiting for better circumstances - he was waiting for a person.

The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, Simeon immediately recognized Him - not through human wisdom, but through the Spirit's revelation.

What Did Simeon Say About Jesus?
When Simeon took baby Jesus in his arms, he declared: "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace... for my eyes have seen your salvation." Notice he didn't say he had seen salvation happen - he said he had seen salvation itself. Salvation isn't an event; it's a person.

Simeon also prophesied that Jesus would be "a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." This was radical - many Jews struggled with the idea that salvation would extend to non-Jews. But Simeon understood that this redemption was part of God's plan from before the foundation of the world, and it was for all people.

Who Was Anna the Prophetess?
Anna was an elderly widow from the tribe of Asher who had been married only seven years before her husband died. She had spent decades in the temple, devoted to prayer and fasting. Like Simeon, she was spiritually attentive and recognized Jesus immediately.
Both Simeon and Anna were nobodies in terms of worldly position - they had no titles, no political power, no wealth. Yet God chose to reveal His Son to them because they were Spirit-led people who had been faithfully waiting.

What Can We Learn From This Story?
Jesus' Work of Redemption Began Immediately
Jesus didn't wait until He was 30 to begin His redemptive work. From day one, He took on the role of a servant. He was born into poverty and immediately began fulfilling every requirement of the law on our behalf. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Jesus' Identity Is Clear to the Spiritually Attentive
Those who were taking God at His word and looking for the fulfillment of His promises saw Jesus clearly. God isn't playing hide and seek with us. When we're spiritually attentive - reading His word, praying, seeking Him - His identity becomes clear.

Interestingly, around the time of Jesus' birth, the Romans removed the Jews' authority to carry out capital punishment. This fulfilled Jacob's prophecy in Genesis that "the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes." Some Pharisees recognized this timing and knew the Messiah must be present, but many missed Him because they weren't spiritually attentive.

The Pathway of Redemption Involves Pain
Simeon warned Mary that "a sword will pierce through your own soul." Jesus' path to redemption was painful for Him, and following Him involves suffering for us too. Scripture never promises believers a painless life. As Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

God's Redemption Is Available to Everyone
Perhaps most amazingly, God chose to reveal Jesus to two elderly, forgotten people with no worldly status. This shows us that God's redemption is available regardless of how old, forgotten, or marginalized we might feel.

Romans 10:12-13 declares: "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call upon him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to become more spiritually attentive like Simeon and Anna. Set aside time daily for prayer and reading God's word. Look for ways God is working in your life and circumstances, even in the ordinary moments.
Remember that salvation isn't about getting your life together first - it's about calling on Jesus, who will do the work of getting you together. He came from the very bottom, took on the role of a servant, and made redemption available to everyone who calls on His name.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I spiritually attentive to what God is doing around me, or am I too busy to notice?
• Have I called on the name of the Lord for salvation, or am I still trying to earn it somehow?
• How can I develop the patient, faithful waiting that characterized Simeon and Anna?
• What circumstances in my life am I trying to control instead of trusting God's timing?