Luke tells us that when Jesus was brought to the temple, two faithful servants of God, Simeon and Anna, recognized Him as the promised Messiah. Simeon had been waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise:
“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” (Luke 2:25–26)
When he took the Child in his arms, Simeon declared:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29–32)
Anna, a prophetess, also recognized Him:
“Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher… she did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36–38)
Both Simeon and Anna saw what many others did not. By the Spirit’s revelation, they knew that this ordinary-looking infant was God’s promised salvation. Their recognition was not based on outward appearance but on God’s faithfulness to His Word, showing that the Messiah would be a light not only to Israel but also to the Gentiles.
