Luke 2:25-35 - God's Divine Appointments

The more I study and meditate on this particular passage of Scripture in Luke’s account of the “Christmas Story”, the more I am intrigued about the work of the Holy Spirit as Simeon meets the baby Jesus in the temple some forty days after his birth in the stable. Three times in this passage we read of the Holy Spirit and His ministry to Simeon. In verse 25, “And the Holy Spirit was upon him”. In verse 26, “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit…”.  And in verse 27, “So he came by the Spirit into the temple”.   This morning, I couldn’t get out of my mind the thought of the divine appointments of God and the fact that with God there are no accidents! Simeon had a “divine appointment”, he had a “God wink”, if you want to put it that way! It was no accident that for years Simeon had been diligently studying the Old Testament Scriptures and the prophecies concerning the Messiah. It was no accident at this exact time in history he lived close by and near the temple in Jerusalem. It was no accident that he was in the courtyard of the temple the very morning that Joseph and Mary walked in with the baby Jesus!   The passage before us today leaves us with no doubt that it was the Holy Spirit who directed all these events. The Holy Spirit directs Simeon’s eyes to see them, and the Holy Spirit reveals that the Baby is the Messiah! This is even more amazing when you remember that most of the Jews were looking for a Messiah who would come like a powerful King who would set them free from the Roman oppression.   We are initially introduced to the Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:1-2, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”  When God was ready to speak the earth and human creation into existence, the Holy Spirit shows up over the darkness! Amazing! When God was ready to reveal His Son into a world after four-hundred years of darkness, the Holy Spirit shows up! Wow!   Peter tells us that the Old Testament prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit to proclaim and write about the coming Christ. “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21).   Simeon first worshiped and blessed God when he saw Jesus. But now in verses 34-35, he becomes a prophet. And interesting he really doesn’t give any new prophecies but simply proclaims what he had read in the Old Testament prophets! He must have recalled Isaiah 8:13-15, “The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread. He will be as a sanctuary, But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense To both the houses of Israel, As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble; They shall fall and be broken, Be snared and taken." (We will talk more about this tomorrow.)   In closing today, let me make an application. If we want to live a life having the exciting and wonderful experience of divine appointments, like Simeon, we need to be daily in the Word of God. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit by living a life of faith and obedience. We need to be sensitive to and looking for the Holy Spirit leading us every step of the day. And we are promised in Romans 8:14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”   My friend, there are no accidents with God! Today in this world of darkness, His Spirit is ready to reveal to us where God is working, and we should be prepared to join Him! Are you ready?   God bless!