In this text, Simeon acknowledged that God had allowed him to see "your salvation," speaking of Jesus the Messiah, and that he was now going to die. Vs 25 tells us that Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel, which is a Messianic term related to the promised Kingdom of God, through the Salvific work of the Messiah, and we have been briefly, though not exhaustively, looking at that work in the Ordo Salutis.
Simeon knew that Jesus was his Savior, and that God had accepted him in the Messiah.
I want you to see that it was completely based upon what God did and was doing through Jesus, and not because of Simeon, and that by extension, this holds true for you and me.
If that were not the case then these passages would be meaningless.
Ephesians 2:8–10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
1 Corinthians 1:27–31 (ESV)
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Acts 14:3, Romans 5:15, 2 Corinthians 8:9. |
