Read This: Luke 2:28-38 

Imagine you’re fascinated by the end times. You spend years studying Daniel, Revelation, and all the other prophetic books. As your understanding grows, you see what’s coming. You understand how world events are lining up for history’s finale.

One day God’s Spirit directs you to a certain place. He reveals that you’ll witness a key event in the final countdown. And so it happens. You show up, you see the beginning of the end, and you explain its meaning to everyone you meet.

That’s how it was for Simeon. He didn’t just know Jesus was the Messiah. He knew everything about Him. For example, he knew . . .

• Jesus would bring light to people of Galilee.
• Jesus would bring salvation. Not just to the Jews, but to all people from every nation.
• There would be a price to pay. By shining light into the darkness, the evil of men’s hearts would be exposed.
• Though the Gentiles would be saved, many of the Jews would oppose, deny, speak against, contradict, and reject Jesus.
• The Jews’ violent rejection of Jesus would cause Mary, His mother, great pain.

Simeon knew what was coming. The Old Testament revealed the time, place, and purpose of Jesus’ coming — and Simeon knew all of it. His remarks amazed Mary and Joseph, and confirmed yet again that theirs was no ordinary child. He was the Messiah, God’s salvation for all people.

[See also: Isaiah 8:14; 42:6; 45:25; 46:13; 49:6,9; 52:10; 60:3; Psalm 98:2]