The Patience Of Simeon Series

It was a couple months ago that I had been in the temple worshiping. I had gone through my rituals and had prayed to God in heaven. I guess I can’t lie to you, there was a part of me that wondered if God’s promise to me would come true. Would I really get to see the Messiah or was it too good to be true? After all, I am getting older every day. As I was leaving the temple that day I overheard a conversation. The thing I noticed about it was that they were saying things like Messiah and Bethlehem. This caught my attention quickly. So I invited myself into the conversation and asked what they were talking about. They told me some incredible news. The news around town was that the Messiah had been born. I immediately inquired, “Where?” They told me in the town of Bethlehem. “When” I asked? They told me that it was just a couple days ago according to the report they had heard. My question now was, ‘How did they get to Bethlehem? Why now?” Then I remembered the census that had taken place a few days ago. Caesar had required that everyone return to their home town to register. So the Messiah’s father must be a man from Bethlehem. This is how the prophecy about the Messiah being from the city of David was fulfilled. I began to get very excited. If the reports were true, prophecies were being fulfilled during my lifetime in front of my very eyes. Not only that, but they were being fulfilled just five miles down the road. It was truly an exciting time for me. I wish that you could feel the excitement that I have. The emotions of what was happening completely overwhelmed me. If only you could feel completely overwhelmed by the coming Messiah as well.

The men continued talking about some shepherds who saw the Messiah already. The shepherds said that while the couple was there for the census, the time came for the mother to have the child. That is how the child, the Messiah, ended up being born in Bethlehem. Suddenly God’s plan was becoming clear to me. It was all coming together. Then the men told me about the angels the shepherds had seen. “Angels” I asked? The shepherds were watching their sheep at night when all of a sudden the night disappeared and the glory of God shone around them. They were terrified at the sight. Then an angel appeared before them and said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Then the night sky lit up as an entire company of angels appeared. The glory of the Lord was shining down upon them. And the angels praised God by saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” The shepherds left immediately to go and see if what the angels had said was true. And sure enough, they found a father and a mother with a baby lying in a manger. Bethlehem didn’t seem like a likely choice of a town for the arrival of a king. There was nothing there. The population was small. It was a run down, poor town. Most people wouldn’t think that the Messiah could be born there. Most of them have forgotten about the amazing king in Jewish history who was from Bethlehem; David. Now two kings had come from that poor and small community. And the news of this latest king was being spread all over the region by some poor local shepherds.