“Temple Witness“
Clearing the steps, they passed through large gates of the outer wall into the Court of the Gentiles.
As they entered the Court of Women the small procession was interrupted again.
Simeon was a just and devout man who had been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would see the Lord’s Messiah before he died.
Directed by the Spirit to the temple, he arrived just as Mary and Joseph entered with Jesus.
Moving slowly, with purpose, he intercepted them, stalling their progress a second time.
He nodded to Joseph and turned to Mary.
With kind compassionate eyes he extended his arms to the bundle in Mary’s arms. Receiving unspoken permission, he gently took the baby into his arms.
Tears streamed from his face as he lifted his eyes to heaven.
“Lord, now let Thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation. A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
Simeon turned to Mary, placing the child gently back in her arms, he peered deep into her soul with ancient eyes full of compassion.
“Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;”
Pausing for a moment, he continued; “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also…”
As Simeon finished speaking, the elderly widow Anna, gently touched Mary’s shoulder.
Attentive to Simeon, Mary had not noticed her approach.
Faithful Anna! Well known for her service to the Lord, widowed nearly her entire life, she rarely left the temple mount.
Her gentle face looked into Mary’s questioning eyes, and then to the bundle wrapped snugly in her arms.
“May I?” Reaching, she tugged the cover aside to see the face of the infant Messiah. Worship radiated from her as she turned her eyes heavenward,
“Jehovah I praise you. Your word is true! As you promised, you have allowed your humble servant to see the Redeemer of your people. The Almighty is faithful and true and gives hope to all looking for redemption in Jerusalem!”
Anna raised Jesus’ face to her lips and gently kissed Him.
The uneasy feeling Mary had felt from the confrontation with the Roman soldier moments before, evaporated with the blessings from Simeon and Anna.
Their expressions of praise and blessings overwhelmed her with their love for her sleeping child.
She turned to Joseph who stood quietly by her side. As their eyes met, Joseph was clearly moved as well.
A look of wonderment passed between them as they pondered the meaning of Anna and Simeon’s words.
Once again their path had taken an unexpected twist, immersed in an epic saga neither could fully comprehend.
It had begun with the angel Gabriel’s dramatic visit to Mary, so many months before and continued with the angel of the Lord’s reassuring appearance to Joseph in a dream….
“The baby’s name would be Jesus.”
The dramatic occurrences in Bethlehem and now the simple temple visit had turned eventful.
Joseph felt caught in a whirlwind of competing emotions; It was more than a simple man could understand.
The new moon had completed another circuit. From their arrival at the stable in Bethlehem it had returned once again.
Joseph was restless to return to Nazareth. In the familiar surroundings he would have time to pause and reflect on the meaning of all that had transpired.
The afternoon shadows were lengthening. Soon daylight would turn to dusk and evening would call a halt to the events of the day.
Tomorrow they would begin the journey back to Nazareth but now it was time to rest.
