He had been waiting for several years. Although he was considered a devout and just man, history suggests that he was not in the inner circles of the religious Jewish leaders. In his quiet times before God, the Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die until he saw the consolation of Israel, a hope that would never be extinguished.
By the unction of the Spirit he walked into the temple where Joseph and Mary were preparing to dedicate their new son, Jesus. Much like John the Baptist had leapt in Elizabeth’s womb months earlier when he came into close proximity to the preborn Christ, the Holy Spirit erupted within Simeon as he held Israel’s redemption in his arms. The remembrance of the promise from God that he would not die until this moment pulsed throughout his being. Overwhelmed at this encounter, he prophesied:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Simply put, Simeon encountered the living God, Word made flesh. Many assume, given Simeon’s quote on dying in peace, that he was an old man, barely hanging onto life until God’s words to him came to pass, but we are nowhere told how old he actually was. In saying he was ready to depart in peace, he was declaring that he had met the Author of Life in the form of this tiny baby; therefore, he was ready for death. He had reached the pinnacle of his earthly existence for he now knew that there would always be hope, not just for the Hebrew race but also for all mankind.
The peace and goodwill to man that encompass the globe during this time of the year is possible only because of this same Child who split B.C. from A.D. He reigns supreme over the universe that He created. He is no longer a Babe in the manger but Lord over all. Just as the Holy Spirit led Simeon into the temple on that extraordinary day, we too need this same Spirit to lead us into an encounter with this same Jesus Christ. When we do, we will share the words that Paul shared, “For me to live is Christ; to die is gain!” This is what happens when we come into the presence of God Almighty.
While there are many pragmatic benefits in homeschooling our children, the vision for ICHE is that by discipling our children at home, we may, by the grace of God, cultivate the soils of our children’s hearts to receive the Word of God. It is the prayer of the ICHE leadership team that every homeschooling household throughout the Midwest will have a mighty meeting with this Giver of Life. May our children be radically saved by His grace, live impassioned lives for His glory, and tell others about the consolation of the human race.
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