My Eyes Have Seen Your Salvation

“…the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem…in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:9-10 (NIV)

Eight days after his birth, Jesus was circumcised according to the Law (Leviticus 12:3). Thirty-three days later, Joseph and Mary brought him to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, also in accordance with the Law (Leviticus 12:4, 8 and Exodus 13:2).

In the context of fulfilling these obligations of the Mosaic covenant, God sent two elderly saints to witness the salvation he was about to perform. When Simeon and Anna, guided by the Spirit, laid eyes on the infant Messiah, they both recognized and proclaimed that they had seen in him the fulfilment of God’s ancient promises.

Both Simeon and Anna drew from the prophetic whispers in the Old Testament in their proclamation. Simeon’s words, in particular, recalled the comfort, light, salvation, and redemption that God had long foretold. He recognized that this child was the fulfillment of God's plans, as his "own arm would accomplish what no human had been able to do" (Isaiah 59:16).

However, Simeon’s blessing also hinted at the costly nature of this salvation, likely alluding to the “Suffering Servant” prophecy that immediately follows the passage he quoted from Isaiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). The peace this child came to bring would be bought at a great price. And through his suffering, many would see and understand the incredible extent of God’s saving work (Isaiah 52:15).

This baby was the arm of the Lord at work in human history, the embodiment of the salvation God had promised. This was what Simeon and Anna’s eyes saw in the face of the baby, who was held secure in Mary’s arms.

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