Last year, after reading through passages in Isaiah and then Luke 1 & 2 with our small group, I was struck with these two men – Isaiah and Simeon. They stand out to me almost as bookends of the Advent story.

One a prophet
One a devout man
Both looking.

One tells of the Messiah’s coming
One reads those prophecies
Both groan to see the fulfillment.

One lived under numerous rulers
One lived in the empire of Caesar
Both awaited a new King.

One spoke the words God gave him
One heard the words God gave him
Both lived with silence.

One told a nation
One blessed a mother
Both longed for Shalom

One is a large presence in the Scriptures
One is a small supporting actor
Both followed the Spirit in his role.

One spoke of the Temple’s destruction
One entered the Temple to seek
Both waited expectantly.

One died without clarity
One died having seen
Both died wrapped in hope.

One made God present to Israel
One, living in Israel, had God presented to him
Both cried to see HIS day!

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