Word Series on Faith, works, steps, and destiny fulfillment.

CASE STUDY 5: Simeon (Luke 2:25-35)

We continue the series by exploring the divine encounter between Jesus and Joseph —a moment that revealed Joseph’s deep, personal faith as he embraced God’s plan, even when it defied logic and tradition. His story highlights the power of faith expressed through works, the courage to take bold steps, and the call to walk confidently toward our God-given destiny.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Simeon is quietly one of the best examples of destiny fulfillment in Scripture. He was not in the public eye, he was not a pastor, had no platform, no long ministry résumé, just deep faithfulness.

Prior to Luke 2:27, he had lived with an unfulfilled promise from God that he would see Jesus before leaving this earth. The bible says in Luke 2:26 “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” (ESV)

Simeon’s faith wasn’t based on when or how but on who made the promise. He wasn’t focused on a date because God didn’t give him one; only the assurance that it would happen before he died. If he received this promise in his thirties and didn’t see Jesus until his nineties, he carried that word for decades, trusting God’s character rather than the calendar.

He believed God would fulfill His word before death, not by a date.

Faith here is patient confidence, not passive waiting

Faith anchors destiny, but doesn’t rush it.

Simeon never stopped believing in this promise. This is deep faith sustained over time.

His works weren’t spectacular deeds, they were consistent devotion. We know he was a righteous man because the bible says in Luke 2:25 “ …this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”

Besides being a righteous man, he led a life of prompt obedience – how do i know?

In Luke 2:27, “And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law…”

I imagine that over the years, Simeon probably went to the temple hoping each time might be the moment he would finally see JESUS. Yet visit after visit, nothing happened because Jesus had not yet been brought to the temple. Then, at the exact moment God ordained, Jesus was carried in for the first time. That specific visit became the fullness of time for Simeon, the moment when God’s long‑awaited promise was finally fulfilled.

Luke 2:22 “And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord..”

His works (i.e., persistent and consistent devotion; active fellowship with God; prompt obedience) were simple but they were crucial.

His trust in God’s promise moved him to take the steps necessary to see the Lord. Because he believed, he kept showing up, faith translated into action.

Luke 2:27“And he came in the Spirit into the temple...”

This is huge because there was no announcement of Jesus’s coming that year or angelic escort, it was just prompt obedience to the Holy Spirit

Remember Simeon didn’t know:

(a) Who the child would be

(b) That Mary and Joseph would be at the temple with Jesus

Simeon did not delay or refuse to go to the temple because he held firmly to God’s promise. He refused to let the passing years weaken his expectation. Time did not make him forfeit what God had spoken; instead, it deepened his resolve to keep showing up until the promise was fulfilled.

One Spirit-led step aligned him with destiny. In Simeon’s case, destiny was one obedient step away yet it only became visible after he took that step.

Simeon’s destiny fulfillment was completion, not promotion. I love that Simeon testified of God’s faithfulness in fulfiling his promise to him in Luke 2:28-32

²⁸he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

²⁹“Lord, now you are letting your servant^[a] depart in peace,
    according to your word;
³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation
³¹    that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and for glory to your people Israel.”

Simeon not only saw Jesus; he blessed Him, blessed His parents, and spoke a prophetic word over Jesus’s future.

He completed his divinely assigned role in the redemptive story. Simeon died in peace not merely because he was old, but because he had fulfilled his purpose.

Simeon’s story teaches us that peace is the evidence of fulfillment.

Thought to Ponder:

God measures readiness, not age: The bible doesn’t tell us how old Simeon was because age wasn’t the qualifier—faithfulness was.
Destiny is released when the heart is ready, not when the calendar agrees.
Waiting well is a spiritual discipline. Simeon wasn’t just waiting, he was devout, spirit led, and righteous.
Waiting becomes worship when it’s lived in obedience.
A Promise from God sustains a lifetime.

Reflective Question