Jesus, the Savior of the world, was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Augustus was emperor of the Roman Empire. About a month after Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. They went to offer sacrifices as prescribed in the Old Testament and to pray to God to present Jesus, who was given to them as God’s child.

Then a very mysterious thing happened. Someone met Jesus in the temple as if they were waiting for each other. That person was Simeon. Simeon was a man who believed in God and was waiting for the Savior to appear. He was already an old man, but he had received a prophecy from God’s Holy Spirit that he would never die until he met the Savior. Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit into the precincts of the temple. At first glance, he recognized the infant child that Joseph and Mary were carrying as the Savior Jesus. Simeon held the infant Jesus in his arms and prayed, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Joseph and Mary were surprised to hear Simeon’s words. Simeon then said to Mary, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed and a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” What are these enigmatic words talking about? Yes, they are referring to Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus had done many good things, but the people of Israel opposed him and crucified him. However, those who believe in that cross and repent can be saved and rise again. Simeon prophesied about Jesus’ crucifixion in advance.

There was another person waiting for Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem. That person was an 84-year-old woman prophetess named Anna. This person was someone who always came to the temple in Jerusalem to pray. Anna immediately recognized that Jesus, who was with Joseph and Mary, was the Savior. Then she met the infant Jesus, praised God for sending the Savior, and told people about him.

In the past, Israel, which was a strong nation during the reign of King David, was destroyed by foreign nations for the sin of not following God’s teachings. Then, after experiencing a long and painful period of foreign domination, it became an independent Jewish nation about 140 years before Jesus was born. However, some time later, the Jewish nation came to be ruled by the Roman Empire. People were longing for a savior who would make the Jewish nation a wonderful country like the days of King David. However, the real Savior was the one who would deliver people from the power of sin and death, not from the domination of the Roman Empire. That Savior is Jesus. Simeon and Anna must have known what the real Savior would do. Jesus is the Savior who, through the cross and resurrection, rescues the people of the world from the power of sin and death.