34
The Desire of Ages
him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had
seen the Lord’s Christ.”
As Simeon enters the temple, he sees a family presenting their
first-born son before the priest. Their appearance bespeaks poverty;
but Simeon understands the warnings of the Spirit, and he is deeply
impressed that the infant being presented to the Lord is the Consolation
of Israel, the One he has longed to see. To the astonished priest, Simeon
appears like a man enraptured. The child has been returned to Mary,
and he takes it in his arms and presents it to God, while a joy that he
has never before felt enters his soul. As he lifts the infant Saviour
toward heaven, he says, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in
peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,
which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to
lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
The spirit of prophecy was upon this man of God, and while Joseph
and Mary stood by, wondering at his words, he blessed them, and said
unto Mary, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of
many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a
sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of
many hearts may be revealed.”
Anna also, a prophetess, came in and confirmed Simeon’s testi-
mony concerning Christ. As Simeon spoke, her face lighted up with
the glory of God, and she poured out her heartfelt thanks that she had
been permitted to behold Christ the Lord.
These humble worshipers had not studied the prophecies in vain.
But those who held positions as rulers and priests in Israel, though
they too had before them the precious utterances of prophecy, were
not walking in the way of the Lord, and their eyes were not open to
behold the Light of life.
[56]
So it is still. Events upon which the attention of all heaven is
centered are undiscerned, their very occurrence is unnoticed, by reli-
gious leaders, and worshipers in the house of God. Men acknowledge
Christ in history, while they turn away from the living Christ. Christ
in His word calling to self-sacrifice, in the poor and suffering who
plead for relief, in the righteous cause that involves poverty and toil
and reproach, is no more readily received today than He was eighteen
hundred years ago.