Dismiss Your Servant in Peace

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

DISMISS YOUR SERVANT IN PEACE

Luke 2:25-32

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

NIV

Now that we have met Simeon, a man who was righteous and devout, we also see that he was waiting for the consolation of Israel and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Within the context, the Greek word, Parakleesis, translated as consolation, means to comfort or find solace. It is interesting that John used the word parakletos when he recorded what Jesus said about sending the comforter, the Holy Spirit who would convict of sin. Because Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit, the comforter, the parakletos, he was waiting for the comfort of Israel, the Parakleesis. We know the true comfort that Israel needed was the Messiah, Jesus, and this is who Simeon was waiting for. He had the promise from the Holy Spirit, who revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Although we have the promised Holy Spirit, who reveals the truth to us, has revealed the promised Messiah, the light of the word, the bright and morning Star, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, the Son of God within our hearts and minds. We have seen Jesus, but not in the physical sense that Simeon did, but we have seen him through the word of God, the holy scriptures. Once Simeon held Jesus in his arms, he told the Sovereign Lord who promised him he would not die until he saw the comfort of Israel, that God could dismiss him, his servant, in peace. The Greek word translated here as dismiss means to let go, release from service. This could be seen that Simeon was released from his service in the temple and he could retire. But in this context the word dismiss means that God could allow Simeon to die in peace, to be released from this life. We would have to believe that because Simeon was righteous and devout and filled with the Holy Spirit his death only meant life with God, as saints before him, such as Enoch, Moses, and Elijah, who all God took. Certainly, we have proof of Moses and Elijah because of their appearance with the transfiguration of Jesus. Here is where the rubber hits the road for us. Because we have seen Jesus, because we have him in our hearts, because we are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we have been serving our Lord since we first met him, we can say to our Sovereign Lord, We have seen the Truth, the Light and the Way, we have seen our comfort, Jesus, we are ready any time Lord for you to dismiss your servant in peace.