“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 on him.” – Luke 2:25, NIV

Four hundred years of silence, wow!

That’s how long God’s people waited between the last words of Malachi and the first words of Angel Gabriel when he visited Mary, the mother of Jesus.

No prophets. No visions. No thunder from heaven. Just silence – thick, heavy, and long enough to make even the faithful wonder if God had forgotten His promises.

Yet, in the heavily commercialized and secularized city of Jerusalem, lived a man named Simeon.

As our meditation today shows, Luke introduces him with remarkable simplicity: “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 on him.”

Two key words define this ordinary man who experienced something extraordinary: righteous and devout.

These aren’t mere religious labels; they’re keys to understanding how Simeon heard God’s whisper when the rest of the world heard only spiritual silence and worldly noise.

‘Righteous’ describes Simeon’s ‘horizontal’ relationships – how he lived among his neighbors, family and workmates.

This was a man of integrity in the marketplace, kindness to strangers, and fairness in all his dealings.

While empires rose and fell around him, while Rome tightened its grip and others compromised or grew cynical, Simeon chose the path of moral uprightness.

He kept his conscience clear before others. His righteousness wasn’t perfect (none of ours is) but it was sincere, rooted not in performance, but in love for God’s ways.

The second word, ‘devout,’ describes his ‘vertical’ relationship – his posture toward God.

The Greek word literally means ‘taking hold of well.’

Keep your spiritual ‘antennas’ up, your heart tuned to heaven.

Simeon’s heart gripped God so tightly that no amount of time or silence could shake his grip.

He was a man of prayer, of the Word, of deep reverence for the things of God. Day after day, year after year, he showed up in fellowship even when heaven seemed closed.

Of course, our world has no shortage of religious people, but where are the truly devout Christians?

Simeon’s devotion wasn’t flashy; it was the quiet discipline of faithfulness even when no one was watching.

Here’s what strikes me: these two qualities created the fertile ground for God’s presence. Scripture tells us plainly, “the Holy Spirit was on him.”

In an era when the Spirit only occasionally came upon specific individuals for a specific task, He rested on Simeon; not because Simeon was famous or loud, but because he was faithful.

His righteousness kept his conscience clear before men, while his devoutness kept his heart tuned to God.

Together, these virtues positioned him to know God’s perfect timing when everyone else just didn’t care.

The result? When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, the Spirit led Simeon to the exact spot at the exact moment.

After four centuries of prophetic silence, this ordinary man held the Savior of the world in his wrinkled arms and declared, “Lord, my eyes have seen your salvation!”

Friends, what about us?

Perhaps the New Year finds you in your own season of silence – waiting for a breakthrough, longing for a clear word from God, wondering if He’s forgotten the promises made to you or if your file was closed.

Righteousness and devoutness aren’t reserved for biblical heroes.

They’re choices we still make today: integrity and honesty in our words and actions, time carved out for prayer, a heart immersed in Scripture and a soul basking in God’s presence at all times.

God’s silence is not God’s absence!

Even now, He’s preparing you for revelation.

Like Simeon, stay faithful in the waiting.

Keep your conscience clear before people and God.

Keep your spiritual ‘antennas’ up, your heart tuned to heaven.

The Spirit still rests on those who wait well.