The Consequences of Prophecy-
Waiting on Your Personal Prophecy
Remaining patient while anticipating G3D’s Promises can be one of the hardest aspects of receiving prophecy. Though we want events to fall within our instantaneous modern timelines, we often fail to appreciate that our waiting is a demonstration of our faithfulness and confidence in His Word. While the World was waiting for the Greatest Prophecy to be fulfilled, two elderly believers dedicated their lives to seeing their own personal prophecies finally come to pass.
After the Birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph continued to fulfill their religious obligations, first by circumcising Him on the eighth day and Mary performing her purification rites and presenting Jesus at the Temple on the fortieth day. Due to their poverty, they offered the minimal sacrifice of a pair of doves during Jesus’ consecration.
A righteous and devout man name Simeon lived in Jerusalem who had the Holy Spirit upon him. The Holy Spirit had prophetically revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the long awaited Christ. He like many others in the city had been waiting for the consolation of Israel following the national sacrifice on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), when the red string tied to the door of the Temple would turn white to indicate that the sacrificial animal led into the wilderness had died and G3D had forgiven the sins of Israel.
The Holy Spirit inspired Simeon to come into the Temple while Mary and Joseph were preparing to present Jesus. Simeon instantly recognized the Messiah and took Him into his arms, and gleefully praised G3D before he began to prophesy.
“Lord, please allow your servant to peacefully depart this life, for You have kept Your Word. My eyes have seen Your Salvation, which you have shown before all the people and nations of the World. He is a Light for Revelation to the Gentiles and a Sign of Glory to Your People Israel”.
Mary and Joseph were left amazed at what Simeon had said about their little boy, but Simeon continued to bless them and prophesied to Mary, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and lifting of many in Israel, and will be a sign that will be spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well), that the thought of many hearts will be reveal” (ref. Luke 2:25-35).
Even after the amazing words that Simeon had showered on Jesus’ parents, God had more blessings.
A prophetess named Anna was also at the Temple and continued worshiping there, fasting and praying night and day. She was around eighty four years old and had become a widow after seven years of marriage. Despite her loss, she kept her faith strong, unlike her family before her. She was the daughter of Phanuel and belonged to the Tribe of Asher, which had many times over failed to earnestly worship and live according to His Commands and had fallen into idolatry as part of the Northern Kingdom of Samaria, but nevertheless, Anna was a faithful servant.
Prophetess Anna also approached Jesus and His Family, and she gave praise to God and spoke to those around her who were waiting for the sign that the city’s sins had been forgiven, informing them that this child was the permanent Redemption of Jerusalem.
While the entirety of Jerusalem waited in eager anticipation of the sign that the nation’s transgressions had been forgiven, two of G3D’s faithful servants were able to see and even hold the Final Sacrifice. They had received prophetic revelation of His Coming and patiently waited for decades to see it fulfilled, knowing that the Lord is faithful and would keep His Promises.
Though it is tempting to simply relegate their experiences to benefiting from extreme patience, we see that even when they were not receiving immediate fulfillment of their revelations, they dedicated their lives to continuing to praise G3D and living upright lives. Simeon is described as a righteous and devout man and Prophetess Anna spent her life at the Temple in constant prayer, fasting, and worshiping, in direct contrast to how her tribe (Asher) had behaved for hundreds of years. They did not just play a waiting game while going about their lives, they trusted and praised Him through their life choices even when failing to receive immediate feedback. For their years of perseverance and constant righteousness, they enjoyed a blessing so profound that Simeon felt nothing could ever rival it and he was now ready to die.
Prophetic Timelines are extremely variable and G3D’s personal promises to us may take a few moments to come to pass, or they may require a lifetime of waiting. But unlike some recent book, movie, or television series finales, you will not be left feeling an anticlimactic sense of being shortchanged for what you invested. We shouldn’t think that our human understanding and desires will supersede what He wants for us; His Prophetic Promises to His Children are worth the effort and wait.
Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator
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Apostolic Prophet, Kent Simpson
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