Scholars commonly speak of 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments. However, try telling that to the Maccabees and Simeon. Here are two proofs of profound prophetic activity during the so-called silent years.
- Maccabees – Doreen wrote a children’s series about the feasts of Yehovah, but started with the “unofficial” feast of dedication or Hanukkah, also known as the festival of lights. Her book title was: How Hanukkah Saved Christmas. Simply put, if the Maccabees had not defeated the Greeks and then restored and rededicated the Temple, Jesus could not have fulfilled the many Messianic prophesies of the Old Testament. That very prophetic event occurred about 150 years before Messiah Yeshua appeared as the Son of David. No Temple, no Messiah.
- Simeon – Do you remember the story of Simeon, the older believer who was led by the Holy Spirit into the Temple just as baby (or toddler) Jesus was being dedicated? He was looking for the Messiah, because God had told him he would not die until he saw the Messiah. I like to joke that he recognized Jesus from the other children because of the little halo. That fact is that the Holy Spirit supernaturally revealed it and then gave Simeon a profound prophetic utterance over the child. It would not be a stretch to think he may have been prophesying the Messiah for as much as 50 years. So if you subtract 50 years from the 400 “silent years”, and then allow for the Maccabees’ prophetic actions and declarations; I don’t think it was all that silent.
“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:
“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”
“And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against.”
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Notice the three underlined phrases. He held in his arms, Yeshua as Yehovah’s salvation in human form. He saw prophetically, the salvation of the Gentiles, which was unthinkable at that point in history. And finally, he saw Israel’s history as a fall and then rise. This was the opposite of all human history. Every nation rises and then falls, but he saw Israel falling which was completed by the Romans in 70 AD, and then the miraculous resurrection of Israel that we have witnessed in my lifetime! Praise God that He has always had a people and never keeps silent. We serve a living, active, Creator God who keeps His promises to a thousand generations. Hallelujah!
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Thank you for your prayers and financial support of our Elisha Vision Ministries. If you would like to make an end of year donation, just click on the “Donate” button on this site’s home page. Thank you again and may blessing and favor be yours in 2018.
Les & Doreen
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Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for rain.
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Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists (Read more)
Elisha Vision - Commentary 
My Half-Shekel’s Worth, by Simeon of Jerusalem
13 12 2021I have not gone up to the Temple as often since I have gotten older, but today I just had to go. There was a sound inside of me as clear as a shofar calling to worship. Even though it was shoulder to shoulder because of children’s dedication day, the Holy Spirit compelled me to go today.
I am trembling with joy and can hardly see through my tears to write down what happened. For so long I have waited to see the Messiah as we all have, but God had spoken so clearly that I would live to see Messiah myself. It was really exciting for me as a young man when He spoke that promise to me. I believed Him with all my heart.
But I must admit I sometimes doubted that promise I heard from Yehovah many years ago, especially with my advancing age, but I could not give up on it. It was so clear. He spoke to my heart that I would live to see the promised Messiah of Israel with my own eyes! After nearly four thousand years it was nearly impossible to believe that one of such minor value as me would have such an extraordinary privilege.
There had to be several hundred dedications there today, but when I came up it was like the Red Sea parted and the Holy Spirit led me right to one particular mother holding her child. They were not different from the others; I just knew they were the ones I was supposed to see. She did not know me, but somehow trusted me to hold Him in my arms.
As soon as I did, my heart was on fire. It was from the inside, but even my body was shaking as I realized instantly that we had all been wrong expecting the Messiah to be a grown man, a conquering King. This child was the Messiah! My head was spinning, but my heart was sure. This little one is the Promise! My theology fell away. It doesn’t matter how to explain it. I know.
Immediately, words came out of my mouth like I was Elijah, or Isaiah, or Zechariah. I have never known anything like I know this. I had to write this down, now, before I forget a single word. I spoke the words, but the Ruach HaKodesh, the Spirit of the Holy One, was revealing everything to me as I declared the truth! This is what I said to her and her husband, but especially to her.
I really am ready to die now in perfect shalom. God kept His word to me! Yehovah’s salvation has come in human form! I saw Him! I don’t understand how, but He is the Messiah. He is going to be seen somehow by the whole world, not only Israel. How can it happen? I don’t know; but He will be revealed as Savior to everyone in the world and yet will glorify Israel more than ever. I stopped speaking for a moment as we sort of took it all in. The father, Joseph, and his wife, Mary, were as astounded as I was at the words I had spoken.
Then I felt led to speak a blessing over them and Mary specifically. Yet, it turned out to be more than a blessing, it was a prophecy. I am not sure I understand. But it was clearly supernatural, and I don’t question it. The Spirt seemed to indicate that unlike most nations that rise and fall and then disappear, Israel is soon to fall but will then rise again later! We were all so amazed! Also, the Child will be a sign that will create strong opposition that will personally bring pain to Mary. It is a mystery to me, but I know what I heard. There was a third effect as well. The coming revelation of this Child will expose the secret thoughts of people’s hearts! The Messiah will break through everyone’s hard heart so that nothing will be hidden from Yehovah. Here are the exact words He gave me.
I don’t know if anyone will ever read this, but I just had to get it recorded for a testimony to the truth I saw and heard today. The Messiah has come!
Signed as my true witness,
SIMEON of Jerusalem (This is my interpretation of how Simeon must have felt. L.L.)
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists (Read more)
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Tags: Israel, Jerusalem, Prophecy, Simeon, Yehovah, Yeshua
Categories : Israel Commentary