HE CAME AT LAST by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 17, 1876

HE CAME AT LAST.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Two characters worthy of thoughtful study are briefly introduced to us in the second chapter of Luke, both of them very aged persons, both full of faith and the Holy Ghost, both waiting, watching, hoping—a father and a mother in Israel. But why were they waiting so long, and for what did they linger? What was their hope? Go back through the sacred records which they revered as the voice of God, which they searched as for hid treasures. In those sacred writings was recorded the promise first made, just outside the gates of Eden, of a coming Deliverer, the Star of Hope, the glorious Prince, the blessed Messiah. God had spoken of it to Adam. Gen. 3:15. This promise was renewed to Abraham. Gen. 22:18. To the sharp vision of Moses it was more clearly revealed. David had sung of it in the Psalms, and of Him had all the prophets spoken, each succeeding one with increasing clearness. Micah foretold the very place of his birth. Micah 5:2. Daniel had announced the time, stating that after sixty-nine weeks the Messiah should come. Dan. 9:25.

To the fulfillment of this promise the eyes of all the true Israel were turned. Every father's hopes centered in that, and to it the heart of every mother looked with joy; but still old time marched steadily on. Year after year passed, age after age rolled by, century after century was added to the years of waiting, and generation after generation of God's servants had to lie down in the dust without seeing it fulfilled. The foes of Israel pressed hard upon them on every side and crushed them to the dust. Their liberty was taken from them; their hope was mocked at and ridiculed. For nearly four hundred years not a prophet had been sent from God. Not one word of additional hope was deigned from Heaven. Corruption was on every side and all through the nation of Israel. Indifference and unbelief began to grow rank, and the hearts of God's servants were sad. But still they believed on, hoped on, waited on, believing that God in his own good time would fulfill every word of his promise.

As the time drew near for God to accomplish his promise, many in Israel who had faith in God were impressed by his Spirit and the light of his word that the coming of the Messiah was very near. This may be seen by many scriptures in the New Testament. Read Matt. 2:1–8; Luke 3:15; John 1:19–25. Among the most prominent of these persons were the two we have mentioned—pious old Simeon and Anna the prophetess. Let us read their record:

“And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” Luke 2:25–30.

Simeon appears to have been an aged man, a very devout man, a man of faith; and the Spirit of God was upon him; but the prominent point in his history was that he was waiting. Waiting for what? “The consolation of Israel;” that is, the birth of the Messiah, as the text states. How long he had been waiting the record does not state; but it does plainly imply that it was a very, very long time; for it was the only hope for which he still lived, and when he saw it accomplished, he was ready to die in peace. The word of the Lord, though long, long delayed, did not fail. He did live to see the first advent of the Lord’s Christ, and then he was laid away in sweet rest.

Read the history of Anna: “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” Luke 2:36–38.

Here was a devout mother in Israel. Like Simeon, she too was waiting for the coming Messiah. The record does not state that she had a promise of life till Jesus should come, but evidently she had the very strongest hopes of it, and was constantly expecting it. She gave herself up wholly to this hope. Day and night she fasted and prayed and gave herself to the service of God, watching for the coming of the Just One. But her watch was a long one—her hope was long deferred.

She appears to have been about one hundred years old, and upwards of eighty years she had been looking for and constantly expecting the coming of the Messiah. As she passed her three-score years and ten, as her hair grew white with many years, as the infirmities and feebleness of age weighed more heavily upon her, as she had passed far beyond the allotted age of man, it must have seemed to her like hoping against hope to still hope that she should see the accomplishment of the expectation of her life, the advent of the Messiah. But with God all things are possible.

At length the happy day arrives. The Son of God is brought into the temple. Anna is waiting to receive him and to show him to all the expecting, waiting, faithful ones. Now she is ready to lie down in hope, till that same Jesus shall come again in the clouds of heaven and raise the dead.

Did not the Lord design these cases as a lesson to those who are waiting for the second advent of that same Jesus? Was it not written for our instruction that we might have hope? Ever since Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives his church has been looking with aching hearts and fond hopes for his second coming; but generation after generation has gone down into the dust without seeing it accomplished. Weary ages and long centuries have rolled by and the wicked have said, “Where is your hope?” But now, as all the prophecies pointing to that glorious event have been fulfilled, that blessed hope is revived. Many have been constantly expecting his immediate coming for many long years, and yet Jesus has not come. They have waited, and watched, and believed; they have been mocked and ridiculed, and yet they have believed on; they have been persecuted and opposed, and yet they will not give up the blessed hope. The evidences are too strong, the proofs too clear, and the signs too positive. They know he is coming soon; but just how soon none can tell.

Many of these waiting ones, since they first cherished this hope, have exchanged youth for old age; their hairs are white, their strength is nearly gone. But, brethren and sisters, hold on! God’s promises will not fail. Let the case of Simeon and Anna cheer our hearts. God has recorded it for our encouragement. Jesus has said, When ye see these signs, know that it is near. The generation that sees them shall not pass till he comes. Let us still believe it, though our hope is deferred to the last possible sands of time. Blessed hope! Who will be ready?—D. M. CANRIGHT in Bible Banner.