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What Does the Bible Say About...Being Filled With the Holy Spirit?

What does the Bible say about Simeon? I want to know how it was that he was filled with the Holy Spirit; also Zacharias (Luke 1:67), before the promise had been sent from the Father, for Christ had not yet been glorified. Were they prophets? Thank you for your time, and God bless you.

Answer

I gather from what you wrote that you are asking about the Simeon of Luke 2:25-35. All we know about him is what is written there. What exactly is meant when it says "the Holy Spirit was on him: is not totally clear. However, as the incident continues it is clear that he had a gift of prphecy. The same is true of Zacharias in Luke 1. In fact, in the scripture you refer to it seems to tie the ability to prophesy with the Holy Spirit filling him.

Just because Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to the apostles in John chapters 15 and 16, does not mean He did not exist prior to Jesus' death. Jesus did say that He (Jesus) had to go so that He could send the Spirit to them. But that Holy Spirit existed from the beginning, and caused people to prophesy from Moses onward.

Ephesians 6:17 calls the Holy Spirit the "word of God." As such, He has been revealing himself to the prophets of old, which would include Simeon and Zacharias, even before Jesus died and was glorified.