Unquenchable! History in His Story: Isaiah #17

Shimeon: The Fire That Cannot Be Quenched

Mar 05, 2025

The Forty Days That Changed Everything

Shimeon could hardly believe it. Just days ago, he had been mourning, lost in despair. Now, here he was, walking with Jesus—eating with Him, speaking with Him, learning from Him. Alive. Jesus was alive.

For forty days, He appeared to them—not as a ghost, not as a mere vision, but in flesh and blood. Shimeon had touched His hands, the very ones that bore the scars of the cross. He had sat beside Him as they ate fish together, and he had listened with wide-eyed wonder as Jesus taught them about the Kingdom of God.

It was a time of preparation, of understanding. Everything Jesus had said before His death now burned with meaning. The Scriptures had not only spoken of the Messiah’s suffering, but also of His reign—His return.

One evening, as they sat together, Jesus opened a scroll:

“‘They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven … to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom … And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.’” His voice was steady and certain. Shimeon stood in awe that He was sitting before the very Son of God as He read the words that applied to Himself. Jesus was certain, the words were certain, and a steady faith stirred up in Shimeon’s heart.

The words were from the prophet Daniel, then Jesus turned to another passage from Isaiah, one that spoke of something so much greater than their small group of followers.

“‘Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising… The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.’”

Shimeon’s breath caught again. He had always believed that the Messiah would restore Israel, overthrowing Rome and bringing peace. But now he saw—Jesus was speaking of something far greater.

“This good news,” Jesus said, looking at each of them, “must go to the ends of the earth.”

How? Shimeon’s heart pounded. How could fishermen and tax collectors, outcasts and sinners, take the words of the Messiah to the whole world?

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The Waiting

They returned to Jerusalem and gathered in the upper room, waiting as Jesus had commanded them.

Day after day, they prayed. They read the Scriptures. They spoke of everything Jesus had taught them. But there was a continued restlessness in Shimeon’s spirit.

How? How could they take this message to the world?

He pored over the scrolls of Isaiah, his fingers running over the familiar words.

“I will pour out My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.”

The Spirit.

This was what Jesus had spoken of. The Holy Spirit would come. But when?

The Day of Pentecost

The morning of Pentecost dawned, and Jerusalem was alive with celebration. It was around this time generations ago that Moses had received the Law on Mount Sinai. Jews from every nation had gathered to bring their offerings to the Lord, filling the streets with voices, prayers, and songs of worship.

Shimeon and the others were together, praying, waiting.

Then—

A sound.

A mighty rushing wind, filling the room like the breath of God Himself.

And then—fire.

Flames appeared above each of them, not consuming, but filling, empowering. A new fire, one that could never be quenched.

Shimeon gasped as something surged through his body—power, like he had never known. The presence of God Himself.

And suddenly, he understood.

The words of Isaiah rang in his soul:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives…”

Shimeon’s lips parted, and a language he had never spoken before flowed from his mouth. He turned to Peter, to John, to James—they were all speaking, all declaring the wonders of God.

The sound filled the streets, and people gathered outside, staring in awe.

“They’re speaking in our own languages!” someone cried.

“They must be drunk,” another scoffed.

Then Peter stood, bold as a lion, his voice ringing with authority.

“These men are not drunk as you suppose. This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…”

Shimeon listened in wonder as Peter declared the prophecy—the promise of the Holy Spirit, the same promise Isaiah had foreseen. The law of Moses was written on stone tablets during the time of Pentecost - yet now Jesus had provided a better promise … and the law of God was being written upon their hearts.

The Fire Spreads

That day, three thousand souls were added to them.

And the fire did not stop.

Shimeon watched as the believers gathered, sharing everything, loving one another as brothers and sisters. He saw the sick healed, the lame walk, the blind see—all in Jesus’ name.

It had begun.

But there was something else. A shadow creeping at the edges.

Not everyone rejoiced at the coming of the Spirit. Not everyone welcomed this new way.

Whispers filled the streets. The Sanhedrin was watching. The Romans were suspicious. The enemies of Jesus had failed to silence Him at the cross, and now His followers were spreading His message everywhere.

Shimeon could feel it.

A storm was coming.

And they would have to decide—would they stand?

Shimeon remembered the words of Jesus “Following me won’t be easy. In fact, people will hate you because of Me. But don’t be afraid- not a single part of you will be lost if you stand firm. Hold on, endure, and you will gain something far greather than this life.”

A Knock at the Door

Late one evening, as the believers gathered in the upper room, there was a knock.

Shimeon froze. His mind flashed back to the knock on the door three days after Jesus’ death—when Mary had come, breathless, declaring, “He is risen.”

But this was different. This knock was urgent. Desperate.

Peter exchanged a glance with John. Slowly, he moved to the door and opened it.

A man stumbled inside, wide-eyed with fear.

“They’ve arrested Stephen.”

Shimeon’s breath caught.

The storm had begun.