Luke 2:25 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.

Men like Simeon amaze me. Just and devout are descriptions of a life that pleases God. We know little else of Simeon, his life, his family, his troubles, or his day to day habits. All we see is the results, a reputation worthy of admiration. He stands as a man blessed by the presence of the Holy Ghost.

He reminds me of Enoch who walked with God and pleased God. Nothing was said of Enoch except perhaps his lineage. How did he come to walk with God?

If I focus on these men and try and use that as proof that man can please God and walk with God apart from Christ, I place myself in a position of human effort and absolutely no formula for performance.

Amos 7:7-9 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

So often we look to the plumbline of Amos as Christ being the upright example but leave off there forgetting the next verse. God has said in verse 9 that the ways of the past to come into relationship with Him are done away. “I will not pass by them any more” is reference to Exodus 33:20-23 where He placed Moses on the Rock and passed by Moses.

It is a sign of the end of the old methods and dependence upon Christ and Christ alone for relation.