Watch Steadfastly

Among the Nephites, Samuel the Lamanite gave this prophecy: “Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name. And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day. Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born” (Helaman 14:2-4). That was a dramatic statement to say the least, and both believers and unbelievers took note of it and remember it. About five years later, the believers were watching and hoping for that sign. Others, however, “began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain.” I would guess that at this point it had indeed been five years. The unbelievers probably waited until it was five years to the day from Samuel’s words, and once that point passed they started to rejoice in the fact that the sign had not been given. Mormon continued, “And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass.” Just as it has happened throughout history, the unbelievers made a really big deal about something they saw as an inconsistency in the faith of the believers. I love, though, the description we have of how these faithful Nephites responded, “But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain” (3 Nephi 1:6-8). They did “watch steadfastly,” and surely that is what believers in all ages do, ignoring the criticisms of the world and looking steadfastly to Him for the fulfillment of His promises.

               This phrase “watch steadfastly” reminds me of what Simeon and Anna did in Jerusalem. Luke recorded, “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.” He was patiently “waiting for the consolation of Israel,” knowing that He would see the Savior before he died. We do not know how long he waited for that day, but perhaps it was many years that he unwearyingly looked for the birth of the Messiah. Similarly, “there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an 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). I love this description of her that she “departed not from the temple”—I take that to mean that she never stopped looking for the Savior, and ultimately she was blessed like Simeon to see Him there. If she was married around 14 (typical for that time) and was married for 7 years as this passage suggests, then she would have been a widow at about the age of 21 years old. The phrasing about her age apparently is interpreted in two ways: either she was 84 years old (meaning she had been a widow for about 63 years) or she had been a widow for 84 years (making her about 105). Either way, she had been alone for a very long time and surely waited for the Savior for many, many years. But ultimately He came, and her patience and faith were rewarded.  

               We too can “watch steadfastly” as we are “waiting for the consolation of Israel” and “depart not” from our faith in Jesus Christ who will come. We do this as we look forward to the Second Coming of the Savior when He will take away wickedness and sorrow from the earth and reign among us. But perhaps we can also do this each day as we look for His hand in our lives. As we watch carefully and patiently wait for His help, we will see “signs and wonders” for ourselves and in our families (3 Nephi 1:22). Showing forth the faith of Simeon and the diligence of Anna and the steadfastness of the Nephite faithful, we will surely also be able to say, “Mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (Luke 2:30).