My inspiration for Simeon's Vision comes from Luke 2:25-32 and Isaiah 52:10. Simeon has often been pictured holding the baby Jesus. I wanted to picture how the Holy Spirit might have revealed to Simeon that he would see the Lord's Messiah. Simeon was waiting for the consolation of Israel, I imagine the Lord's revelation came to him as he was meditating on prophecies like the one in Isaiah 52:10, a verse that clearly serves as inspiration for his song of praise later on.
The English text is taken from that song of praise in Luke 2:30-32. The Hebrew text is taken from the final words of Isaiah 52:10, transliterated "yeshu'at eloheinu", translated “the salvation of our God”.
The Menorah is quite prominent, it is on the one hand a symbol of Israel. Jesus or Yeshua came from Israel and as the text says His coming and His salvation, was to the glory of His people Israel. He also came first for His own people. For that reason the light first falls on the Menorah. Then it falls on the earth, symbol of the Gentiles or nations that Jesus came for as well.
On the other hand the Menorah is also a symbol for Jesus himself. It had to be shaped in the form of an almond tree in blossom. The almond tree is the first tree to start blossoming after the winter period, a great picture of the new life that comes through Jesus. Of course the Menorah is a bearer of light as well, and Jesus is the light of the world.
Below some process pictures, my first sketch and a version in which I was trying out contrast and colors.
