Issue 1325 – At the Temple -Part 4 – December 19, 2023

Christmas is almost here, just six days away. Are you ready? Have you taken a moment each day to ponder the wonder of the incarnation?

Today, let’s continue exploring the temple’s events a little over a month after Jesus’s birth. Remember Simeon, the devout man who shared prophetic words and blessings for the new parents? We have barely scraped the surface of the depth of his prophetic words, but we will move forward this morning.

I mentioned that another person was present then and that we would meet her this morning.

And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38

Meet Anna, a devoted prophetess. Luke’s Gospel describes her as an older woman, and while scholars debate whether she was 84 years old or had been a widow for 84 years (possibly over 100 years old), her age doesn’t dim her significance.

These verses offer some fantastic insights and raise a few questions. Anna was recognized as a prophetess when there were no records of a prophet in Israel. There had been no record of any prophet since Malachi 400 years before. That doesn’t mean God was silent; we may not have a record.

We have no record of what Anna prophesied recorded in the Scripture, only that she was regarded as a prophetess. That was high recognition indeed in Israel.

Her presence for Jesus’ presentation holds weight for two reasons: it highlights that God uses both men and women in significant roles and emphasizes the importance of devout witnesses like Simeon and Anna at this pivotal moment. They are there to witness the promised coming when God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. What an incredible blessing for them

We are told she was the daughter of Phanuel of Asher, someone we know nothing about. Yet, Phanuel is a variant of the name Peniel. That may be of great significance. 

We first encounter it in Genesis 32:30 “So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”

Anna had indeed seen the Lord face to face, at least in his incarnate form.

There is also significance to the fact that she was from the tribe of Asher. Asher is one of the so-called lost ten tribes of Israel who had been taken captive by the Assyrians and become all but extinct. It is evidence that even amongst the lost tribes, there was a remnant that God kept His hand upon.

We are told, “She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.” 

Various scholars have suggested that she lived in a widow’s home in the temple or perhaps had her own apartment in the temple walls. As a prophetess, she may have had a residence within the temple complex. 

Some suggest it just means that she came early every morning and stayed all day until late evening. We don’t know for sure. However we take that statement, it is clear that she was a devout woman.

Anna’s life was clearly devoted to the worship of God.

The text tells us, “And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”

At that very hour. What hour? In a singular, powerful moment in time, as Simeon was prophesying and blessing, Anna stepped forward, giving thanks to God and proclaiming Him to those eagerly anticipating Jerusalem’s redemption.

She had devoted her life to worshipping God and waiting for her redeemer. Now, it seems she devoted the rest to proclaiming His coming and thanking God.

Her life was a beautiful testament—a blend of devotion and proclamation. It reaffirms the identity of the Christ child.

What a powerful testimony to a life well lived and to the power of God’s promises. It also confirms that the Christ child was who we understand Him to be.

Now, you and I may not be prophets in the traditional sense. We may not have spent our lives devoted to God. Yet here we see a wondrous example of what we can do … having encountered Jesus, we can give thanks and tell others about what we have found. 

Will you?

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God alone)

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

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