The short passage we are going to look at highlights the ongoing approach we have talked about in previous posts. Luke was looking for the truth and reliable account of events. Along with that we see that these are stories about real people.
Luke 2:36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years,[i] who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord,[j] and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Luke spends 2 verses giving us a biography of Anna, and then only one verse on what she did. Luke does not elaborate, pontificate or add information that does not exist. He lets what has been told and the Holy Spirit to provide understanding.
Anna was a real person, the daughter of Phannuel of the tribe of Asher. I believe that when we read the Bible and we see us the many verses that cover genealogy and who is who's daughter, son, father, mother, etc., it helps us know that if the people were real people then the stories are real stories. They are real history of events that took place. They are not fanciful legends or myths created to make us spiritually aware, but real incidents that give us insight into God and His relationship to us.
Anna was a prophetess. Like Simeon who was led by the Holy Spirit and proclaimed by His guidance, Anna is also recognized as one who speaks God's words. It would not be necessary to think that Anna made proclamations of the future, she could have simply been known as someone who knew scripture and proclaimed it for the edification of others. Her familiarity with scripture would have made her very aware of the sin of Israel and there need for the Messiah. Anna in her devotion might have been inspired by Joel 2:1,2, 12,13.
Joel 2:1 Blow the trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm in My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble;
For the day of the LORD is coming,
For it is at hand:
2 A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains.
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations.
12 “ Now, therefore,” says the LORD,
“ Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
13 So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
Anna was old. I can only guess from these verses, but if she married at 15, was married 7 years and a widow 84 years, that would make her about 106 years old. I imagine that one reason her age is mentioned is that in the Jewish culture of the time, there was much respect to those who were older and wiser.
Anna was dedicated to God. Since loosing her husband in her early 20's she dedicated her life to worshiping God through fasting and prayer. We are again given a picture of someone who can wait, who has patience and is satisfied with what the Lord has given her.
It would appear that at the instant that Simeon proclaimed who Jesus was, Anna heard, believed and began sharing with others. Her actions on hearing were to not only proclaim who Jesus was, but to bring assurance to all the others who were seeking and waiting. Anna's audience is just like mine. My hope for this blog is to bring hope and assurance to those Searching for the Savior. If you are searching, He is real, He has come, He has given His life for you. Praise God, He has fulfilled his promises.
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