Anna - Women in the Bible - Christian Podcast

Anna is introduced in Luke chapter 2:36-38 which reads:

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

First we see that Anna is one of only a handful of women designated as prophetesses in the Bible and the only prophetess in the New Testament. A prophetess is a female prophet. A prophetesse is a woman called by God to speak for Him to His people. We see Anna is there day and night, fasting and praying. 

Second we see she is the daughter of Penuel. This is the only time his name is mentioned and there is not much information about him. Why do you think Luke included this? The name Penuel means “Face of God". Do you think she knows her earthly father but now she has truly seen the One and Only Face of God - Jesus? For me, I love studying the scripture to try and learn more and learn from the Bible. Many times the Bible is not straightforward so it can be left up to multiple interpretations.

Next we see that Anna is from the tribe of Asher. There are very few people in the New Testament that are attached to her ancestral tribe. Asher was a northern tribe of Israel conquered by Assyria. Asher became known as one of the ten lost tribes. 

A little history to round out the story and expand on this, After the death of King Solomon, the Israelites split into the Northern Kingdom of Israel (representing 10 tribes) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. When the Northern Kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians in 721 BCE, the 10 northern tribes, including Asher, were partially dispersed and assimilated into other cultures, thus becoming known as the Ten Lost Tribes.

Why do you think this is relevant? When I read that Asher was lesser known and a lost tribe, I immediately thought that this is exactly why Jesus came to earth. To die for our lost souls so that we can have eternity with Him.

Lastly, we learn that she never left the temple. The Temple was a central place of worship and a place where people came for healing, help, and hope. During this time Herod the Great is the ruler and he was well known for his corruption and cruelty. It is clear that God was placing her at the right time and the right place. The people of that day needed someone like Anna. I can only hope that Anna knew the impact she was having on others since she was there all the time and for so long.

From this passage, it appears that Anna may have had a tough life. She lost her husband after only 7 years of marriage. More than likely, she didn’t have children. She never remarried. If she never left the temple, there is a good chance she relied on others for food. Despite all of that, her faith is so strong that she dedicates her life to evangelizing about Jesus.

As a prophetess, Anna receives insight that others did not. She knew the Old Testament scripture well and was one of the few people to immediately recognize who Jesus was. This excitement made her preach with even more vigor.

God took this humble, obedient servant who literally dedicated her life to him and honored her with being one of the few people to know exactly who Jesus was as a baby!

What can we learn from Anna? As a prophetess and always being in the temple, it was clear she had an impact on others. She was witnessing in her own way. She was showing others how to live a life dedicated to God. Through Anna, we see that God uses all types of people to do his work. God can use you in your grief, God can use you when you are broken and God obviously will use you when you are faithful.

As I reflect on Anna, I am trying to apply it to my life. How can God use me today? Personally, I know I need to pray more. Prayer is a powerful thing and I need to make sure that I am talking with God throughout the day. Sometimes there are things that are weighing on my heart and I pray earnestly for them but some of the simpler things, I don’t pray about because I want God to focus on my big things. I know for a fact that God wants me to come to him with everything. I am sure Anna was praying for big and small things, maybe for herself and for others.

JEREMIAH 29:12-13

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

I know God wants to hear it all and for me not to hold back. Let’s also remember that prayer is not just about requests. Prayer is a communication or a simple dialog between you and Him. It can be formal, informal, whatever makes you comfortable. It should be about praise, confessing sins, requests - just make it a simple conversation. Everyone prays in different ways, just find your way. God is there no matter what your style.

Another way I can apply Anna’s story to my life is to better understand fasting. Personally, I don’t think fasting is just giving up food. I believe it was during Biblical times but I believe fasting is giving up things that are taking up too much time in your life and away from praying, witnessing to others, studying the Bible etc. It is also about humbling yourself before God. 

Even Jesus fasted. In Luke 4:2 it reads "And Jesus, full of the Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And in those days he ate nothing, and when they were ended, he afterward hungered." 

I know there are a lot of things I need to give up for sure in order to humble myself and spend more time in prayer and study. I am making a commitment today to give up 1 or 2 of those things, will you join me?

God will reward those who live a life of worship and prayer. Anna teaches us patience, think how long she was in the temple, fasting and praying daily. God can use anyone at any age, going through any phase of life. 15 years ago, I believe God was using me to speak to my children about him, 8 years ago i believe he was challenging me to spread the word to my friends and now, at 60 years God has challenged me to broaden that through this podcast. It’s not too late, what is God telling you to do for Him today? How can you utilize your current phase of life to share the gospel with others? How can you find time in the day to pray?

Anna - Women in the Bible - Christian Podcast - Anchored by God's Word