Characters at the Cradle: Anna, A Woman Worthy of Honor

by David Chadwick

Anna, a prophetess, is this week’s character at the cradle.

The name Anna means “grace” and “favor.” True to her name’s meaning, Anna was a beautiful display of the grace that would fully be made known to the world through the life of Jesus. Anna was also the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, one of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Do you think Dr. Luke interviewed Anna personally? He certainly gave details of her family line in great specificity. I can’t help but wonder what kind of father Phanuel was to have raised such a wonderful daughter like Anna. A really good one I’d bet!

Along with Simeon, Anna was in the temple when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus for the purification ceremony. Her presence there was divinely ordained, and both she and Simeon were used to prophetically confirm all Gabriel had already told Mary and Joseph.

In the context of this story, we see in verse 36 that Anna was advanced in years. Let me first stop and point out the importance of knowing people who are older than you. Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” It is reflected in those who have gained a measure of wisdom simply because of the number of years they’ve lived.

We also see that Anna had gotten married later in life and had been married for seven years before her husband died. She clearly understood grief and the sadness of losing a loved one. At the age of 84, she found herself a widow after only a short time of being married. Again, notice the specifics of Luke’s writing. We are able to deduce based on his fine details that she was a virgin until she was married and now lives alone again. Anna was a shining display of maturity and integrity and the Biblical virtue of chastity.

Paul talks about the command to honor older women in all purity in 1 Timothy 5:2. Then in Titus 2:3-5, Paul addresses how older women are to teach younger women how to be self-controlled, wise, and pure.

Anna’s life modeled the exhortations Paul had for young people. This is such a good message for younger women and men today. Find older mentors who really love the Lord and have lived a faithful life to the Lord. Let them speak into your life. Learn from them. There are certain things that can only be learned by someone who has lived life. Learn from their stories of how to get up when knocked down, how to persevere, how to pray, how to be faithful to your spouse, and how to live for God’s “Well done.”

Characters at the Cradle: Anna, A Prophetess Full of Grace

by David Chadwick

Following Simeon, our next character at the cradle is Anna. Join me in Luke 2:36-38. In just three simple verses, we will learn so much about the life of Anna.

Described in the Bible as a “prophetess,” Anna had a spiritual gift from God to be able to rightly hear the heart of God and declare it accordingly for particular situations, sometimes even for future situations. In this case, Anna was testifying and prophesying to the fact that Jesus was the fulfillment of all of God’s promises.

We know that the prophets in the Old Testament were from God because their prophecies came true. Over 300 were about the coming of the Messiah, and every one of them was fulfilled in Jesus. The probability factor of all these 300 coming true, given hundreds of years before Jesus came into the world, is astonishing.

Let’s take a look at some of the notable ones. Micah 5:2 says the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, 700-plus years before Jesus’s birth. Psalm 22 prophesies of Jesus’s death, 900-plus years before Jesus died on the cross. Isaiah 53 prophesied 600-plus years before Jesus’s death that a Messiah would come to pay for our sins.

The probability factor of just eight prophecies to be accurately fulfilled in specificity through Jesus is off the charts! Much less 300 of them accurately fulfilled! We can wholeheartedly trust the reliability of God’s Word, at least in part, because of fulfilled prophecies.

Don’t forget that one out of four verses in the Bible is prophetic. In the New Testament, they point not to Jesus’s First Coming, but to his Second Coming. While this hasn’t happened yet, these prophecies will also come to pass. Are you living each day in anticipation of his Second Coming? It will happen! Are you ready? I am! I can’t wait for this glorious day!

But for this week, let’s look at Anna. She was a widow. Therefore, she knew heartbreak and loss. She loved God. Therefore, she trusted God in her pain and hurt. But she also exercised a gift of prophecy that God had given her about Jesus. She saw in this baby in the temple the redemption of all humanity. The way to heaven for those who believe in him.

May her words of prophecy give us all great hope this week and beyond.

Characters at the Cradle: Simeon, The Appointed Child

by David Chadwick

Luke 2:33-35 wraps up this week’s character at the cradle named Simeon, a righteous and devout man who knew of the Christ child’s arrival through the Holy Spirit’s revelation.

He just prophesied over Jesus and knew that God had just fulfilled a promise he had made to him to let him see the salvation of the Lord through the Messiah before he passed away.

Mary and Joseph marveled at all that Simeon had prophesied over their child.

They obviously knew all of this to be true from the angelic visitation from Gabriel giving them insight about Jesus. But can you imagine how it felt to hear another person confirm all of God’s promises over their son? This baby boy named Jesus. The Savior of the world. Called by God. Miraculously conceived.

Simeon blessed both Jesus and his parents with his word of prophecy and encouragement. Mary and Joseph needed courage as they parented this special child.

Simeon then spoke a special, specific word to Mary about the appointed child God had given her. “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:35). It’s as if the Lord used Simeon to take Mary aside and speak words directly to her soul to help her endure the calling she had ahead of her.

This child would divide Israel; some would believe in Christ, and others would not. Simeon knew this. “A sign that is opposed” alluded to that great opposition that would come upon Jesus. “The sword” referred to the future crucifixion of Jesus. The accuracy of Simeon’s word would prove to be true over the course of Jesus’s life.

As Mary saw the opposition arise over her son, I can imagine Simeon’s words came back to her remembrance. Paul says that prophecy is meant to be used as a weapon for believers. They are words we should use to fight in the midst of opposition and spiritual warfare. I am sure Mary did this. As Jesus began to be scrutinized and questioned. As the anger of Rome and religious leaders intensified. As she stood at the base of the cross and watched her son die.

Even in Mary’s sorrow, she had faith. She believed that God had sent her his son to carry in her womb, to raise up, and to love deeply. Simeon’s words gave her courage to live this out. Mary, too, was an essential part of God’s redemptive history. You and I have a role to play as well. You are not just saved for eternity. You are saved to build the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.