Hidden Heroes in the Christmas Story: Anna, The Prophetess

by David Chadwick

Anna the prophetess is today’s hidden hero. She is one of my favorite heroes in the Christmas story. Like Simeon, Anna’s story is also found in Luke 2, starting in verse 36. I love that God chose to give such a significant role of prophetess to a woman like Anna.

She is another devout character in the Christmas story who heard from the Lord and spoke truth in the temple area. Anna was the daughter of Phanuel. He must have been a Godly man to produce such a wonderful woman like Anna.

The Bible describes her as being “advanced in years.” She married as a virgin and lived with her husband for seven years until he died. She then spent the rest of her life as a widow until the age of 84. After her husband died, Anna spent all of her time in the temple, “worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day” (Luke 2:37).

Anna was in the temple when Simeon blessed Jesus. Upon hearing of the Messiah’s birth, Anna "began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). She, like Simeon, began to give thanks to God. Anna must have known in her spirit that the Messiah had arrived!

Anna was thrilled to speak about Jesus to all who would listen to her that this baby Jesus was the one who would bring redemption to Jerusalem.

The hidden heroes of the Christmas story make the story come more alive for me. None of them knew what a significant role they would play in the coming of Jesus. They weren’t seeking the spotlight. In fact, some of them, like Adam, really messed up. But the grace of God’s story is evident in them all. None of these characters were perfect, but they made themselves available to God to be used by him.

As for Anna, she was humble and servant-hearted. Kind and gentle. And God used her mightily to advance his kingdom. Like all of these hidden heroes, God used each of them so powerfully to help tell the greatest story ever told.

A story we all get to be a part of even today!

Hidden Heroes in the Christmas Story: Simeon, The Devout Priest

by David Chadwick

Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” God loves for his children to search out the hidden treasures of his story. This week, I am sharing five of my hidden heroes from the Christmas story with you.

Simeon is today’s hidden hero. He was a righteous and devout man and the Bible says, “the Holy Spirit was upon him.” His story is found in Luke 2:22-38.

Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he met Jesus. He was earnestly “waiting for the consolation of Israel” and for the coming of the Messiah. Can you imagine the anticipation Simeon must have carried every day as he aged knowing that he would one day see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords face to face?

When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus on the 8th day after his birth for circumcision, Simeon was the one who blessed Jesus. “In the Spirit,” Simeon knew that Jesus was the one for whom he had long been waiting.

In Luke 2:29-32, after meeting the Christ child, Simeon said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, accordinging to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Simeon knew that he could now depart in peace and be with his Lord. The light to the Gentiles had finally come!

Have you noticed that, like Simeon, all of the hidden heroes in the Christmas story are described as people of great devotion? Sovereignly chosen by God, I think, because of their Godly character and deep devotion to the heart of God.

May we all long for Jesus’s second advent, second coming, as Simeon did for his first! He will be the consolation of Israel…and ours as well!

Hidden Heroes in the Christmas Story: Elizabeth, Mary’s Cousin

by David Chadwick

Zechariah was yesterday’s hidden hero in the Christmas story. It only seems right to include his wife, Elizabeth. Her story is found alongside her husband’s story in Luke 1:5-25.

Elizabeth, like Zechariah, was very old and beyond child bearing years. She desperately desired a baby.

After the angel appeared to Zechariah, he expressed doubt about this child and was silenced by the Lord. Somehow, he must have been able to tell her about the angel’s message to him through writings and sign language.

Being a righteous and Godly woman, Elizabeth was a daughter of a priest in the lineage of Aaron. Aware of the significance of the child she carried, she spent the remaining five months of her pregnancy quiet and hidden. While Zechariah was silenced by the Lord, Elizabeth chose hiddenness alongside her husband as they ushered this very special child named John the Baptist into the world.

During these five months of hiddenness, what do you think Elizabeth did? I believe she prayed, praised, and thanked God. She whispered faith and life over him. Perhaps she even spoke words of hope over what he’d become.

It is apparent God wanted a time of reflective silence surrounding the birth of this child named John the Baptist. He would not let even one word of unbelief come out of Zechariah’s mouth. Only words of faith, hope, life, blessing, and belief must have flowed from the lips of his mom.

John was born in Luke 1:57. When Mary went to visit Elizabeth, her cousin, to tell her of her own angelic visitation, the baby Jesus in Mary’s womb caused John, at 6 months gestation, to leap inside of Elizabeth’s womb. What a moment that must have been! The forerunner of Jesus’s life and ministry and the Messiah himself met in their mom’s wombs.

By the way, did you know that the Greek term for “child” in these verses is blepos? The same word Jesus used to invite the little children/blepos to come to him. Life must begin at the moment of conception.

The relationship John the Baptist and Jesus had began in the womb. The way that John was carried in Elizabeth’s womb is what makes her one of my hidden heroes in the Christmas story.