Unsung Heroines-Anna The Prophetess

Introduction: Only a few women were considered true prophetesses in the Bible. Isaiah’s wife was called one of these (Isaiah 8:3), and Miriam, Moses’ sister, was another (Exodus 15:20). Deborah was not only a judge, but also a prophetess (Judges 4:4) and Huldah was the prophetess who gave Josiah’s men a message from the Lord (2 Kings 22:14, also 2 Chronicles 34:22). There was at least one false prophetess, Noadiah, who joined with Tobiah and Sanballat in trying to cause grief for Nehemiah (see Nehemiah 6).

The New Testament only mentions one prophetess by name, not counting Philp’s virgin daughters who prophesied (see Acts 21:9). This lady was named Anna, and she had a privilege few other people could even dream of. She saw the Baby Jesus in the Temple!

Text: Luke 2:36-38, KJV: 36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Thoughts: “Anna” is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Hannah” Maybe her parents hoped she would be as godly a lady as the original Hannah in 1 Samuel. That may not have been very easy, though, as this Anna’s family tribe, that of Asher (“Aser”, KJV), was not mentioned very often in the Old Testament, either. Asher was one of the Ten Tribes who rejected Rehoboam as king after Solomon died and as far as we know joined whole-heartedly in the calf worship as set up by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12).

To their everlasting credit, some from Asher and the other tribes lived in Jerusalem and stayed there (2 Chronicles 10:17). Not too long after this, others from the Ten Northern Tribes also left and came to Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 11:16). And, years later, some of those who had stayed in their homeland “humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem” to celebrate the Passover after King Hezekiah had sent messengers requesting them to come to Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:1-11). No doubt, one of Anna’s ancestors was one of these men.

But now we come to Anna herself. The Scriptures don’t say anything about her other than what’s in these few verses: she was a member of the tribe of Asher, she had been married for only a few years, and now she was near 84 years of age. She served the Lord in fastings and prayers night and day so it’s likely that if anyone came to the Temple, they’d see Anna.

And one day, God Himself allowed Anna to see Someone Special! Joseph and Mary came to the Temple in order to present Him to the Lord (Luke 2:22-24) and met Simeon, who gave a profound prophecy about Jesus. Joseph and Mary “marveled” at what Simeon had to say—and for good reason; this was the first prophecy about Jesus they heard after He was born!

Even so, and if I read the text correctly, Simeon had just finished making his prophecy when Anna came to where they were. There is no record she made a prophecy, or added anything to what Simeon had said. We do know she gave thanks to the Lord and told everyone she could, who—and this is important—looked for redemption in Israel (does this imply some did not?) Anna simply shared the news about Jesus to those who were looking for redemption.

It goes without saying that none of us will see Baby Jesus in the Temple—that was a one-time historical event which our Father has chosen not to duplicate or happen again. But like Anna, we can share news about Him with as many as we can. Let’s try to be as faithful as she was.

Scripture quotations taken from the King James Version of the Bible (KJV).