“And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” – Luke 2:36-37
When the Messiah, King Jesus, came as a baby, the Lord chose a select few to be the first to behold Him. The Good Shepherd chose the grand welcoming party to be shepherds. While the famous nativity scene is where one may be tempted to close the story of Jesus’ welcoming to earth, there were more faithful servants to whom the Father was eager to reveal His Son.
Roughly one to two months following Jesus’ birth, Simeon and Anna would behold the Lord’s salvation. According to the Law of Moses in Exodus 13 and Leviticus 12, the mother of a newborn son was to wait thirty-three days for purification after childbirth (Lev. 12:4), and then she was to present her firstborn son for his consecration (Ex. 13:2), and a sacrifice of two turtledoves (if a lamb could not be afforded) for her atonement (Lev. 12:8). While Jesus and His parents were in the temple, Simeon, a man walking in relationship with the Holy Spirit, was blessed to see and hold his Savior in his arms.
After the encounter with Simeon, from verse 25 through verse 35, the narrative devotes three verses to a woman named Anna. The details of her life and her response to encountering Jesus are well worth meditation and application. This short section of Luke chapter 2 provides a significant amount of information about Anna proportionate to the space allotted her in the narrative. First, we are told that Anna is a prophetess, meaning she is a mouthpiece for the voice of God. Next, the Scriptures share her name, her father’s name, and her tribe. Third, Luke shares that Anna is advanced in years and was married for seven years before living as a widow to the age of eighty-four. Lastly, the reader is told that Anna did not depart from the temple, and she continually worshipped with fasting and prayer night and day. While all four of these traits are worth deep study, the second and fourth points will be the focus of this current meditation.
In the Hebrew culture, names served a role beyond identifying a person’s title. Hebrew names spoke to the person’s calling, identity, and role in God’s story. Luke 2:36 shares three names with the reader: Anna, Phanuel, and Asher. Curiously, the names “Anna” and “Phanuel” do not appear anywhere else in the Bible (though it should be noted that the name Phanuel is attributed to an angel who stands before the Lord in the extrabiblical Book of Enoch). This is often a clue that the meaning behind these names carries something key to the story. Anna’s name means “Grace,” and her father’s name, Phanuel, means “Vision of God” or “Face of God.” Additionally, Asher means “Fortunate, happy, and fortress.” The details of Anna’s name, father, and tribe point to a revelation of beholding King Jesus.
Those who seek the face of God will experience His grace. Grace is birthed from a vision of the face of God. Hebrews calls us to boldly approach the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). We cannot truly receive and live in God’s grace without first drawing near in the atonement blood of the Lamb to catch a vision and see Jesus’ face (Eph. 2:13). The beholding leads to a birth. Living in God’s grace will look like living continually in His presence. That which drives us away from God’s presence is either a disinterest in Him or a sinful fear of who He is. When we have a vision of His face, it is impossible to be disinterested in who He is. We’ll catch glimpses and long to see more of Him. When we receive His grace from a place of revelation, the sinful fear of who He is and what He could do to us is replaced by a holy fear and awe of His majesty and kindness towards us. Our safety and happiness will be found in Him alone. He is our refuge and fortress, a very present help in times of trouble (Ps. 46:1).
Those with the revelation of the Lord’s face will give their lives in devotion to Him. Luke says that Anna did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day (Luke 2:37). Do you realize that this is wonderfully possible for everyone who has received Christ Jesus? Those who love Christ Jesus will live with hearts never departing from the presence of the Lord because they position themselves to become the temples that may house the dwelling of the Lord. While Anna could only remain near God in the physical temple of Jerusalem, waiting to encounter and see Him, we as the Church have the opportunity to house His presence every moment of every day. Anna radically sought the Lord for years, but she did not see Him until her old age. However, her faithfulness was rewarded with a gift beyond value: she saw the Lord Jesus in the flesh with her own eyes.
Be encouraged; revelation of the Lord grows richer, deeper, and sweeter with time. Don’t depart from the temple. Remain in His presence and worship Him with your life. He will show you things about Himself that will stir your hunger and rid you of all fleshly appetites. Keep in mind that this will take years of work in your heart. Vision is coming to the pure in heart (Matt. 5:8). What is your response when you catch a vision of God? What did Anna do? Luke 2:38 says, “she began to give thanks to God and speak of Jesus to all who were waiting for the redemption of Israel.” The vision of God and reception of His grace led to thanksgiving and declarations of hope to those awaiting redemption.
Speak to all people of the one you’ve seen, because they unknowingly are waiting for the same revelation, grace, and life in Christ Jesus. Stay faithful and live out thanksgiving and praise. The world desperately needs the declaration of the Bridegroom’s beauty from the mouth of the Church, His Bride, who knows her identity in Him. In the Beloved, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7). How fitting it is that, after beholding the face of the newly arrived King, the first to proclaim the fulfillment of this truth to those awaiting redemption would be a woman whose name means “Grace.”
A Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for the revelation You give to those who seek You. You say to us, seek My face. Our hearts reply, Your face, Lord, do we seek. God, may this be the heart posture of the entire Church. May Your entire Bride long to seek Your face and catch a vision of You. When we see You and know You rightly, we can receive and live in Your grace. We can’t receive grace at a distance. We are called to boldly approach Your throne of grace. Great high priest, Jesus, we love You, praise You, and thank You. We will spend eternity learning what it is You’ve done for us.
Father, please teach Your Church to abandon a striving to earn grace in order to enter the throne room. We so easily get it backward, thinking we need to improve ourselves and live up to a standard before we can come before You. Please remind us of the correct order: living in the fortress, fortune, and happiness through grace in Christ Jesus. Please give us a right revelation of Your heart and face, a vision that will imprint itself upon our minds and hearts for a lifetime, leading to the reception of a grace so rich that we can’t help but dwell in Your temple all the days of our lives.
We pray that we would be a people who, through the revelation of Your character and the gift of Your grace, position ourselves to never depart from being the temple and resting place for You. Holy Spirit, fill us afresh every day. Teach Your Bride to love fasting and prayer night and day. We pray we would boldly proclaim the truth and joy available to those who have been waiting for the redemption of their hearts. Thank You for the riches of Your grace in kindness, Lord. Please open the eyes of our hearts and stir our love for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
