ANNA - Part III

For the "just for fun" section on Anna I thought about a modern day hymn that she might sing. The hymn by Charles Wesley: Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus seems to echo what Anna might have said:

Come thou long-expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free. From our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee. Israel’s Strength and Consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art. Dear Desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.

LOOK ! Each book of the Scripture, or section of Scripture has a key that is the cornerstone of what the author is trying to say. After reading Luke 2:36-38, write a key verse or phrase that gives an over-all theme for the story of Anna. Even in this short section there must be a phrase that is a summary.

LOOK! “Scan the horizon.” Where did this story take place? Find it on the map in a Bible Atlas, the back of most Bibles, etc… Do you know where Jerusalem and the Temple are located in Israel? Can you find Israel on a 2007 map?

LOOK! Spend time in this step to research and study what the verses are saying.
Read the verses again.
Return to the list of words and questions that you wrote in “STOP” section. Use a Bible Dictionary, Bible Encyclopedia, Commentaries, etc… research this list.Write down your findings. If you research the key words you will have great insight into these simple verses. How can you apply what you have learned to your life today?

Part of “LOOK” is to “Look right and look left” just as you were told as a child crossing a street. See what has happened before the story of Anna and then see what comes after the story of Anna.
a. Look left! Read Luke 1 and 2:1-35
b. Look right! Read Luke 2:39 – 3:38.

How do these verses impact your understanding of the story of Anna? Are they related in any way?

Continue to ask questions.

Again, why study Anna? Three little verses. Why is her story important? If Jesus said the every jot and tittle are important (Matthew 5;17-18), then the few short verses about Anna must be important. What is God trying to teach us?

LISTEN! as we come to the end of the study:

Scripture says "listen and obey." (Ps. 81: 8, 11,13; Jer:21)
Read Luke 2:36-38, God has spoken to you through the story of Anna – the first woman to see the Baby and recognize him as the Messiah. What did you learn from this study, and how are these words written so long ago applicable to your life today? Be specific. List three things that you learned, and/or can apply to your life today.

ANNA - Part II

Many of the steps of this STOP! LOOK! LISTEN! study technique are aimed at getting you involved in the story and life of the person being studied. Personal involvement opens not only our mind, but our heart, to the subject being studied. As we study the women of Scripture I want them to be more than characters in a story, more than names and situations on paper. They were living, human beings used by God to fulfill His eternal purpose.

Get to know the “First Ladies.” Think about them in flesh and blood terms. What did she look like? How was she dressed? What was her voice like? Did she stand straight, or was she bent over? What might she and Simeon talked about at their next meeting?

Although I have not included it in my studies here on the blog, in my book I always include a “just for fun” section to encourage the reader to get involved with the woman.
Today’s exercise is to have fun. Get to know Anna through your imagination. Write a poem, song or short story about her. Perhaps write out a prayer of thanksgiving that Anna might have lifted up to God. Relax and think about Anna as a human being.

Have fun with this!

ANNA - Part I

Anna - A “First Ladies” of Scripture
Luke 2:36-38

Anna is one of the “first ladies” of Scripture. She is the first recorded woman to see the Baby, and to recognize who He was. Only three short verses speak of Anna, yet God has given us her story for a reason. Let us begin our study of this very interesting woman.

STOP! (Return to the post for April 20 to read an introduction to this technique.)

1. Stop and ask yourself, “Why am I studying Anna?” What do you already know about Anna?

2. Gather information. Read Luke 2:26-38, the story of Anna, several times.

3.Start a list of key words, repeated words or concepts you might not understand in these verses. In order to fully understand the story of Anna you must dig-deep. Do not research these yet(You will research in the LOOK section). Despite the fact that this is just three short verses there are key words/concepts that may need more research:

Here is an example- you might list these (are there more?)

a. Anna(is she mentioned in any other books of the Bible?)

b. “There was also a prophetess” (What is a Prophetess? A prophetess is one who speaks to the people for God.)

c. “Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher”(What was the tribe of Asher?)

d. “She was well along in years, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage”God mentions not only marriage, but age. Why is this important?)

e. “and was a widow for 84 years”(What about widowhood?)

f. “She did not leave the temple complex"(Where did she live? What about the temple complex?)

g. “ serving God night and day with fastings and prayers”(What is Fasting? Why is prayer mentioned?)

h. “At that very moment, she came up and began to thank God”(giving thanks must be important.)

i. “and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”(What does this mean? What is the redemption of Jerusalem”?

j. Add any additional to your own list:



NOTE: If your are interested in the women of Scripture be sure to see my other blogs - www.biblestudywomen.blogspot.com and www.biblestudy4women.blogspot.com