Rachel Allord

She is old. She is weathered. Life has not been easy. She spends her days and nights in the temple. She understands prayer, she’s familiar with fasting, and she is waiting for something big.

She is Anna. Anna the prophetess. One of the most (to me) obscure, intriguing characters in the account of Christ’s birth.

Little baby boys were carried in and out of the temple all the time, to undergo a ceremony according to the law of Moses. Anna must have had seen hundreds of babies pass through the temple doors.

But when her eyes fall on this baby she immediately knows. This is it. HE is it. He’s in the arms of Simeon, who’s been waiting waiting waiting to see the Messiah as God promised him and this guy… he is beyond overjoyed.

She approaches the baby, in the arms of his mother or father, thanks God, and then wastes no time. She immediately begins speaking “about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:28)

This is too good to keep inside; so she tells those who would be interested, those who are waiting for rescue too.

Too have old eyes like Anna; to see God when he’s before us.

I am aware, as I write these Christmas blogs, that not everyone thinks as I do, not everyone views Jesus as I do. You may read my blog (or the mere title) and say/think, she’s nuts. (and if you do and you’re reading, I’m honored. Truly.)

So it may seem to you that I’m getting nuttier. Because I’m dragging out a word that we usually only hear in Lord of the Rings or Star Wars: Prophecy.

Believe them or not, here they are, the prophecies concerning Jesus’ birth, written at least four hundred years before his birth. (There are a lot more concerning his life/death/resurrection.) It’s easy to skim the list and think, yeah yeah, heard it all before, but take in the specifics, note the details. (Taken from http://theresurgence.com/2012/12/24/10-prophecies-about-jesus-birth)

1. Jesus will come from the line of Abraham. Prophecy: Genesis 12:3. Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1.

2. Jesus’ mother will be a virgin. Prophecy: Isaiah 7:14. Fulfilled: Matthew 1:18–23.

3. Jesus will be a descendent of Isaac and Jacob. Prophecy: Genesis 17:19 and Numbers 24:17. Fulfilled: Matthew 1:2.

4. Jesus will be born in the town Bethlehem. Prophecy: Micah 5:2. Fulfilled: Luke 2:1–7.

5. Jesus will be called out of Egypt. Prophecy: Hosea 11:1. Fulfilled: Matthew 2:13–15.

6. Jesus will be a member of the tribe of Judah. Prophecy: Genesis 49:10. Fulfilled: Luke 3:33. 

7. Jesus will enter the temple. This is important because the temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 and was never rebuilt. Prophecy: Malachi 3:1. Fulfilled: Luke 2:25–27.

8. Jesus will be from the lineage of King David. Prophecy: Jeremiah 23:5. Fulfilled: Matthew 1:6.

9. Jesus’ birth will be accompanied with great suffering and sorrow. Prophecy: Jeremiah 31:15. Fulfilled: Matthew 2:16.

10. Jesus will live a perfect life, die by crucifixion, resurrect from death, ascend into heaven, and sit at the right hand of God. Prophecies: Psalm 22:16; Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10–11; Psalm 68:18; Psalm 110:1. Fulfilled: 1 Peter 2:21–22; Luke 23:33; Acts 2:25–32; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 1:3.