The meaning of this name is "grace". Grace goes beyond mercy. In grace the Lord brings us into relationship with Himself, according to God's own thoughts, in order to make God known in a way He was never known to man before. Mercy relieves where there is a need; grace blesses beyond any need.
"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; 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. 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" (Luke 2:36-3836And 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; 37And 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. 38And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36‑38)).
The sovereign eye of God had marked out this widow for blessing in a family background of faith. Her history gives evidence of her having had a taste of the empty, wasting things of nature, as well as the loss of them. As a result, she had found something better and lasting.
"Which departed not from the temple" (Luke 2:37).
To Anna the "center", or place of God's appointment, signified His presence. Nothing else mattered. How richly she had been taught of God! To be shut up to God alone, in whose "presence is fullness of joy", could not be loss. From this state of soul arose the pilgrim character -and what is that character? Simpler appetites, abodes, objects, contentment in going on with the lowly, as well as to be unnoticed-all of this and more must have characterized Anna. Simplicity brings us into the presence of God.
Could it be that Anna was apprised of the prophecy of Jacob, long ago, concerning her tribe?
"Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties" (Gen. 49:20).
This aged saint was most happy. That is the meaning of the name "Asher"-happy. It is possible that Anna's forbears had been brought back to the Land during Ezra's time. She valued being in the place of God's appointment, the divine center, and remained in the sanctuary, expressing the feelings of the remnant who valued the true testimony of God, though it was outwardly in ruins. She waited, not departing from the center. She knew by faith that there, and there alone, she would receive the blessing. God is well pleased with this attitude of waiting.
Has the splendor of the outward forms of the kingdom of God so engaged us that we have forgotten what adorns the inner sanctuary-the Spirit's realm-its exercises, joys, and expectations? How much we can learn in the sanctuary! It carries the standard by which the half shekel is weighed, the redemption money required for the people's acceptance (Ex. 30:1313This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord. (Exodus 30:13)). It was in the sanctuary that Elijah, when discouraged, heard the still small voice which brought him to repentance (1 Kings 19:1313And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:13)). When King David envied the wicked in their prosperity, the sanctuary of God showed him their end (Psa. 73:1717Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. (Psalm 73:17)). Can we rightly estimate our true position before God except in the sanctuary, using the divine standards and weights?
Anna rests at the sanctuary and finds herself in the midst of heavenly traffic. What a rare honor this proves to be! Precious grace that has in any way taught us our need. As the world recklessly passes on, insensible to their souls' need, danger, and loss, the sovereign goodness of God has gathered out "widows" for blessing, those who cannot find their rest short of the sanctuary.
We see service flowing from this devoted child, and rightly so, as true service must stem from the sanctuary. She is credited with service both night and day. He who alone reads the heart can rightly estimate service. Is it necessary to wait until the day of the great tribunal, when all of our works pass in review, to determine what pleases God? Here in these illustrations we learn much of His mind.
Fasting suggests a course of conduct which should clothe one who has been so blessed as to be a part of a favored remnant whom God could own when the nation of Israel had turned away from Him.
There can be no real fasting without prayer, because all must be done in dependence. Spiritual fasting would consist in denying ourselves that which, although good in itself and which should be received with thanksgiving, is not expedient along with the path of rejection.
"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" (Luke 2:38).
The coming of the child Jesus into the temple crowned her vigil. To be where we should be at all times surely is something to be desired. What if she had missed this spiritual appointment? Now Anna has a theme of testimony to the remnant of her day. She seemed well acquainted with the "excellent of the earth."
Service naturally follows devotion and dependence. To not depart from the temple, which to Anna was the Lord's presence, was her self-imposed duty. Like this lovely example of affection and devotion, the heavenly things should be continually before us until our eyes at last shall behold the most beautiful sight that any will ever see-the face of Jesus Christ. Having seen Him, she "spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." The light was now shining through a willing prism, the stone having been polished and prepared just for this.
This precious lesson from the account of Anna leaves us with a sweet, happy occupation, expressed so well in the first book of the Psalms, "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple" (Psa. 27:44One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)).