What Does the Name Anna Mean in the Bible?
The name Anna means “sister of Joseph” and she would have lived in a time when the Hasmonean Dynasty was on the rise. In 19 BC, King Hyrcanus reigned over Israel and his son, Herod of Judea, was building the 2nd temple. Anna would have seen men carrying massive quarried stone and heard the dust rising into the air.
a prophetess
In the Hebrew Bible, a prophetess is a woman who carries on the work of a prophet. Prophecy involves the inspired telling of messages from God and revealing of the divine will. Prophecy can involve the prediction of future events or it can be entirely non-predicted. Some prophetesses were employed by Jehovah, while others were disapproved of.
There are many examples of women who served as prophets throughout the Bible. Deborah, for example, was a prophetess, conveying the words of the Lord to her husband Barak and leading women in worship after their Red Sea rescue. Other Biblical prophetesses include Deborah, a prophetess and judge. She led the Israelites during times of war. Perhaps her greatest moment was her victory over the evil king Sisera.
While there are many women in the Bible, there are only a few women who served as judges. In the Old Testament, Deborah was the only female judge, and she was a prophetess. She passed on God’s message to Barak, who enforced the commandments. She also prophesied about future events to her king. Another prophetess in the Bible is Gideon. The prophet of the Hebrew Bible, Gideon, was a reluctant prophet. He led a small army against the oppressive Amalekites and Midianites. He may have passed on the message of God to Gideon in Judges 6:8-10.
Biblical women who served as prophets have been a part of the Old Testament for thousands of years. Despite the fact that there were false prophets throughout history, the biblical world has shown that women can also be Prophets. Some of the women mentioned in the Bible were prophetesses, and they were given the authority to proclaim God’s revelation to His people.
a worship workaholic
Anna McLaughlin is a worship workaholic. She sets her own hours, routes, and schedule. She aims to please God by listening to Him and praying as He directs. She also believes that fasting has results. Like Daniel, she abstained from the delicacies of King Nebuchadnezzar.
a witness to the Hasmonean dynasty
Josephus is a Jewish historian who lived from 37 to about 100 CE. He records the history of the Hasmonean dynasties from 110 to 63 BCE. Josephus survived the Jewish-Roman wars in the first century and wrote his books under the patronage of the Romans.
The Hasmoneans were a priestly family. Their name may be derived from a long-dead ancestor, or it may refer to the place where they settled. Josephus suggests that Asmoneus was the father of Mattathias, but this is not supported by other sources. In any case, the Hasmonean dynasty comprised the descendants of Judah Maccabee’s younger brother, Simon.
While the Hasmonean dynasts enjoyed freedom from foreign domination, their ambitions led them to expand their influence across the region. The second century BCE saw the Hasmonean family transition from being priests to ruling elites, gaining a reputation as a bellicose minor power. After his father was killed, Yohanan or John Hyrcanus came to power.
Herod and his family had many enemies. The Pharisees opposed Hasmonean expansion, and the Sadducees opposed forced conversion of the Idumeans. Herod’s jealousy led him to make the first Hasmonean basileus. He ruled from 103 BCE to 76 BCE and was eventually killed during a siege of the fortress Ragaba. During this time, he repressed the Pharisees and killed 800 rebel Jews in Jerusalem.
The Hasmonean Winter Palaces are impressive relics of the corrupt Hasmonean dynasty. Three of the five successive Hasmonean kings – Yohanan Hyrcanus, Shimon Ben Matisyahu, and Alexander Yanai – built the palaces in six stages. King Herod also built three palaces and furnished them with Roman-style luxury. The palaces share the same archaeological site.
a witness to the redemption of Jerusalem
In Luke’s Gospel, we learn that Jesus is the Christ who came to redeem the world, and that his followers would be a “witness to the redemption of Jerusalem.” Jesus’ ministry began with the disciples, and his disciples would bear witness to his risen Lord, first in Jerusalem and then outward to the rest of the world. The disciples would bear witness to the power of God and His message, not through rituals or rules. Instead, the Spirit of God would come and they would bear witness to the power of Christ.
When the Lord returns in the name of the Father, He will act in the person of the Redeemer, showing Himself to be God and His people. As a witness to the redemption of Jerusalem, all flesh will know that He is the Redeemer. Jerusalem will once again be the Goel and the habitation of the God of the entire world.
After Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary brought him to Jerusalem. This event is called the “pidyon ha-ben” (the redemption of the firstborn son). In Exodus 13:2 the Lord says that every firstborn son belongs to the Lord. The Levites, however, were chosen by God to take the place of the firstborn. Thus, a witness to the redemption of Jerusalem is necessary in order to release the firstborn son from his obligation to serve the priests.
Those who believe in Jesus have a new hope for their eternal future. The light of the Lord shines in the heart, justifying and saving the individual. The Savior has come to offer salvation to people of every tribe, race, and nation. Those who believe in Jesus are redeemed from their transgressions under the first covenant and receive the Savior as their Savior.