Why Are Mary & Joseph In Jerusalem
and Joseph are there at the Temple because they have brought their newborn son Jesus for the customary ceremony.
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, by James Tissot
After the birth of a male child, the mother was ritually unclean for seven days and had to remain at home for a further thirty-three days after which, on the fortieth day, a purification sacrifice had to be offered .
Moreover, a first-born child, male or female, had to be redeemed.
Each firstborn was regarded as holy or consecrated to God. The firstborn of animals was sacrificed, but the firstborn of men and women were redeemed by a payment of 5 shekels when they were one month old .
The Law did not require the childs presence at the Temple when payment was made, but on this occasion the two ceremonies were held together.
Anna came in just after Simeon proclaimed Jesus to be the long-awaited salvation which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.
It is not clear from the text whether Anna heard these words, or not.
Who Was Anna The Prophetess In The Bible
prophetessâAnd there was a prophetess, Annaâ .âShe was very old she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-fourâ .afterâShe never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and prayingâ .âComing up to them at that very momentâ .âShe gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalemâ .
For Further Study
Four Daughters Of Philip
Acts 21:8-9 introduces us to four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.
On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. Acts 21:8-9
Just as God did not give us the name of Isaiahs wife, who was a prophetess, God does not give us the names of these four virgin daughters.
In summary, we have discovered that there were prophetesses of God who were virgins, some were married and others were widows. Some were young and one was eighty-four years of age. That is, God will not reject a woman because of her age. If a woman is willing to serve God, she may used if it is Gods will.
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Bible History Daily Articles By Robin Gallaher Branch:
The Bible and Sexuality in South Africa: How Tamars story is helping redefine sexual attitudes With the Bible used as both tool and resource, human sexuality is being openly discussed in South Africa, according to a paper presented recently by Gerald O. West at the annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Chicago.
Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader, part one Who is Barnabas in the Bible? In part one of this two-part study, Robin Branch describes the traits that define Barnabas as an early church leader.
Barnabas: An Encouraging Early Church Leader, part two Who is Barnabas in the Bible? In part two of this two-part study, Robin Branch describes the traits that define Barnabas as an early church leader.
Judith: A Remarkable Heroine, part one The Book of Judith presents a truly remarkable heroine. Judith is introduced as a devout, shapely, beautiful and wealthy widow who exhibits characteristics equal to those of Israels finest warriors.
Judith: A Remarkable Heroine, part two This article continues Robin Gallaher Branchs earlier post discussing the character Judith, the remarkable heroine of the book bearing her name.
Widows in the Bible In a Biblical Views column, Robin Gallaher Branch presents several examples of how, in the Bible, widows can serve as special textual markers to alert readers that something significant is about to happen.
Bible Verses About Prophetess
Then the Lord said to me, Take for yourself a large tablet and write on it in ordinary letters: Swift is the booty, speedy is the prey.And I will take to Myself faithful witnesses for testimony, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.So I approached the prophetess, and she conceived and gave birth to a son. Then the Lord said to me, Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz
It will come about after thisThat I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind And your sons and daughters will prophesy,Your old men will dream dreams,Your young men will see visions.
A Lightof revelation to the Gentiles,And the glory of Your people Israel.And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him.And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposedread more.and a sword will pierce even your own soulto the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe and they spoke to her.
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The Text And Its Backstory
In the OT, women prophets are mentioned in only a few texts, but Wilda Gafney points out that each text, no matter how brief, provides some contextual information for the . . . female prophets it discloses.10
Miriam
In Exod 15:2021, Miriam the prophetess leads the women in song and dance after the crossing of the Red Sea. Many scholars believe this text is one of the oldest examples of Israels literature. Although Mosess song precedes Miriams in the canon, the early date of vv. 2021 suggests it may have been Miriam, not Moses, who led the first victory celebration of the exodus.11
Most commentators agree that Miriam was a leader in the community.12 Musical performers such as Miriam are clearly identified as prophets elsewhere in Scripture . Furthermore, whenever prophets are introduced in the OT, prophetic action usually follows when Miriam is introduced in Exod 15:20, her song proclaims YHWHs victory and prophetic action is accomplished.
Carol Meyers argues that Miriam was a woman whose leadership and prophetic status stand on their own.16 Gafney adds that Miriam was so admired by her people, they refused to leave Hazeroth without her . The account of Miriams death in Num 20:1 confirms her identity as a prophetall three prophets of the exodus died in the wilderness.17 Moreover, Mic 6:4 remembers Miriam as one of Gods chosen leaders in the exodus.
Deborah
Huldah
The Prophetess
The Daughters of Your People Who Prophesy
Noadiah
Prophetesses of the Future
Meaning Of Deborahs Name
Deborah, is translated as bee.
The Midrash explains that the Hebrew people are said to be like bees in several ways:
1. Just as bees follow their leader in a swarm, the Jewish people follow the sages and prophets to teach them.
2. As a bee sting is quite painful, but the bees honey is incredibly sweet, Gods Word will sting those who dont follow His commands but will bless those who live righteously with a sweet life.
3. Bees collect pollen and nectar, not for their own benefit, but for the benefit of others, just as the Hebrews collect mitzvahs for the Lords pleasure and benefit.
4. Bees are a lowly insect, which is a reminder to Gods children to be humble.
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Prophetesses Mentioned In The Bible Are:
1. Prophetess Miriam
Exodus 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
2. Prophetess Deborah
Judges 4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
3. Prophetess Huldah
2 Chronicles 34:22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe and they spake to her to that effect.
4. Isaiahs wife
Prophet Isaiah considered his wife a prophetess.
Isaiah 8:3 And I went unto the prophetess and she conceived, and bare a son.
5. Noadiah
Neh 6:14: My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear
6. Prophetess Anna
Luke 2:36 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
7. Philip daughters
Acts 21:8-9 And the next day we that were of Pauls company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
We are in the End Time and God has out-poured His spirit as prophesied by Joel and both male and female are prophesying.
God bless
How Many Prophets Are There In Christianity
The Twelve, also called The Twelve Prophets, orThe Minor Prophets, book of the Hebrew Bible that contains the books of 12 minor prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
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What Is The Difference Between Major Prophets And Minor Prophets
The difference between major and minor prophets is the difference in length of their books. The major prophets are much longer and fewer in number. Minor prophets are shorter in length and greater in number. The « major » and « minor » labels do not really imply that one set of prophets are more important than the other.
Female Prophets Of The Bible And Their Powerful Impact
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Where there female prophets of the Bible? Yes! There certainly were! There are at least seven . Not including, of course, false prophets.
First, however, lets examine what a prophet is, biblically.
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Anna Responded To Jesus
She responded to Jesus as He deserved.
If weve been Christians for a number of years, perhaps we dont overflow with wonder and thanksgiving as we did when we first realized He paid the price for our sin and drew us into His family. Life has a way of pressing in on us and distracting us from right responses to the Lord. But we can recapture that sense of awe.
Just like Anna, we must come apart. She did so for decades. However, we may be called to make it a priority in the midst of day-to-day busyness. And no matter how old we get, our Saviour, Redeemer, and Lord deserves our devotion and praise.
Did Hosea And Gomer Stay Together
Chapter two describes a divorce. This divorce seems to be the end of the covenant between God and the Northern Kingdom. However, it is probable that this was again a symbolic act, in which Hosea divorced Gomer for infidelity, and used the occasion to preach the message of Gods rejection of the Northern Kingdom.
Also Check: Chronilogical Order Of Bible
Anna Shared The Good News
The prophetess then went on to share the good news with all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
It seems a natural response to want to share the message of the Saviour with family, friends, everyone we encounter. But, too often and for many reasons, we dont do so.
Sure, they may not want to hear. They may reject the Truth. They may ridicule us for being religious and superstitious. But, if weve encountered Him, just like Anna did, we are called to make Him known.
As I was contemplating this, I thought back to the other things weve learned about Anna. She was devoted to the Lord. She came apart to be with Him. She fasted and prayed on an ongoing, regular basis. He had the #1 place in her life. He was her First Love.
As we seek to be just like her in these ways, we will likely want to share the amazing and joyous news that the Messiah has come. We will want others to get to know Him as we do.
Will some refuse to accept the Truth and turn their back on Jesus? Its guaranteed. But thankfully, its not our job to convince them, just to share with them about the One who deserves our devotion.
Lets spend so much time with the Lord that the desire to share what weve learned and what weve experienced is stronger than the what ifs that cross our mind when we think of sharing our faith with others.
Thank you so much for listening. Just like He was in Annas life, may the Lord be our First Love, and may we make Him known.
God Can Call Any Person To Be His Servant
The standards we put to the calling of Gods servants are not the standards which God puts.
In fact, God chooses the despised, foolish and weak in the world to shame the mighty. Reason Jesus did not choose the mighty in society, the likes of Pontius Pilate, but He chose the weak, fishermen like Peter, Andrew, John etc.
God places the mighty in positions to accomplish His missions but He chooses the weak in accordance to peoples perspective to be His servants and ashamed the mighty in the world.
In doing so, God reveals His power and who He is so that no glory goes to any person but Him alone. If He uses the mighty in the world, people will glorify them not God.
1 Cor 1:27-29 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are. That no flesh should glory in his presence.
God chooses and calls people to be His servants according to His will and grace. His will does not have to be our will, go inline with our will, minds, reasoning, or whatever the world has taught us.
God is limitless and He moves beyond the box you limit Him in your mind.
Male or female are not factors which God looks at when calling His servants. Remember that every person is created in His own image.
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Prophetess’ In The Bible
A woman who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration.
A woman who foretells future events.
A woman who is a spokesperson of some doctrine, cause, or movement.
The wife or female companion of a prophet.
Thus, a woman who had an abundance of the special gift of testimony may have been referred to as a prophetess. Numbers 11:29 KJV
Many of the Scriptures mentioned prophesies were delivered by men in the days of the old testament, and though many women, including Rebekah, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Mary all prophesied, there were only a few who were actually designated as prophetess in the Bible. From the beginning, women have been at the very heart of Gods plan. See list* below!
1. MIRIAM
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
Exodus 15:20 KJV
2. DEBORAH
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time. Judges 4:4KJV
The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. Judges 5:7KJV
3. HULDAH
So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe and they communed with her.
And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,
2nd Kings 2214-20 KJV
4. ISAIAHS WIFE
5. ANNA
Luke 2: 36-38 KJV
The Bible Text Luke : 36
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanu-el, of the tribe of Asher she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, 37 and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Anna/Hannah means grace or favor. She is identified as the daughter of Phanu-el
Phanu-el means face of God. His name may be a play on words, since Anna was among the first to recognise the face of God when she saw the infant Jesus.
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Prophets Of The Bible
Often when people think of prophets, they think of someone who can predict the future or see the future. While that is partially true, a biblical prophet is much more than just the ability to see the future.
While the priest represents the people before God and takes their petitions to Him, the prophet represents God to people. In the Old Testament a prophet would face the people and speak. Jesus was a prophet who spoke the Word of God to the people and was, in fact, the Word incarnate. A prophet speaks for God.
A prophet is, essentially, a spokesman for God, as chosen by Him. They are tasked with speaking to the people on Gods behalf, by sharing a message or even teaching.
While a prophet speaks to people on behalf of God, a priest speaks to God on behalf of people.
Prophets were righteous people, and shared a special closeness with God. They were role models who were the standard for godly living in a community.
The Hebrew word for a prophet, is navi is one of two used in the Bible describing a prophet. The other is the word choze , which is translated as seer.
The term, navi comes from the phrases niv sefatayim meaning fruit of the lips which relates to the prophets role as speaker to the people.
For the purpose of this post, we wont cover those women identified as false prophets .