13th January 2025

As Jacob came towards the end of his life he gathered his family around him to tell them of their future. He told his eighth son, Asher, that his land would produce rich food, fit for a king (Genesis 49:20). Moses gave Asher a similar blessing: may he bathe his feet in olive oil (Deuteronomy 33:24). And when the twelve tribes of Israel entered the Promised Land, the tribe of Asher was allocated some of the richest soil in Canaan, a strip of land along the Mediterranean coast. As we see, his mother had named her son ‘Asher’ at his birth and as Asher means’ happiness’ it looks as if his descendants were in for a cushy future.

After the death of Solomon the northern ten tribes, including Asher, rebelled against the oppression of Solomon’s son Rehoboam and declared independence, establishing a rival temple, their own priesthood and a corrupted religion. At some point, along with families from the other northern tribes, some Asherites made their way to live in the southern kingdom of Judah.  

The northern nation was conquered by the Assyrians, and later Judah itself was conquered by the Babylonians and taken into captivity, until Cyrus decreed that they might return to their land – eventually only to find themselves fretting under the control of the Roman Empire. So along with all in Judea, the Asherites did not live up to their name and were probably unhappy.

But happiness did not elude them. They may not have had the productive land they once held with the largess it provided, that was fit for a king, but in the form of a very old lady from Asher they were given true happiness.

Anna was the daughter of Penuel of the tribe of Asher who, as a widow, had dedicated her long life to the service of her God, and was in the temple every day in prayer and fasting. 

Anna’s name means ‘grace’, and her father’s name, Penuel, means ‘the face of God’. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the temple as the law required, and as Simeon blessed the child, Anna came up and saw in the child ‘the face of God’. She gave thanks and immediately spoke about Jesus to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)

That was her blessing – not the blessing given so long ago to her people, of land and wealth and security, but the blessing of knowing the Saviour had come, and the blessing of being able to share it with others.

Local congregation:
Grace Communion in Lewes
The House of Friendship
208 High Street
Lewes
BN7 2NS

Meeting time:
Sunday 11:00 am 

Local congregational contact:
Hilary Buck
Email: lewes@gracecom.church

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church