Joseph the husband
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus (Matthew 1:24-25).
God spoke to Joseph through a dream. Today we have the whole of the Bible and the indwelling Holy Spirit to direct and guide us in our daily lives. But God still exercises our faith to learn what it means to live in accord with His will for us. The will of God includes what is common to all the children of God and what is specific to our personal lives. In a world and a society resistant to the claims of Christ we are constantly challenged to live for Him in difficult circumstances. Joseph’s example encourages us to be just, loving, merciful, thoughtful, patient, and reflective in the steps of faith. His story also teaches us that the Lord will make clear to us the path He wants us to take, if we seek His presence.
The angel of the Lord directed Joseph in the most precise way: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (vv. 20-21).
He begins by reminding Joseph who he was – “the son of David”. Sometimes when we come into God’s presence, we do so with a genuine sense of our unworthiness. But God always reminds us of our position before Him in Christ. He assures us of our dignity in Christ. Joseph was a carpenter. But he stood before God as a son of the great king David. And, as with David, God wasn’t looking on the outward appearance, He was looking on the heart of this lowly man of God (see 1 Samuel 16:6-7).
The angel lifts an immense load from Joseph’s heart by explaining the miraculous event in Mary’s life. She was to be the mother of the Saviour of the world. Joseph was told to call the child “Jesus”, for He would save His people from their sins. Joseph must have experienced such joy and peace as he heard the words of the angel. All doubt about Mary’s faithfulness was removed. Joseph knew she would be the mother of the Messiah, and that he had the responsibility of being a guardian of the Saviour of the world.
In verse 22 Matthew explains that this revelation was a fulfilment of what God had promised to do 700 hundred years before, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). Time never weakens the promises of God.
At the end of the chapter, Joseph awakes from his sleep and begins immediately to take up his responsibilities. In obedience, he marries Mary and waits for the birth of her Son. When the Saviour is born, it is Joseph who calls Him Jesus. What an example of waiting on the Lord, being assured of His will and then doing it without hesitation!
