18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b]did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d] (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew chapter one opens with a record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham...
Verse 17 holds an interesting thought. It says there were three sets of fourteen generations from Abraham leading up to Jesus. Reckon (to use a good southern term) why we need to know that? I don't know for certain but I know this, I love the number 14! I remember looking it up years ago when one of my sons wore that number on his football jersey. Fourteen is the biblical number for deliverance or salvation.* That has been the heart cry of God since sin entered the world. Now The Savior and Deliverer is about to enter the world scene like never before!
Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph according to our text, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. The bible calls Joseph a righteous man meaning he was just, upright, virtuous, approved of or acceptable of God, passing just judgement on others, whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing with them.** The definition also says, "only Christ truly" so we know Jesus alone is truly righteous, in the complete sense of the word, but Joseph was nevertheless a just man. Watch how he handles this delicate situation.
Verse 19 says he did not want to expose Mary to public disgrace so he had in mind to divorce her quietly. In other words, "he" was planning to send her away secretly until..."an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.'" Joseph was going to deal kindly with Mary, but God spoke and he KNEW what to do without a doubt. God still speaks! He gave very precise instructions to Joseph and Joseph followed them completely.
Look carefully at verses 24 & 25. Joseph woke up...did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. The Holman Christian Standard Bible says in verse 25, "but he did not know her intimately until she gave birth to a son. And he named Him Jesus." He took her home as his wife but had no union with her until Jesus was born? Why? How? Could you have finished your wedding vows, wrapped your new bride in your arms and remained celibate for a few months or weeks or days?
Joseph withheld his own desire until the Holy Spirit accomplished His.
Father, teach us Your ways, how to wait on You. Show us how to withhold our desire to run ahead with what we want or think or have planned until You carry out Your desire. "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him (Isaiah 64:4)." So often we see Him do less because we do more. The Spirit of God "acts" as we "wait."
*Biblical Mathematics by Ed Vallowe **Greek Strong's #1342
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