The betrothed couple were for all intents and purposed married, but they kept themselves from having marital relations, ( until they were fully married ) So, they had not come together as the text says in Matt 1:18.
Joseph would have been excited and happy about his betrothed wife Mary, waiting for the final stage of their engagement to take place.
At some point, it became clear to Joseph that his future wife was pregnant. We do not know how he found out. But he did. It's apparent from the text also, that no mention was made of how she became pregnant, or who was the man etc. He just knew that she was pregnant.
Under Jewish law, Mary could have been stoned to death for this pregnancy. Joseph had every right to put her away, divorce her, and also make her a public example.
Imagine what others may have thought seeing her carrying the baby in her womb. Clear to all, this woman is pregnant, but not yet fully married.
But, Joseph did not want to make her a public example, and so, he was going to put her away secretly. We don't know the details of his plan, but he did have one
It would have meant that his plans for a marriage to young Mary were dashed, and gone. How sad and disappointing this must have been, along with the shame of it all.
But, he was a just man. He was a righteous man. He was upright, he tried to act in accordance with what he knew to be the will of God for his life. That's who he was. Mary was very fortunate in that sense, to have such a man in her life.
I do wonder if he asked her, who the father was, and if she told him, "it was an angel from heaven"
What would his reaction have been?
But, here was this man, facing now a serious disruption in his plans, a just man, and he was thinking about all of this, dealing with it, pondering it, and trying to figure out what he was going to do about it all.
He went to sleep, and he had a dream, and in the dream, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, and told him a number of things.
1. Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife.
2. For the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit.
3. She is going to have a son.
4. You are to call Him Jesus.
5. He will save His people from their sins.
I would imagine that if Mary had told him how she had become pregnant, that the dream would have been a confirmation of her story. If she had not told him, it would have begun to explain to him what had happened.
Matthew explains that all this ( what was just mentioned above ) was done to accomplish and fulfill the prophecies given by Isaiah. See Isa 7:14. His name was also "Immanuel" meaning, God with us.
Wow what a dream this must have been for Joseph. He went from being made aware of her pregnancy which in his mind had brought he and Mary's relationship to an end, to being made aware that God was at work bringing the Savior into this world.
So, in the midst of a very, very difficult situation to say the least, God spoke to Joseph and led him into the will of God in this matter.
Joseph had the distinct blessing of being the step father of Jesus Christ if you will.
What a blessing it must have been for him, having Jesus as a son.
God blessed Joseph through Christ.
God will bless you through Christ as well.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
