The angel come to Mary. He tells her all that was
about to happen, and she says, “No problem”. Joseph has a vision and bam, he’s
on board also. It seems almost too easy, surreal. We read it and believe it
because it’s in the scriptures. But have we really thought about it? Mary and
Joseph had to use real faith to just jump right in and say “Ya, Let’s go!”.
One of the keys to understanding this whole thing is
knowing the Prophecies. Mary and Joseph weren’t just simpletons who believed
anything they were told. The birth of Christ happened in the right place, at
the proper time to the correct people.
“But
when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under
the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
Galatians
4:4-5
Mary and Joseph have spent their lives preparing. There
is some debate, but most scholars think Mary would have been in her late teen
years when the angel visited, close to 17-18. Every Jewish girl would know of
Isaiah’s prophecy - "the virgin
shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel"
Isaiah 7:14. Joseph may have been a little older, but there is nothing definite
given in the Scriptures.
Mary’s reaction is interesting. She is troubled at his
greeting and pushes back even more when he says “you will conceive and bear a
son”. Scholars say that instead of reading it “How will this be since I am a
virgin?”, it was more like “Oh no, I’m not that kind of girl”. Maybe the angle
looked like a man at first. We don’t know what he had to do to convince her, but
in the end she agreed saying, “May your word to me be fulfilled.” She
immediately ran to see her relative, Elizabeth. It was possibly the realization
of this miracle helped the cement the veracity of the angel’s words once and
for all.
Joseph, I’m sure, was confused, worried, and dismayed.
He trusted Mary. He knew the prophecies. He decided to not bring Mary up for accusation
but instead shelter her. It seems the angle only needed to speak to him in a
dream to convince him of what he already knew.
Having a child out of wedlock was not a small thing. They
were both taking a risk by doing what God wanted. Both are examples of great
faith. Most times faith means stepping out where you cannot see. I’m glad they did. I would hate to see how
things would have turned out had they not obeyed.
Blessed
is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Luke 1:45
and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger,
because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke 2:7
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