The Angels view of Christmas: Fear Not

The angel has appeared twice already to Zacharias and Mary, but He is about to appear a third time.  This time to Joseph, who is engaged to Mary.

An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream

Imagine Joseph’s shock and hurt when Mary told him she was expecting.  Scripture tells us that he was trying to decide what to do with her and to put her away quietly.

He goes to bed, probably with a heavy heart, feeling he has been betrayed.

But instead of appearing to him in person, the angel appears to Joseph in a dream.

Why did the angel appear to him in a dream?  We do not know, other than the Lord often conveyed messages through dreams.

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.    {Matthew 1:20}

Notice that we are told an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph.   Because we know

An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream

Gabriel appeared to Zacharias and Mary, it is natural to assume that this was the angel that appeared to Joseph.  However, we do not know for sure if it were Gabriel or another angel.

God guides the thoughtful, not the unthinking… It is difficult to say how men determined between ordinary and divine dreams, but doubtless the latter came with a glory and vividness which gave assurance of their supernatural nature.   {The Fourfold Gospel: or A Harmony of the Four Gospels.}

He is reminded of his lineage, as a son of David.  “It was fitting that he should now be reminded that he belonged to the family from whence the Messiah was to come.”   {Johnson’s Notes on the New Testament.}

When Joseph woke up he decided to do as the angel told him

Then he is reminded to not be afraid but to take Mary as his wife.  Once again, scripture emphasizes that she conceived not of man or her own wrongdoing, but of the Holy Spirit.

“The two evangelists (Matthew and Luke) which give the earthly genealogy of Jesus are each careful to mention his miraculous conception through the Holy Spirit. All New Testament writers recognize Jesus as at once both human and divine. Christ’s physical nature was begotten of the Holy Spirit, but the Christian’s spiritual nature is begotten of him. The act of the Holy Spirit in this case indicates that he is a personality, and not a mere influence, as some are disposed to imagine. Influences do not create physical bodies.”   {The Fourfold Gospel: or A Harmony of the Four Gospels.}

God chose to speak to Joseph through dreams to convey his message.  Has God ever spoken to you through dreams?

 

The angel told Joseph to fear not. He was about to deliver even better news. #Christmas #EyewitnesstoChristmas Click To Tweet

**Photos courtesy of FreeBibleImages.org

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