Matthew 1: 18-25
Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall
be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
In 2 Samuel 7) We
read of an important promise that God made to David, that He would send a great
descendant of David, whose kingdom God would establish forever. That promise
became the centerpiece of hope in ancient Israel.
This lesson moves
several centuries forward from David & Isaiah’s day. Times were still hard
for the Jewish people and Joseph and Mary were no exceptions.
Their nation is ruled
by King Herod, an evil, conniving ruler for Rome. At this point, Israel has
endured centuries of domination by cruel, ruthless nations that mock God and
persecute the Jews for refusing to conform. But God’s promises are still as true
as they were when He gave them to Abraham, David, etc...
Will the child bord
into this situation somehow fulfill God’s promise to end His people’s
captivity?
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was
on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came
together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
The
story of Jesus includes the startling fact that a virgin becomes pregnant by
the miraculous work of the Holy Ghost. God had miraculously granted children to
aged, childless couples such as Abraham and Sarah, but never before had a
virgin conceived.
In
addition to the burden of life under the Romans, Mary would now be burdened
with the stigma of immortality. Her hard times seemed like they were about
to become harder.
14
Joseph,
knowing that he is not the father, puts him in a difficult position.
Joseph
could bring Mary’s condition to the community’s attention to shame her. But
Matthew tells us that Joseph is just and righteous; his character is in line
with the righteous character of God. So, he acts mercifully, seeking to make
the dissolution of the engagement as private as possible. He intends to spare
Mary undue attention and grief.
20 But while he
thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a
dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall
bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his
people from their sins.
Like
Abraham’s sons Ishmael and Isaac, this son is to be named according to divine
instructions. Like many Hebrew names, JESUS, makes a declaration about God:
“the Lord saves” The angels message builds on that meaning declaring that Jesus
will save His people from their sins.
This
announcement is nothing less than that God’s promise of the ages is now coming
to its fulfillment. This is the greatest of announcements, but for Joseph it is
also a call to serve God in a most unusual way. By telling Joseph that he is
the one to name the child, the angel implies that Joseph will serve in the role
of the child’s father.
15
John the Baptist was assigned a name at
birth. (Luke 1:59-63)
59 And it came to pass, that on the
eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias,
after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said,
Not so; but he shall be called John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none
of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62 And they made signs to his father,
how he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and
wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
John the Baptist was
born with a great purpose - Luke 1:76 And
thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go
before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
Joseph
is now committed to this child. Acting as father, he will share with Mary the
community’s scorn for what people will falsely assume to be the couple's mutual
immorality.
22 Now all this was
done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet,
saying,
23 Behold, a virgin
shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah’s prophecy of a virgin giving birth to a son was
delivered in the context of the need for a deliverance from the hostile
alliance of Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel. The people needed a sign
of Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
16
Joseph’s
Obedience.
25 And knew her not
till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
Conclusion
At the
end of Matthew, Jesus promises to be with His followers to the end of the
world. (Matthew 28:20) Although Jesus ascends into Heaven after His earthly
ministry is over, He remains with us regardless of our circumstances.
The
Psalms are songs of praise; yet many of them voice fear, frustration, and
complaint. The Prophets are books of hope; yet they often describe the
hardships of the faithful. The Bible is brutally honest about the difficulties
of the life of faith.
Where
is God in all this? He is with us. He was with Israel as they lived under pagan
domination. In Jesus, God is with us as one who experienced all the travails of
human life. And He is with us as His Holy Spirit lives in us because of Jesus.
God is still with us!
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