FWD: Morning Manna (Dec. 21); BP: Mt. 1:18-25; RBTTY: Rev. 12; Micah 4-5

 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:14:29 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Dec. 21); BP: Mt. 1:18-25; RBTTY: Rev. 12; Micah 4-5
 
December 21                                                                        "The Secret of Simple Faith"  
"Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him and took unto him his wife and knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn Son—and called His name Jesus."
                                                                                                                                       Matthew 1:24-25
      Faith is seeing the Christ in the crisis and saying "All is well."
     Little is known about Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, other than what is known in today’s passage and also Mt. 2:13;Mt. 13:55; Lk. 1:27; 2:4; 3:23. His name means "May God add," and we know he was "a just (Grk. ‘dikaios’—‘honorable, holy, righteous, etc.’) man" and, from what we read in today’s Manna, also a man of faith.
 
     Born into "the house of David" (Lk. 3:23-31), we know he was a carpenter by trade (Mt. 13:55), who lived in Nazareth (Lk. 2:4). Thus, it’s unlikely he was a wealthy man—probably just getting by like most self-employed carpenters of his day.
 
     But, our Manna tells us a lot about him without using very many words. Again, we know He was a Godly man (v.19a), who forfeited his rights under the Law because of his love for Mary, the one to whom he was engaged (v.19b). He knew the Law said he could have her stoned for getting pregnant out of wedlock. However, He was "not willing to make her a public example (Grk. ‘deigmatizo’—‘an exhibit, spectacle, specimen, etc.’), but minded (Grk. ‘boulomai’—‘inclined, willing, to be disposed toward, etc.’) to put her away privately."
 
     Simply put, instead of following the "letter of the Law," which kills (II Cor. 3:6), he was more in tune with its spirit and God’s heart (II Cor. 3:17). Even though he’d not yet received his revelation via the angel of the Lord (vv.20-23), he still loved Mary too much to let her be harmed or become the laughingstock of the town.
 
     Should we be surprised that the Lord spoke to him "while he thought (Grk. ‘enthumeomai’—‘to ponder, muse, carefully consider, weigh, etc.’) on these things" (v.20a)? And, should we be surprised to learn that the root word used here is "thumos," which basically means "to be passionate about, breathe hard, fierce indignation, to rush, blaze, etc."?
 
     No, we shouldn’t be surprised. Like anyone who feels he’s been sucker-punched, Joseph was reeling from the news that Mary "was found to be with child" (v.18b). Simply put, she was pregnant. . .beginning to show. . .the subject of sneers and snickers as she gathered water each day or washed clothes down at the creek . . . "damaged goods" in the world’s estimation.
 
     Yes, it would have been weighing heavily on our hearts, too, that night when we tried to catch some sleep. But, not surprisingly, in the midst of the crisis the God, Who still calms the storms of our hearts and minds, appeared to him in a dream and said, "Fear not, Joseph" (v.20b). Isn’t that just like our Lord, Pilgrim? Assuredly it is. Thankfully, that—along with a little more light (vv.21-23)—was all Joseph needed to obey. May the same be true of us when our world seems to have been turned upside down.
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