An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Matthew 2:13, 19
In verse 13 of Matthew chapter 2, an angel appeared to Joseph with the message of escape to Egypt. Later, in verse 19, an angel gives him the message to return to the land of Israel. The angel’s words convey protection while also placing a call on Joseph’s life. He is in a bit of a dilemma, really. He wants to be a husband to Mary and a father to Jesus, supporting them and providing for them. And yet, fatherhood to this sort of child asks him to play the part of a fugitive. He must flee from his home, travel under the cover of night, and hide in a foreign country.
It’s all a part of God’s plan, and Joseph realized that. He accepted the reality that he must release his hold on his own plans in order to protect Jesus. Joseph is a key player in the intricacies of the Christmas story as it unfolded in those early days of Jesus’ life. Without Joseph’s willingness to heed the angel’s instructions, his wife and child would have been exposed to serious danger. God’s plan would have been interrupted, and the path to salvation would have been hindered.
Joseph may not have been aware of so much weight resting on his urgent decisions, but he was at least mindful of the prophecies heralding the coming Messiah. Joseph seems to be a quiet man who would not stand out in a crowd. He was a small town boy, a carpenter, someone who worked with his hands. Drawing attention to himself wasn’t part of his character. But devotion to God certainly was. Joseph is listed in the first chapter of Matthew as part of Jesus’ genealogy. He is a descendant of King David which means he had royalty in his heritage. Growing up in his family, he may have heard the stories as they were passed down about the anointing of David as a young man and his call to ascend to the throne.
Woven into Joseph’s experience and his identity was a sense of dignity and majesty. Even though he earned a living doing the ordinary work of building and constructing, he possessed in his lineage the renown and the splendor of kings. This baby boy that he would raise was a king, too. Born of the lineage of Israel’s King David, this child had for his own father the king of heaven. He was the one who would bring the peace and the order, the hope and the power of the Kingdom of God.
But before any of that could happen, this baby king’s very survival depended on Joseph. As Jesus’ earthly father, he must follow the orders of the heavenly father as delivered to him through the angel. The way ahead held danger. It held risk, and it mattered very much in God’s larger plan.
In the Christmas story, Joseph appears understated. He stands quietly by as the shepherds worship the new baby, and the wise men from the east offer him gifts. Joseph listens to the angel and does what is said without any hesitation or complaint. He comes across as a background character while Mary, the baby, and so many others receive all the attention. And yet, Joseph is crucial to the beginning of Jesus’ life, and the development of the entire salvation story. His prompt obedience actively brought about a wondrous plan that began in Jesus’ childhood, and continues through history, reaching us even today.
Joseph’s life shines with an unshakable trust in God. He listened and he followed through unusual and even contradictory situations. His marriage, his occupation, his parenting, and even his home address in Galilee was surrendered to the will and the plans of God. While the Christmas story dances around him with sparkle and glad tidings, Joseph stands square in the middle of it with unwavering devotion, unshakable trust, and flawless obedience. Steadfastness and faithfulness are as much a part of Christmas as are peace and hope and joy. It’s a fitting and complete pageantry to welcome to earth the king of kings. He is fathered by both God the father who has established his throne in heaven, and whose kingdom rules over all, and by Joseph, the descendant of David who answers the call to surrender and sacrifice.
