Joseph’s Story: Revelation versus Reason

Joseph of Nazareth was an eligible bachelor and quite a good catch: a successful small business owner, a respected craftsman. He came from a respected lineage: a grandson of famous men, great, great … grandson of Jewish kings. He was mature, established, and probably hoped for a simple, happy life.

You know his story. Mary, a young maiden and his fiancée, was found to be pregnant after their engagement. Now reason was telling Joseph one thing, but an angel, in a direct revelation from God tells him something else. The baby is Emanuel (God with us) and an incarnation by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, to be named Jesus (Jehovah saves!), because He will save his people from their sins. A fulfillment of God’s unusual plan.

Later, Joseph is planning a trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem on a government mandate. Reason says go by yourself, without the burden of taking a pregnant wife along. But, by whatever happenstance he takes her any way fulfilling scripture that the Messiah should be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. This, yet another fulfills God’s unusual plan.

After an unusual birth in an improbable setting, a visit from wealthy kings provide golden gifts and valuable spices. This would set his family up in style back in Nazareth, maybe get him some new tools. But, due to another revelation from the angel, instead of resting in the Jerusalem suburbs before returning home, he makes a quick getaway at night to Egypt. Egypt, where nobody knows him, he doesn’t know the language, and he has no support group. But, this does fulfill God’s unusual plan, and a prophesy that says, “Out of Egypt I will call my son.”

Finally, the angel tells Joseph he can return to Israel, and he starts off for the Jerusalem suburbs. But then, he gets scared of Herod’s heir as the new king, and decides to head up to Nazareth again. Yet again fulfilling another prophecy, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

None of this adventure fit any of Joseph’s plans, and most all of the circumstances flew in the face of reason. But Joseph, a righteous man, was faithful to the revelation, and submitted his plans to the will of God. (Read more about it in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 1)

Put yourself in this regular guy’s shoes. Would you have been willing to overrule reason with revelation? Willing to put aside your plans for God’s plan? Would you have put up with all the whispers of skeptics, or unusual attention shown your step son? Certainly, we have been asked less than this, to be fruitful for the kingdom.

Christmas Blessings!