I was recently reading through the book of Matthew, and I was struck by what I learned about Joseph. Joseph isn’t a character we spend much time on, which is understandable since the Bible doesn’t tell us much about him. Outside of Matthew 1 and 2, there aren’t any descriptions of just Joseph, it’s always references to Joseph and Mary. However, the little that is said about Joseph in Matthew 1 and 2 jumped out to me as I read in a way I’d never noticed before.

Joseph is first mentioned after Mary learned that she was pregnant with the Son of God.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25

Joseph finds out that his fiancé is pregnant, and he decides to send her away secretly because he was “a righteous man.” From this short verse, we learn that Joseph is righteous and honorable. But then the crazy stuff happens – Joseph is visited by an angel in a dream! The angel tells Joseph that this Child is of the Holy Spirit and will save us from sin, and then “Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” God asked Joseph to obey Him, and Joseph does it immediately. As we continue through Matthew 2, we see a similar pattern.

Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” Matthew 2:13-15

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:19-23 

Joseph’s obedience was amazing. He obeyed God in marrying an unwed mother, which would have been looked down upon in society. He moved all the way to Egypt with his family and then returned to Israel. He lived in Nazareth, based upon God’s direction. When God told Joseph to do something, he did it with no questions asked.

This small glimpse at Joseph’s character has caused me to pause and ask myself how I respond when God asks me to do something. Am I willing to be looked down upon by the world, to make huge changes, or to live in obscurity to be obedient to God? 

The ultimate example of obedience is found in our Savior:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8 

To live in total obedience to God requires the attitude of Christ – one of love, humility, and surrender. By God’s grace, through the power of the Holy Spirit, may our lives be marked by obedience to our Father. And may our obedience proclaim the awesome power of the gospel at work in us!

With love,

Kelsey