We’ve traced how God predicted in the Old Testament what would happen when the Messiah came. We found that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. This is interesting, since the virgin chosen to give birth to the promised child lived in the town of Nazareth, about 75 rugged miles north of Bethlehem.
She was not yet married when she was told what God would do through her. Joseph, to whom she was betrothed, was devastated when he discovered she was pregnant. For an unmarried woman to be pregnant called for her to be exposed and stoned to death. Joseph loved her but was perplexed. As “a righteous man (he) did not want to expose her to public disgrace, (so) he had in mind to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19).
God had a better plan. As Joseph pondered what to do “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sin” (Matthew 1:20-21).
Like Mary, Joseph chose to submit to God’s plan. “When (he) woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus” (Matthew 1:24-25). Thus, God’s promise was fulfilled!
