What Did The Angel Say About Baby Jesus?

In Matthew 1:18-21 an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, giving him guidance on how to handle what must have been shocking (and somewhat hard to believe) news. His betrothed was pregnant and it wasn’t his. Not only that but she claimed that she had done nothing wrong. In fact, she said that she was serving the Lord. It would have been a difficult situation for any couple but to truly understand Joseph’s predicament, we must look at the difference between what we call today a period of engagement versus the step of betrothal and what that meant for any couple back then.

A quick glance at a number of different sources reveals that back then being betrothed was the first of two steps in a Jewish marriage. This step involved an official and very public commitment to each other, marking the moment at which the couple became husband and wife. The agreement was binding and the only way out of it was either to get a divorce or to die. And so I suspect that from Joseph’s point of view, Mary had to have committed adultery and it was his right to make a public example of Mary. Under the Law he could have had her stoned to death but that’s not what Joseph wanted.

As he struggles with what he should do, looking for a way to break things off with his wife without dragging her through the mud, Joseph falls asleep and has a dream in which an angel appears before him. The angel tells him to stop worrying about it and to take his wife. In other words the angel was telling Joseph to complete the second step of a Jewish wedding as was custom at the time. Normally, after the betrothal, the husband would prepare a home to which he would bring his wife. I’m guessing the home was ready (or nearly ready) and the angel tells Joseph to take his wife home. In doing so the angel explains that the child was of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20). He also tells Joseph that Mary would have a son: so much for waiting to be surprised.

Finally the angel tells Joseph that he should name the child Jesus and that this son,”...will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21 NKJV) By declaring this, the angel gives Joseph a quick glimpse into Jesus’ true nature. This Jesus was declared to be the Savior, a declaration made by an angel who was serving as God’s messenger. In fact that is the meaning of the word angel: God’s messenger. What a message this particular angel delivered to a simple Jewish man and as God’s messenger, this angel’s words carried the same force as if they were spoken by God Himself

This Jesus is Savior and I believe Matthew was called by God to describe this scene for us so that we, like Joseph, can catch a glimpse of Jesus’ true nature and of how He is seen from a heavenly perspective. Today what we as followers of Christ declare is the message of the angel, that Jesus saves His people: the people of God and God’s children. Do you take this angel at his word? Do you truly understand that Jesus is the Savior of His people and of the world?

Does God Really Care? Yes He Does

Back in 2018 I wrote a post called “Is Your Faith Mature Enough to Move You Beyond Your Ability?” in which I wrote about responding in extraordinary ways by faith in Christ. That post was based in 2 Kings 6:1-7 in which the prophet Elisha miraculously makes iron float in order to help one of his students retrieve a borrowed ax head. As with many other Bible passages, this is one where there are many lessons to learn and I believe one of those lessons is that God cares about His people.

Think about it for a moment. Why would God allow Elisha to use a miraculous spiritual power to retrieve a chunk of iron? I think it is because retrieving the ax was important to both Elisha, and to the student and because it was important to them it was important to God. I believe that although it is unspoken, God was moved with compassion, giving Elisha the ability (and the faith) to make the iron float. In telling this story I believe the Bible reveals an aspect of God’s heart, showing how God is willing to get involved in solving a seemingly minor problem. In fact, because this was a problem for His people, it was a problem that was worth solving for our God who cares for us.

6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)

Do you find it hard to believe that God cares or that what is important to you is also important to our Creator? In fact God does care about our problems, big and small. Do you (and I) have the faith to allow Him to solve our problems as He chooses, be it in a normal way or a miraculous way?

Book Review: Driving While Black

During the days of the horse and buggy the ability to travel was limited for everyone simply because it took too much time to go any great distance. The train helped, giving those who could afford to do so the ability to travel beyond their own surroundings. However, for African-Americans neither option afforded much of an opportunity for travel. Horse and buggy left African-Americans exposed to all sorts of dangers, especially in the south. Riding a train left African-Americans exposed to a number of Jim Crow Laws and various attitudes which could make travel down right unpleasant. This would all change when the car became something that the average person could afford. Car ownership opened the door to travel for many blacks and in Driving While Black Gretchen Sorin tells us the story of how being able to take road trips changed African-American culture while helping drive the civil rights movement forward.

I have mixed feelings about Driving While Black. The information, a mix of historical record and anecdotal evidence, is very interesting, revealing a part of our history which for the most part remains buried. Even with my family background, and with knowing some of what my past relatives faced, there is a lot that I learned from reading this book. However, there is something about the writing that caused me to struggle when it came to focusing on what I was reading. It doesn’t quite read like a textbook but there was just something that I can’t pinpoint that didn’t allow me to read for longer than a few minutes at a time. As a result I cannot give a full endorsement of this book.

If you enjoy history, this book is one you should consider reading. If you want a perspective that the majority of history books are unable to give, this is definitely a book you should read. If you read only for entertainment this might not be the right choice. I can only give one thumb up for this book, recommending it for those who truly enjoy history and for those who are open to walking (or riding) in another person’s shoes.

Driving While Black by Gretchen Soring, Published by Liveright Publishing Corporation