Joseph - Not Forgotten (Message 3)

Two Lessons for Focus:

God has a plan and purpose for EVERY life.
Rom. 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Although we may sometimes FEEL insignificant, God SEES and REMEMBERS our work and love forever.
Heb. 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Four Dreams and Four Prophecies - Dream and Prophecy #1

Matt. 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matt. 2:3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
Matt. 2:6 “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Luke 2:4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

The Magi, who were considered “king-MAKERS” at that time, came to Israel looking for one who had been BORN “King of the Jews.” They believed that this king deserved WORSHIP!

Herod was DISTURBED because he saw HIMSELF as “king of the Jews.” Why was “all Jerusalem disturbed with him?”

'When Herod asked the Bible SCHOLARS where the Messiah was to be born, the answer was CLEAR — Bethlehem.

Joseph had been told in a dream to take Mary HOME as his wife and he was immediately WILLING to do so. This meant that he would TAKE her to Bethlehem for registration.
Luke 2:4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

Bethlehem was the place FORETOLD to be the birthplace of the MESSIAH.
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

— This is known as a DIRECT prophecy.

Dream and Prophecy #2

Matt. 2:13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Matt. 2:14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

The angel said, “Take THE child and His MOTHER.” He was careful to not call Joseph the FATHER or his child.

In this instance he told Joseph WHERE to take the family, how LONG to stay, and WHY they should go. This is UNUSUAL.

Joseph’s response was IMMEDIATE obedience: leaving that NIGHT and following directions.

Matthew quotes a verse in HOSEA that typical readers would NOT identify as PROPHECY. But Matthew DECLARES it so.
Hos. 11:1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
— This is known as a TYPICAL prophecy.

Prophecy #3

Matt. 2:16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
Matt. 2:18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Now Herod is MORE than disturbed: he is FURIOUS. In his fury he decided to kill this child and the only way to be sure was to kill ALL boys within the potential age range.

From this story we understand that the child was under TWO years of age at the time the Magi ARRIVED.

Matthew says that this horrible event was FORETOLD.
Jer. 31:15 This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

— This is known as DOUBLE-fulfillment prophecy.

Dreams #3 & #4 and Prophecy #4

Matt. 2:19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
Matt. 2:21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

As promised, the angel returned to tell Joseph it was time to RETURN to Israel. This took place about 4 BC which means that the family was in Egypt a SHORT time.

When Joseph arrived in Israel, he learned that Herod’s son, Archelaus, was in POWER. In his FOURTH dream he was told to take his family north to NAZARETH.

Matthew explains that this move to Nazareth FULFILLS yet another prophecy — a NAZARENE.
Is. 11:1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch (נֵצֶר netser) will bear fruit. — נצרת

— This is known as UNWRITTEN prophecy.
Rev. 10:4. . . “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

Consider:

Although Joseph’s ROLE seems SMALL in the Christmas story (and in the Bible), he was faithful and OBEDIENT to his calling.

Walk the Talk

What impresses you about Joseph and why?

Why is the Bethlehem prophecy important?

What did you learn about the various types of prophecy and how can it be helpful to you?

Have you ever felt like Joseph in this story? In what way? What did you learn from it?