18Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit 19Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.
20But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.
21She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Joseph was a righteous man, and he knew the law forbade sexual relations outside of marriage. The news of Mary’s pregnancy was a shock to him, and he was willing to break the engagement to protect her from public disgrace. He had his best intentions for her and had to make a difficult decision about the future of their relationship. But God had other plans that he did not know until an angel was sent to reveal to him in dream that God was in control of the situation. He believed the words the angel spoke to him and in obedience took Mary to be his wife. He like Mary was privileged beyond any other person to be given the responsibility to raise the long-awaited Messiah who would be the Savior of the world. He was a man God could trust to raise Jesus in a God-fearing home where the Word of God was taught and practiced. He would be an example to Jesus that would be instrumental in forming his life.
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