Zacharias’ wife, “Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, (she is the mother of John the Baptist). Now in the sixth month (of Elizabeth’s pregnancy) the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. THE VIRGIN’S NAME WAS MARY. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, YOU WILL CONCEIVE IN YOUR WOMB AND BRING FORTH A SON and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And HE WILL REIGN…FOREVER, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “HOW CAN THIS BE, SINCE I DO NOT KNOW A MAN?” (Luke 1:24-34)
This presents a bit of a problem according to the Law. ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected THEN HE IS TO TAKE HIS WIFE TO THE PRIEST. If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and SHE WILL BECOME A CURSE.” (Numbers 5:11-31)
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! LET IT BE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.” And the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26-38)
Is Mary’s husband going to believe this story? “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded TO PUT HER AWAY SECRETLY. But while he thought about these things, behold, AN ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, DO NOT BE AFRAID to take to you Mary your wife, FOR THAT WHICH IS CONCEIVED IN HER IS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.” (Matthew 1:19-20) “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, DID AS THE ANGEL OF THE LORD COMMANDED him and TOOK TO HIM HIS WIFE…” (Matthew 1:24-25) AS A RESULT OF THEIR OBEDIENCE JESUS, THE SON OF GOD WAS BORN IN A MANGER!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham