One interesting detail of Joseph of Nazareth's acceptance of his calling to rescue Mary and her unborn child is how God spoke to him. Both Zechariah and Mary were visited with a manifestation of an Angel who appeared to them...while they were awake. They actually conversed with him (Gabriel).But, not so with Joseph. Joseph was sleeping; a restless sleep, to be sure. He had just learned of the pregnancy of his betrothed and was pondering the ramifications - for him, for her, and for the community, once it became public.
That leads us to the unmistakable realization of how much God knew about Joseph's character and who he was. Joseph was visited by the angel in a dream, arose immediately, and rescued the girl - not on a white stallion, but took her away on a donkey. The obscured part of the story is pondering just exactly who he was and how, after over four hundred years of God remaining silent toward the Jews, that Joseph was in position to be chosen for the most important role in all of history.
Here is an excerpt from Joseph; the heart of the Father. While the book touches on the Christmas story, it is a much larger exploration of Joseph - the Messiah's adopted father.
Excerpt. Chapter two: A shaft of pure white light slanted across his slumped figure.shining down on him from a small window high in the wall opposite where he slept. When he awoke, the full realization of his years of searching the scriptures and crying out to God to speak to his people again became his new reality. The angel said, "Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, for the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. She shall have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."
The light continued streaming across the room, blanketing him with a peculiar sense of peace.
Every abstract though and pondering of his entire lifetime had crystallized, the words of the scriptures springing to life within him. Yes, God would visit his people. They would have their redeemer.
He must go to Mary and tell her everything was going to be all right. Mary was carrying Israel's hope within her. It was the will of Jehovah that Joseph be their protector.
Joseph; the heart of the Father is available in eBook, paperback, and audio through most internet booksellers. There are many reviews on Amazon, in particular. http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-The-Heart-Father-ebook/dp/B003CT4BKQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1356108434&sr=1-1&keywords=joseph+the+heart+of+the+father
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