December 17, 2019 – Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings

²⁰But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. ²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Matthew 1:20-23

Explanation

God intervened in the life of Joseph and Mary to make sure that they got married. God tells Joseph about how he had already intervened. The baby that is in Mary’s womb was conceived of the Holy Spirit. He quotes Isaiah 7:14.

¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

Immanuel means “God with us”. God come in the form of a man, a baby to live among us. The author of Hebrews said it this way:

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Hebrews 1:1-2

God the Son came and revealed Himself to us.

The angel also told Joseph what to name the baby. “You shall call his name Jesus”. The Hebrew name “Yehoshua” which means Yaweh Saves. Why? He shall save His people from their sins.

Jesus came to reveal God to us and to save us from our sins. This is in His very name!

Application

God went to great lengths to provide salvation and make God known to His people. We should be willing as His ambassadors to go to great lengths as well. We should tell people that God has come, He has revealed Himself, and He has made provision for the forgiveness of sins.