Joseph’s Four Dreams
by Jarrod Jacobs
When reading about the birth of Christ, I saw something I had not seen before. Namely, the Bible records Joseph's four dreams before and after Christ's birth. Below, we will list the occasions of Joseph’s dreams and then comment on them. (Please read the context of these Bible references on your own.)
"But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins'” (Matthew 1:20-21).
"Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, 'Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him'” (Matthew 2:13).
"But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 'Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead'" (Matthew 2:19-20).
"But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: 'He shall be called a Nazarene'" (Matthew 2:22-23).
I know we have read these passages many times when we read the account of Christ's birth and early days. Yet, this time, those verses jumped out at me. One reason is the frequency. Four separate times, the dreams of Joseph are mentioned in a relatively short section of Scripture. Another reason is the subject — all four dreams aimed to protect the Son of God in those early days.
Another thing that stands out about these dreams is the recipient. Realizing that the Catholic world emphasizes Mary, I was not lost on the fact that all of these dreams were given to Joseph! Though the Bible does not record a single word Joseph spoke, it is evident that God spoke to Joseph through dreams!
What Purpose Did These Dreams Serve?
If we read carefully, we will see that all four dreams served one purpose. The purpose of the dreams was to preserve the Savior so that He could save the world! From the first dream to the last, each one served to make sure that Jesus would be able to do the work He was supposed to do on earth (Luke 19:10; John 17:4). It was not God’s will for Christ to die by Herod’s hand (John 18:36-37)! It also was not fitting for Joseph and Mary to raise Jesus in Egypt! Therefore, God sent dreams to Joseph to spare Jesus and save the world from sin. What a wonderful and humbling truth when we consider the power of these dreams!
I Stand Amazed ...
When it came to man’s salvation, we see that God was involved in every aspect of it. He promised a Savior in Genesis 3:15. He planned for our Savior to come to this world through a family in Genesis 12 (Matthew 1; Luke 3). He added a law until the “seed” should come to this earth (Galatians 3:19). Further, He made sure that Christ came to this world at the right time (Galatians 4:4). When our Lord came to this world, the chief priests, scribes, and the wise men recognized that this was exactly what God had promised would come to pass (Matthew 2:1-12).
Therefore, Joseph's four dreams were entirely in keeping with the character of God. He was again making sure that His Son, “the seed,” would come into this world and would be spared to live on this earth and then be that sacrifice for men (Revelation 13:8). I stand amazed because in preserving Christ in those early days, He was also making sure Christ died on the cross! On the other hand, by preserving Christ in those early days, God was making sure I could have the opportunity to be saved from sin (Matthew 20:28; Isaiah 53)! What love! What mercy! What blessing! What a God! What a Savior!
Friend, have we stopped to thank God for Christ today? These four dreams are more evidence of God's love!
