“And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.’” (Matthew 1:19–20, NASB)
Ever wonder what Joseph thought after receiving his personal prophecy from an angel of the Lord concerning Mary, his expectant fiancée? It’s true most messianic prophecies were delivered to thousands of people, even entire nations, as opposed to just one person. It’s also correct that the majority of these prophecies were spoken hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ, as opposed to just days. But, was the impact of this specific prophecy any less important? The heavenly Father knew all the details of this miraculous event. The earthly father was clueless.
Theologians discuss the transcendence and the immanence of God. The transcendence of God teaches God is above and beyond His created beings. He is holy (set apart) and lives in unapproachable light (1 Tim. 6:16). But immanence reminds us God is also very near. He knows the number of hairs on our head and is keenly aware when as small a creature as a sparrow falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29).
God could have chosen to communicate with Joseph in any number of ways. God could have chosen to communicate with Joseph during any number of days. And yet, God chose the very best time and method to reveal THE plan. Joseph was considering divorce. Wow, this event could have taken an ugly turn. Instead, our loving Father—at just the right time—communicated with Joseph in an understanding way so that Joseph’s actions changed the world.