1Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor,
all the hardships he endured,
2how he swore to the LORD
and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,
3″I will not enter my house
or get into my bed,
4I will not give sleep to my eyes
or slumber to my eyelids,
5until I find a place for the LORD,
a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
   we found it in the fields of Jaar.
7″Let us go to his dwelling place;
   let us worship at his footstool!”

Excitement rings through the in air in a soft win of hushed voices asking, “Could he be the one?”

They’ve been waiting a long time. Centuries. Tonight a child will be born to the tarnished house of David. Will he bear the ancient prophecies? Will Jesse’s root would bloom in him? The people long and pray, “Remember, O LORD, in David’s favor.”

Oh that the Son of David might rise up and strike down the Goliath’s of this age, the wickedness of Herod, the enslaving power of Rome.
All through the night, people gather around the house, asking “Could he be the one?” “Will he rebuild the house of the Lord?”
He inns not the one.

His father names him Joseph. And he grows in his father’s footsteps, a simple man bearing the quiet dignity of a royal family that had long since lost its status. They are simple people, simple carpenters. Their lives revolve around God’s precious gift to the His people: the Torah.

Joseph, like his father and like his father’s father, observes Torah. He worships the Holy One of Israel expressing his devotion through obedience. A man of few words, Joseph’s actions defines his faith. He sings out to the Lord of the Covenant.

8 Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place,
you and the ark of your might.
9Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let your saints shout for joy.
10For the sake of your servant David,
do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

In the fullness of time, Joseph seeks a righteous wife from a righteous people. The family must observe Torah. The family must walk in the ways of the Lord. The family must be a trustworthy, holy people. Joseph finds such a family. And within that family, he finds Mary.

Joseph’s family and Mary’s family covenant together and celebrate the betrothal between Joseph and Mary. As the time of feasting come close, Joseph takes Mary by the hands, looks her in the eyes and announces, “I am going now to prepare a place for you, but I will come again and take you into my house.”

As Joseph and his family travel home amidst laughter, teasing and rejoicing. Excitement dances in the air. He dreams new dreams. Soon his life his house will echo this rejoicing, overflowing with the voices of children. This poor man will treat Mary as a princess. The royal blood of the House of David will still shine in their simple life and their simple home.

11 The LORD swore to David a sure oath
from which he will not turn back:
“One of the sons of your body
I will set on your throne.
12If your sons keep my covenant
and my testimonies that I shall teach them,
their sons also forever
shall sit on your throne.”

Months passed and one night Mary’s brother suddenly appears at Joseph’s home. Marked with the anguished look of a man bearing news that split through his heart, he tries to speak. Joseph assumes the worst: “Is Mary dead?”

“No. She’s with child.” Falling to his knees, her brother begs for mercy upon her and the family.

Stunned, Joseph stumbles to the floor.

He grieves as though Mary really has died. God’s surprise appearance in Joseph’s life is unexpected and unwelcome.

He grieves for the betrayal. He grieves for the dreams now dead He grieves for her family who could not escape her shame. He even grieves for her.
He wants to spare them, yet the Torah constrains Joseph to act in certain ways. How can he act faithfully and yet with mercy toward her family? A dismissal would be quiet. No trial. No public shame.

A weak and weary man lay to sleep with a heart torn between betrayal and compassion. His sleep offers no respite. Suddenly his room lit up like the Eastern sky at sunrise and an angel of the Lord appears in his dream, “Son of David!”

These three words resounded deep within his soul, deep within his blood, deep within his family, and Joseph wakes up for the first time in his life.
His family bears the shame of a fallen house. “Son of David” echoed through his soul. It comes as blessing, a song of deliverance. It comes as a surprise of love. In these words of life, God’s “hesed,” his lovingkindess, his unrestrained mercy, his unfathomable love inspire Joseph back to life.

“Do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for he will save His people from their sins.”

13For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling place:
14″This is my resting place forever;
here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15I will abundantly bless her provisions;
I will satisfy her poor with bread.
16Her priests I will clothe with salvation,
and her saints will shout for joy.
17There I will make a horn to sprout for David;
I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.

Joseph arises.

The once dead root, now stirs. God calls Joseph forth, and he obeys. His heart burns from the visitation, from the word of God. And now his mind now races with a flood of dreams, memories and new responsibilities.

For some reason an old legend about Moses’ father captured his imagination. A similar dream, a similar visitation, a similar command, “For he will save the Hebrews from their bondage in Egypt.” Moses’ father faithfully and quietly obeyed. He received no glory and simply faded into the shadows, and yet his faithfulness made a way for the redemption of God’s people.

Now Joseph has been offered a similar commission.

A love burns for Mary and for the baby within her womb. He will lay down his life for them. From now on, his life will serve of their lives. He will name the child “Jesus.” And by naming him, he legally claims Jesus as his own child.

As the Son of David, Joseph obeys the commission of God and makes way for the long awaited, true Son of David to come forth, restoring David’s fallen house and restoring God’s people.

The time, the time, the time. He must hurry.

In a moment, he’s running. Running to his parents’ house, alerting them that there’s going to be a wedding. While he does not mention the baby, he explains the Lord told him the wedding must happen right away. Soon the whole town is percolating with energy as everyone joins in the preparation.

Then a few nights later, Joseph dresses in the full regalia of the bridegroom. Flowers and robe flow around him. The Son of David goes to claim his bride.

The wedding party slips away in the middle of the night with torches, music, dancing and celebration. He appears at Mary’s house like a thief in the night. Mary’s grieving family had awaited his appearing for days with terror. They feared the trial, the public shame, the end of their family name. Their feared the curse over their poor, foolish daughter.

But Joseph doesn’t show up as the judge. He comes as the bridegroom to claim his bride.

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