A Yeshua for Our Wellbeing

A Yeshua for Our Wellbeing

Matthew 1:18-25
and
Luke 1:26-33

Yeshua is Joshua written in the Aramaic way just as Jesus is the English way of writing Joshua. Jesus is the name that means God will save us both spiritually and physically. In Hebrew tradition, a Joshua was a hero that saved people from being destroyed. In fact, this idea has been around for a long time as we see the idea of Yeshua in the Old Testament. As early of Genesis 3 we have the promise that God will save man.

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
Genesis 3:15 ESV

Just like the Advent message, this message of good news from Genesis is to give hope as we wait for our saviour. Our savior would right the wrongs of this world and save us from destruction. Indeed, there would be a total sense of wellbeing. At the beginning of Christianity, the early Christians could relate to the message of Genesis. Yet, the totality of wellbeing from the good news does not seem to have come. Adam and Eve experienced the law, and we read about the loss of their two sons.

Although Mary and Joseph did not experience wellbeing in some ways, they did experience wellbeing in other ways. Mary and Joseph were betrothed which meant that their marriage had been planned for a long time, probably years. For Mary to become pregnant so late in her engagement to Joseph, was a real shock. Mary was a virgin and engaged to someone. This was shocking and shameful. It was also dangerous because it would mean death.

According to Jewish law from Deuteronomy:

But if the thing is true, that evidence of virginity was not found in the young woman, then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done an outrageous thing in Israel by whoring in her father's house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.
Deuteronomy 22:20-21 ESV

Later the Jewish Rabbis changed the law to include divorce. Joseph would have just needed two witnesses to quietly divorce Mary. The bride's money would have been returned, tears would have been shed and the couple would have gone their separate ways and probably would have moved to new locations. Still everyone who knew Mary or Joseph would have known something was wrong and that only some shameful act had been done to break the arrangement. To break a betrothal in that time was unusual bringing disgrace to both parties, but still Mary and Joseph experienced wellbeing.

Mary had a lot on her mind and brought up her concerns and worry. Sometimes God will put us into situations which are bigger than us. Be honest with God and say what is on your mind just like Mary. To have concerns or worry is not weak or sinful. In Mary’s candidness, she was a comforted by the message she received from the Angel.

And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Luke 1:35 ESV

Joseph was the same in that he had much to lose and did not know how he could handle the situation he was put in. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and reassured Joseph that God would intervene.

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." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
Matthew 1:20-23 ESV

We, too, will experience challenges that are sometimes bigger than us and cannot be done on our own.

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord , when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: 'The Lord is our righteousness.'
Jeremiah 23:5-6 ESV

Jeremiah tell us that Jesus is going to execute justice to those who are righteous. The prophet also tells us that Jesus is going to forgive us of our sins and we will be made righteous. Jesus has forgiven our sins and we need to remember this. We can respond to God and others with love because our relationship with God has been made right with the forgiveness of sins.

We have been called for purposes which the Lord has given us. These purposes are both spiritual and physical. For instance, Joseph had the physical responsibility to name Jesus. Also, Joseph had the purpose to be a father and husband. God had carefully selected and brought Joseph into plan to fulfill God’s plan. Much the same, our lives are not by mistake or without purpose.

Sometimes we might be in situations that we do not understand what to do. Be like Mary and express yourself honestly. Also, be like Joseph and do what is expected of you and what you can. Whether it is just a prayer, just by being there, or being obedient to God, we can complete our purpose. Most importantly, our wellbeing is grounded on the facts that Jesus will forgive us, we have been chosen and Jesus is with us always.