The angel, Gabriel, is sent to Mary by God. Most of the time when angels show up with news, it's good. He starts off by telling Mary to:
1) Rejoice
2) She's a highly favored one.
3) The Lord is with her.
4) She's blessed among women.
This saying troubled Mary, and she wondered what manner of greeting this was. It's not wrong to question God. It's wrong to question Him in unbelief. The full message raises questions in her mind. After all, she knows how babies are made. The angel responds to her questions, and she gives her full acceptance and cooperation. This is what the angel needed - her response.
Now Mary was awake when all this happened. She had a vision. In the Old Testament Daniel had a vision of the king's dream. Later, in the New Testament, Peter had a vision on the rooftop.
A vision occurs when you're awake, while a dream happens when you're asleep. Mary most likely shares this news with Joseph since she's betrothed to him. He obviously didn't believe her because he considered putting her quietly away. Mary goes off to visit her cousin, Elisabeth, because the angel revealed the miracle of Elisabeth's pregnancy. It's good to have the support of those who understand what God is showing us.
An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and is given instructions. He obeys them and doesn't go through with his plan to put her away.
The stronger the Word to you, the more difficulties you'll encounter. Mary bore the brunt of being pregnant without the benefit of marriage. Throughout her life, people around her would whisper condemning words. She needed that vision to carry her through all she'd face. Joseph had a dream that would give him the strength to withstand criticism and protect his wife.
Caution: There are false or even non-meaningful dreams. Don't seek after them. A God-given dream will always line up with the Word.
A dream or a vision is for the person who has it. It relates directly to their life. Others would see it through the lens of their own experience/circumstances and not understand. A good example is the reaction of Joseph's brothers in the Old Testament. The dreams he had related to his future role of leadership, but they were offended and hated him because they thought he was expecting to rule over them.
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If you're visiting the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Service at 10:00 AM. Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. The church phone number is 215-343-7686. We look forward to meeting you!
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