God spoke to Joseph in a dream as he pondered breaking his engagement with Mary. She was pregnant, and he knew the child was not his. God speaks to us in many ways and knows the best way to communicate with each person. He can speak through His Word, the Holy Spirit, dreams, circumstances, people, and other ways as He determines. For Joseph, the Lord chose to talk to Him in a dream in which an angel communicated with him.
Matthew 1:20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ” [1]
Joseph Responded to God
As Joseph awoke the next day, he must have been relieved that the Lord intervened in his life and clarified a desperate situation. In complete trust, Joseph did precisely what the angel had told him without hesitation. Joseph was a person of deep faith who responded to the voice of the Good Shepherd and was again on the right path the Lord had set for him.
This would not be the last time the Lord spoke to Joseph in a dream. In Matthew 2:13, the angel of the Lord gave Joseph another dream. He told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod was seeking to kill Jesus.
Matthew 2:20 tells us that sometime later, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take Mary and Jesus back to Israel. Joseph was frightened as he contemplated returning to Israel because the new ruler was Herod’s son. The Lord intervened again with a warning dream, so Joseph and their family moved to Nazareth, a town in Galilee.
Will God Speak to Me?
The Lord can speak to us in many ways, and dreams are one such way. Jesus promises that if we are his children, we will hear and know His voice. John 10:4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.[2] A shepherd spent so much time with his sheep that they knew his voice and would respond to them.
In the same way as we spend time with God in His Word, prayer, and worship, we become familiar with his voice and follow Him. God’s Word is so powerful it guides our path. Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. [3]
The Holy Spirit can also guide us as we listen to His voice. The key to hearing the Lord speak to us is spending time with Him. As in any relationship, the more time we spend with the Lord, the closer our relationship is. The closer we are, the easier it is to hear His voice.
To learn how God spoke to Joseph, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/a-dream-reveals-the-truth
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.