Previous Questions and Answers
Subject: Why did Joseph die early?
Why was Joseph treated this
way (that he died early)? Does it mean he (Joseph) was not favoured by God
as He (God) did to Mary? Jesus had other siblings. Who was then the
father to those siblings, as it is claimed that Joseph died before Jesus started
his ministry work?
.
Jesus was 30 years old when
He started His public, earthly ministry. Luke 3:23 says, “And Jesus himself
began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of
Joseph, which was the son of Heli.” Luke 4:14 says, “And Jesus returned in the
power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all
the region round about.”
By this time, Jesus' earthly siblings could have been in their 20’s (maybe some in their late teens), and married. Jesus’ earthly siblings are listed in Mark 6:3, “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.” We do not know how many sisters He had, but when Jesus was dying on the cross, only His mother is listed there—none of His earthly sibings. John 19:25-27 says, “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”
It did not say that John took Mary and her children to his home—just “her.” We do not know when Joseph was taken home to be with the Lord, nor how old the children were when that happened. What we do know is that God is very gracious, and makes no mistakes. Psalms 68:5 says, “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.”
Let us not blame the “bad” things that happen upon God. Remember Job? It was not God that was to be blamed for all the evil that was brought into Job’s life—it was the devil who did all of that. It was God who was gracious and blessed Job with twice as much in the end. Job 42:10 says, “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.”
The reason for all of our hardships in life is because sin entered into this world. When hardships befall us, the thing to do is to draw as close to God as we can. James 4:8-10 says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Psalms 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
