Let’s look at some truths about Christ’s birth and how God rescued His Son.
Matthew 2:13-15:
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream [night vision], saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
1) God is able to communicate with people through “visions,” or revelation. This may come at night, or even as a “dream.” He had warned the Magi to avoid Herod’s wrath by going home another way. Now he did the same thing by having Joseph take the young Messiah away from Herod’s evil authority.
2) Egypt was a natural choice for escape. It was not that far from southern Judah, and it was a culture open to people from many nations. Joseph would have been able to find work there. In addition, this family now had resources [gold, frankincense, myrrh] when needed.
3) An Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled in going to Egypt. This quote is from Hosea 11:1: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” Right after God had the Prophet Hosea remind Israel that He delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, He showed that from Judah would come a ruler, the Messiah, who would be faithful to accomplish his work.
Hosea 11:12:
Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
4) Thus, this prophecy was a reminder of God rescuing Israel from the hand of the evil Pharaoh, AND applied to rescuing His Son from the evil King Herod.
Matthew 2:16-18:
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
5) Herod was angry that the Magi had not returned with the news of where this new “King of the Judeans” lived. He remembered the EXACT TIME when the Magi said they saw the astronomical signs that led them to Judah. The child would have been almost a year and a half old. Herod didn’t take any chances, and killed all the young boys from two years old and younger. What a horrible, demon-possessed ruler Herod was. This evil act had been prophesied.
6) This quote is from Jeremiah 31:15: “Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.” Yet immediately after this, God promised to send the Messiah and make a new covenant with His people.
Jeremiah 31:31:
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.
7) God turned bitterness to joy for Israel by promising to send the Messiah. And He rescued Jesus from the evil that Herod so viciously manifested.
Matthew 2:19-23:
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
8) After Herod died, God again told Joseph to move his family. They were to return to Israel. God even revealed to Joseph that Herod was dead.
9) Joseph faithfully obeyed God’s direction and headed north to Israel. Once there, Joseph learned that Archelaus, Herod’s son, had taken his father’s throne in Judea. Joseph was afraid of the evil this new ruler might bring to his family. Again, God graciously showed Joseph where to go. He was to leave Judea, and move north to Galilee.
10) Joseph and Mary settled in Nazareth, fulfilling a spoken prophecy of the Messiah: that he would be a Nazarene. The name Nazareth is connected in the New Testament with netzer, “a branch.” The Messiah is called a “branch” in Isaiah 4:2 [“of” the Lord, a Son], Jeremiah 23:5 [a righteous King], Zechariah 3:8 [a true servant], Zechariah 6:12 [a man]. These correspond to Jesus’ ministry as seen in the four gospels: Son [John], King [Matthew], Servant [Mark], Man [Luke].
May we continue to walk by the spirit and follow our Father’s direction, like Joseph and the Magi did. We have “Christ in” us, the hope of glory. We can rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in our limited senses abilities.
Philippians 3:3:
For we…worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
