Matthew 2:13-15

Matthew 2:13 – 15

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” ¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Hosea the prophet wrote: ¹ When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. Hosea 11:1. The name Israel means, God prevails. Upon this sinful plant Jesus was born and he would prevail. As rightful heir to King David’s throne, He would prevail. From the beginning of Christ’s life on earth it will full of danger. But God prevails and because God prevails he sent His son to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod who sought to kill the newborn Baby.

Joseph was a carpenter, and though heir to the throne of David himself, they were not a wealthy family. In fact if they had moved to Egypt they would not have survived except for the gifts that were given to the Jesus by the wise men. God Frankincense and Myrrh. Rich expensive gifts befitting a King and sent by God through the wise men to sustain the family of Joseph and Mary while they were away in Egypt.

Interestingly enough, Egypt had quite a large community of Jews living within its borders. Egypt at this time was under Roman authority, but Herod had no jurisdiction in the region and so being directed by the angel, they rose by night and took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt.

There they remained until the death of Herod. They were sustained by the treasures, given to them by the wise men and lived at peace among the other Jews that lived in Egypt.

God preserves His own. Throughout life, each one of us faces difficulties and tough decisions. We are sometimes asked to go and do without any understanding why we being sent or what we should do. In some ways Joseph and Mary must have felt this way. All they wanted to do was have this promised child. Raise him like any other child. To teach this child about God and his love toward his earth children. To raise him in the traditions of a normal Jewish family, but instead they find themselves on the run.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by was exceedingly angry. It is this way with our lives to. When Christ sends his angels around us to protect us, Satan become exceedingly mad and seeks to destroy us all. Yet like Joseph, Mary and their little family, God prevails and preserves His own. Though difficulties arise, God is always near. Matthew 28:20 (last part) “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The story of Jesus is about God prevailing and preserving his own. God has promised that he is always with us. Always, even when it seems as though he isn’t, He is always leading and directing in our lives. It becomes a matter of choice. Do we go our own way and do our own thing, or do we like Joseph listen to the voice of God through his messenger and do the will of God. That is the question each of us must answer. Do we go our own way or do we listen to the voice of God?