The Escape to Egypt - Matthew 2:13-18
The Escape to Egypt
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
Reflection: Yesterday I commented on the fact that even though Jesus was the Son of God, and would become the King of kings, there was no pomp and circumstance afforded to him. Right after receiving the gifts of the wise men, Joseph has another meeting with an angel where he is informed that the ruthless King Herod is after his new boy. And remember history tells us that he killed two of his own sons, and then on his death bed at age 70, killed another one out of fear and lust for power.
Since the first angelic message was dead on, Joseph at once packs the "pack and play" and takes the child and "his mother" and left for Egypt. Notice it doesn't say his wife, but his mother. And where do they go? Egypt! The incredible and amazing journey continues to the place where the Jews were in captivity before under another ruthless ruler the Pharoah, who adopted a similar program on infanticide on young Jewish boys in Exodus 1. But we know that Matthew is keen to the fulfillment of prophecy as his gospel's target audience is the Jews, so he quotes Hosea 11, where it says "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Indeed there are many parallels with this story and Israel's history. Rachel's sons Joseph and Benjamin are key figures in Israel's history, and indeed we see Joseph spent time in Egypt too, after being rejected by his brothers. Though specifically the reference from Jeremiah refers to Rachel's weeping over the sons of Israel when they were exiled by the Babylonians, it applies as a general reference to Jesus' situation as well.
So the child of promise's life begins on a very dark note. The amount of boys killed in Herod's wide swath of brutality ranges from 14,000 to 140,000, depending on population estimates. But either way there was much weeping in Bethlehem I'm sure. One commentator noted that these young boys were the first Christian martyrs and their recompense would come in heaven. But again we see that the biblical story is not a fairy tale, but a real life story. After all who could have invented this story for the Son of God to come into the world, save God himself!
This story reminds us that Jesus came as a Savior to all people as he became a light in the darkness. Though His own people received him not, out of Egypt God would call him to save both Jews and Gentiles alike.
So what does this mean for us??
There are times when our lives take twists and turns and we wonder if God is really with us. Romans 8 reminds us that God works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We certainly see this with Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus. We see in Joseph, a simple yet obedient faith. Where is God calling you to step out in faith like our brother Joseph? Maybe it will call you to places that seem a little bit like Egypt, but remember out of Egypt God called His Son, and God calls his sons and daughters today as well!!
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
Reflection: Yesterday I commented on the fact that even though Jesus was the Son of God, and would become the King of kings, there was no pomp and circumstance afforded to him. Right after receiving the gifts of the wise men, Joseph has another meeting with an angel where he is informed that the ruthless King Herod is after his new boy. And remember history tells us that he killed two of his own sons, and then on his death bed at age 70, killed another one out of fear and lust for power.
Since the first angelic message was dead on, Joseph at once packs the "pack and play" and takes the child and "his mother" and left for Egypt. Notice it doesn't say his wife, but his mother. And where do they go? Egypt! The incredible and amazing journey continues to the place where the Jews were in captivity before under another ruthless ruler the Pharoah, who adopted a similar program on infanticide on young Jewish boys in Exodus 1. But we know that Matthew is keen to the fulfillment of prophecy as his gospel's target audience is the Jews, so he quotes Hosea 11, where it says "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Indeed there are many parallels with this story and Israel's history. Rachel's sons Joseph and Benjamin are key figures in Israel's history, and indeed we see Joseph spent time in Egypt too, after being rejected by his brothers. Though specifically the reference from Jeremiah refers to Rachel's weeping over the sons of Israel when they were exiled by the Babylonians, it applies as a general reference to Jesus' situation as well.
So the child of promise's life begins on a very dark note. The amount of boys killed in Herod's wide swath of brutality ranges from 14,000 to 140,000, depending on population estimates. But either way there was much weeping in Bethlehem I'm sure. One commentator noted that these young boys were the first Christian martyrs and their recompense would come in heaven. But again we see that the biblical story is not a fairy tale, but a real life story. After all who could have invented this story for the Son of God to come into the world, save God himself!
This story reminds us that Jesus came as a Savior to all people as he became a light in the darkness. Though His own people received him not, out of Egypt God would call him to save both Jews and Gentiles alike.
So what does this mean for us??
There are times when our lives take twists and turns and we wonder if God is really with us. Romans 8 reminds us that God works all things together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We certainly see this with Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus. We see in Joseph, a simple yet obedient faith. Where is God calling you to step out in faith like our brother Joseph? Maybe it will call you to places that seem a little bit like Egypt, but remember out of Egypt God called His Son, and God calls his sons and daughters today as well!!
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