Out of Egypt!

VERSE:

Matthew 2:13-20

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.”

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

LESSON:

Out of Egypt!

These verses close the story of the birth of Jesus in Bethelem and then take us to Egypt and then back to Narareth. But why the trip to to Egypt and then back to Nazareth? This verse not only recounts the reason for the travels of Joesph, Mary and Jesus to Egypt and back, but further instructs us that their travels to this location and back were fortold in the Old Testament. Herod did not have good intententions when he asked the Magi to let him know were this Messiah would be born. He had no plans to worship him, he had plans to destroy him. Joseph was warned in a dream to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt for their safely. They stayed there until there was no further danger from Herod (when he died). In life you will find that you are often lead by the Lord to go here, or to go there. You may not know exactly why you are being led to that location at a particular time, but quite often much later, you will understand why. The Lord often leads us in a certain direction to help us to grow, or to protect us from something. Be open to being led by the Lord. He will guide you and protect you always.

Worshiped by Kings!

VERSE:

Matthew 2:1-12

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

LESSON:

Worshiped by Kings!

There are at least a four things that are significant about these verses.  One that the birth of Jesus was of such significance at that time, that Magi (Kings) would travel to find him, following a star to try to learn the location.  Two, the fact that it is recorded that a known personality (King Herod) was informed and consulted about the possible birth of the child.  (Why would the writer give such details unless they had no fear that anyone reading this account may be able to independently verify if the event even took place with Herod).  Third, that in those times as in our own times, evil people will not hesitate to stoop to very low means to try to exert their will and to protect their power and interests (Herod wanting to determine the location/identity of the child), and forth, that wise men then, as today, will be wise enough to avoid evil persons and their evil intentions, by whatever means that they can devise.