-December 23, 2022-
Good morning, happy Friday,
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel 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’” (Matthew 2:13).
“When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 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’” (Matthew 2:14-15).
There was a two-fold purpose God had to send, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus to Egypt: to protect Jesus from Herod who sought to kill Him and to fulfill the prophecy from the prophet Hosea. Both were extremely important to the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. All along the way Joseph obeyed the Lord, doing His will completely. The first time an angel told him in Matthew 1:20,”…Do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And in Matthew 1:24-25, it says of Joseph, “Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.”
Very little is mentioned after Jesus’ younger days when as Luke records Mary and Joseph brought Him to the temple in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, and then returned to Nazareth. This has led Bible scholars to speculate that Joseph passed away at a young age. Even so, he played his part and left a legacy of obedience. Joseph was a carpenter and Jesus worked in his carpenter shop and was a carpenter up to the age of 30.
When God spoke to him in a dream to take Jesus and His mother to Egypt, he obeyed God right away. The was no debate, discussion, or procrastination. Hosea 11:1 says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.” This verse refers to the Exodus from Egypt after 430 years and also to Jesus coming out of Egypt as ordained by God. Just as God loved His people Israel and sent them a redeemer in Moses, He sent His well beloved Son to be our Redeemer, and deliver us from the bondage of sin and Satan.
God protected Jesus from Herod. Joseph took Mary and Jesus right before the evil Herod killed all the baby boys two years old and under in Bethlehem and its surrounding districts. God’s timing was so perfect. We don’t know how exactly long they stayed in Egypt, but we know that it was until Herod died and brought Mary and Jesus back to Israel.
The lesson for us is: When God moves us, we should move, and not until then. When Israel trudged through the wilderness, they were not to move from one place to another unless the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night moved. Then they set out. Today, the Holy Spirit leads us through prayer, the Word of God, godly counsel, and circumstances. So often it’s hard to wait and not to take matters into our own hands. We can easily spoil God’s plans for us. Let us follow Joseph’s example and trust and obey God.
Have a blessed day and a Merry Christmas for Christ’s coming to save us from our sins. And may we let the Lord lead and guide us. Stay safe and healthy.
Thanking God for his leading and protection,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 