Thursday, December 17
Read Matthew 2:13-15
Not only did God warn the Magi about Herod, but He also sent His angel to warn Joseph to leave Israel, go to Egypt, and remain there until the Lord told him to return. Joseph put Mary and Jesus on the donkey again, and left for Egypt, and they stayed there until King Herod died. Notice the way God had provided for their journey and their stay: Gold, incense and myrrh, which could be used or converted into funds to pay their expenses.
There were two reasons why Joseph, Mary and the Baby Jesus had to escape from Israel to Egypt.
- King Herod was mad and had already made plans to eradicate this new king in a very horrible way.
- That the words of Hosea 11:1 might be fulfilled that said, “Out of Egypt have I called my son.” While this was not a prophetic passage as Isaiah 9:2, Matthew was saying that God’s “calling” of Jesus out of Egypt was in parallel to God’s “calling of His son” (Israel) out of Egypt – connecting Jesus with the promise of Abraham and the leadership of Moses. In other words, God’s provision and protection of Jesus was evidence that He was the Messiah, sent by God to fulfill the Law and the Prophets and to give His life as the propitiation for man’s sins.