Saturday, June 30, 2012

Saturday, June 30-by Pamela

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is 2 Chronicles 19-23
Today's scripture focus is Matthew 2:13-23


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.”

The Return to Nazareth

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.”
21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”


The first thing I thought of when I read this passage is Joseph's amazing ability to willingly submit to God's calling. His first act of obedience and submission to God's plan was taking pregnant Mary as his wife even with all of the attention and (no doubt) gossip that such a union would have caused. Now Joseph again, drops everything and follows God's instructions. In. the. middle. of. the. night. He literally obeyed God's call at the moment he gave the word. Oh, to be able to fully submit as Joseph did to all God has called us to do.

I found this commentary, and I thought this was valuable insight into the choice to make Egypt the place of refuge:

Egypt had been a house of bondage to Israel, and particularly cruel to the infants of Israel; yet it is to be a place of refuge to the holy Child Jesus. God, when he pleases, can make the worst of places serve the best of purposes. This was a trial of the faith of Joseph and Mary. But their faith, being tried, was found firm. If we and our infants are at any time in trouble, let us remember the straits in which Christ was when an infant. 


I had never made this connection before. How true that not only was the choice to leave immediately a huge step of faith, but also the place they were led to. Can you imagine Joseph getting the news and thinking... "God want me to go where?!" But how true it is that it is when our faith is tested that it grows.

The same commentary adds:

Herod killed all the male children, not only in Bethlehem, but in all the villages of that city. Unbridled wrath, armed with an unlawful power, often carries men to absurd cruelties. It was no unrighteous thing with God to permit this; every life is forfeited to his justice as soon as it begins. The diseases and deaths of little children are proofs of original sin. But the murder of these infants was their martyrdom. How early did persecution against Christ and his kingdom begin! Herod now thought that he had baffled the Old Testament prophecies, and the efforts of the wise men in finding Christ; but whatever crafty, cruel devices are in men's hearts, the counsel of the Lord shall stand.

As a mother, I think of the unbearable grief of the mothers of all those sons who lost their lives because of Herod's fear.  Can you imagine? Having the law, demanding the death of your son, in place and being helpless to protect your family. I can think of children around the two year old age (my youngest nephew turns 1 next month!) and I can't even fathom the mass murder of these innocent children. I love that God's purpose prevails. Always. Through even the most awful of circumstance, God is there and His plan wins out.

The last part of this passage is also developed in the same commentary:


Egypt may serve to sojourn in, or take shelter in, for awhile, but not to abide in. Christ was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to them he must return. Did we but look upon the world as our Egypt, the place of our bondage and banishment, and heaven only as our Canaan, our home, our rest, we should as readily arise and depart thither, when we are called for, as Joseph did out of Egypt. The family must settle in Galilee. Nazareth was a place held in bad esteem, and Christ was crucified with this accusation, Jesus the Nazarene. Wherever Providence allots the bounds of our habitation, we must expect to share the reproach of Christ; yet we may glory in being called by his name, sure that if we suffer with him, we shall also be glorified with him.
We serve an awesome God. He knows all. We need to obey Him and follow the course he has set for us. It involves submission and it won't be easy, but it will be worth it. 


Tomorrow's scripture focus: Matthew 3:1-12
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Oba ; Ps 82-83

1 comment:

Tammy said...

Joseph is such a great example of obeying the call and command of God, without knowing the big picture or how exactly God would protect and provide. Definite faith there!

King Herod's reaction to Jesus' birth is yet more evidence of Jesus' kingship. A King does not react to the birth of someone of no importance.