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A humbled and open heart is fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom. Establishing deeper roots requires analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Matthew 2:13-15.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew 2:13-15 ESV
The book of Matthew is the first book of the Gospels. The book draws many connections between the Old Testament(OT) and New Testament(NT). There are threads that weave from the OT and NT and serve as a reminder of God being a promise keeper. Chapters 1 and 2 center on the genealogy and birth of Jesus Christ. In verses 13-15, we see Joseph being warned by an angel in a dream to take his family to Egypt. Joseph left under the cover of night and obeyed the angel’s instructions.
Matthew presents this divine redirection as a fulfillment of prophecy. In digging deeper into different commentaries, there are parallels that Matthew is drawing between Israel and Jesus. Both emerged out of Egypt (See Exodus). Some commentaries draw connections in the language similarities between Matthew and Hosea. In Hosea 11:1, it reads, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” In both commentary perspectives, there are clear connections between the promises of God being fulfilled in both the OT and NT.
The important lesson that we learn from Joseph is that when God sends instructions, it is up to us to act. In Joseph’s situation, we see how the evil plans of Herod were intended to kill Jesus. Unbeknownst to him, the dream was God’s protection for the saving of many lives.
This week, we have been centering our focus on making room. We made room in our minds, hearts, and homes. Have you made room in your willingness to act on the instructions God gives you? If so, how quickly do you obey His guidance? Take a moment to think about areas that you may be slow to move on God’s instruction. How will you move forward in bold obedience in the here and now? Let’s commit to following with the same sense of urgency as Joseph.
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As a child, nothing compared to the excitement of being able to sit up and waiting for New Year’s Day. We’d sit up as long as possible on December 31st awaiting the coming year. We knew what was coming, yet we had to watch the clock or we’d miss it. In this passage, Jesus reminds us of the signs before his second coming. He teaches that in order to recognize the second coming, we must stay alert. These verses prompt us to be mindful of the state of our hearts and to stay ready at all times for the coming day of God’s judgment.
REFLECTION – Do you find yourself growing weary in your walk with the Lord? How can you stay encouraged and ready for Jesus Christ’s second coming?
I know that most people are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, but December always reminds me to slow down and reflect. It’s something about the cold weather that forces me to cozy up and sit still… I believe the stillness opens
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
