This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken
Tue, 2 January, 2007: Today’s Bible readings.
13 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.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 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.”
The Magi have just left from there visit to the baby Jesus. They were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and so they go back directly to their own land without divulging the location of the one born king of the Jews.
Herod, when he realized that he was tricked by the Magi, does what he can to try to eliminate this threat to his rule: he kills all the male babies two years old and younger in the area of Bethlehem.
But God protects the baby Jesus from Herod’s slaughter by warning Joseph in a dream and sending the young family to Egypt.
What do we learn from this?
God is firmly in control what what happens. As we read through the gospels, we see that God has a plan, and everything comes to pass exactly according to this divine plan. Matthew makes the point over and over again when he points out the history he is relating was all in fulfilment of scripture: This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet…. It was no surprise to God, for He had foretold it long ago.
Where is Christ in this passage?
As we read through the gospels, we are reading the culmination of redemption in history. This is the great act of God saving a people for Himself. Jesus Christ is living the perfect life. He is being challenged and threatened by the religious and political leaders of the day. We see they attempt to kill Him numerous times, but are unable because it was not God’s time. Finally, they succeed in their desire to kill Jesus Christ, but in so doing fulfill God’s ultimate purpose in redemption. They crucify Jesus Christ, who dies in the place of His people, bearing the penalty of their sins upon Himself.
This is God’s plan in the life of Jesus. God is in control of all these events, and Herod is not going to cut God’s plans for redemption short by killing the baby Jesus Christ.
