4 Jan 13: Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt and/ God's Wrath and Man's Depravity
**Read Matthew 2:13-23 and Romans 1:18-32
I. Mary and Joseph Flee to Egypt
-A. The Flight to Egypt: In Matthew 2:13-15, after the departure of the Magis, an angel appeared to Joseph and instructed him to go to Egypt to escape from King Herod's wrath. He was told to stay in Egypt until God tells him to because King Herod would be looking for the messiah to kill him. Egypt was around 60 miles from Bethlehem. It is outside of Herod's jurisdiction so the family is safe there. Egypt used to be a place for anguish, suffering for the Jewish people but now flourishes with many synagogues and temples. This will fulfill the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 which reads, "And out of Egypt I called My son". We can see how God can change nations, once a land of oppression and now is a refuge and safety for the messiah. A question that some might ask is how did Joseph, Mary, and Jesus survived the travel and many years in Egypt. As you remember, when the Magis came to see the messiah, they brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Don't you just love how God works mysteriously. He has a plan and a purpose for everything so we need to trust God in everything we do for it is written in Proverbs 3:5-6 to
5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
- B. Massacre of the Innocents: In Matthew 2:16-18, after the wise men did not return to report back Jesus' location, Herod became very angry and ordered his men to kill all children 2 years and under in Bethlehem and cities around it. He chose that age group after learning from the Magis when they first saw the star to calculate the birth and probably adding extra time to ensure that he had killed the King of the Jews. This fulfilled the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:15:
18 “ A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”
- C. The Home in Nazareth: Matthew 2:19-23, after Herod's death, an angel visited Joseph again, telling him to take Mary and Jesus and go to the land of Israel. But after receiving a warning from God that Herod's son, Archelaus reigns over Judea, Joseph took his family to Nazareth instead. This is where Jesus lived till he was 30 years old before he started His ministry.
King Herod was afraid that this newborn "King of the Jews" was going to take his throne. What he didn't know was Jesus didn't want to take King Herod's place but to show him the way for eternal life. This is the same thing about people in the present times. We are afraid to accept Jesus us our savior because we feel like we would not be able to do all the things that we used to do as a nonbeliever. We know that if we followed Christ, we would always have guilt in our hearts for all the sins that we commit. We need to know that Jesus is here to save us from our sins and to give us freedom from all these guilt, sufferings, and depression. Let's all pick up our cross and follow Him to eternity.
II. God's Wrath and Man's Depravity
- Romans 1:18-32, was used as an argument to back up what was said in Romans 1:17. Paul wanted to show that people were sinners and if they do not repent, they would experience the wrath of God. People need salvation through the gospel because none is worthy to God and they were unrighteous. They have dishonored God from superstitions to idolatry, which is widely practiced today (praying to statues of saints, Mary, a supposedly baby Jesus (Sto Nino), the black Nazarene-which came about when an image was burned in a ship from Spain which was then preserved and honored, and other idols). These are all traditions and clearly against the the second commandment of God (Exodus 20:3):
4“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
III. Proverbs for Today/1:20-23
20 Wisdom calls aloud outside;
She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the chief concourses,
At the openings of the gates in the city
She speaks her words:
22 “ How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
23 Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
IV. Old Testament Readings
Genesis 8-10 and Psalm 4:1-8
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are the God Allmighty, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient. Thank you for guiding us for we know that you have a purpose for everything that is happening in our life. Father God, we praise you and honor you, and ask for forgiveness because we know that we are sinners and we are unworthy of your mercy, but because of your love for us, you have saved us and accepted us in your family. Continue to bless us, our families, and our friends, and guide us to live the life as Christ did, In Jesus' name. Amen
