Matthew 2:19-23

Matthew 2:19-23

And after Herod died, behold!  An angel of the Lord appears to Joseph according to a dream in Egypt while saying, “After being raised up, take the young child and His mother and journey into the land of Israel.  For the ones who seek the life of the child have died.”  And the one who was being raised up took the child and His mother and entered into the land of Israel.  And after hearing that Archelaus rules over Israel in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go from there.  And after hearing in a divine revelation according to a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee.  And after coming he established his household in a city of Nazareth, in order that the words spoken through the prophets should be fulfilled that he will be called a Nazarene.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Once more God provides.  Herod is dead and God gets a message back to Joseph via an angel that comes in a dream.  Once more God’s hand directs Joseph.  But Joseph and Mary are patient in their waiting upon the Lord.  I can only imagine what Joseph would have really been thinking living in a foreign land, wondering if the move was permanent or only temporary.  But God provides.  God directs.  If we are patient and willing to listen, God will guide us into His will for our lives.

Are you good at waiting?  Are you good at listening to God?

Second Thought:

We get a final glance at Herod’s anger and wrath through this chapter.  Listen to the words of the angel.  “The ones who seek the life of the child.”  Herod was not just angry.  Herod was not just a person looking for his own will.  Herod was willing to kill the Son of God.  Yesterday we saw that he was willing to kill innocent children.  It is scary when anger and wrath meet power and the checks and balances of things like culture and a personal ethic are not present.

Have you ever experienced unbridled anger and wrath?  Why is this a scary thing?  What do you use to help control the anger and wrath that is within you?

Third Thought:

Here again we have a story of obedience.  Joseph is bringing his family out of Egypt.  But he is warned in a dream to not return to Bethlehem.  So they go to Nazareth.  If we can trust Nathaniel’s reaction to Jesus in John 1:46, Nazareth did not have a great reputation.  Out of obedience to God Joseph relocates his family from the area of Bethlehem into the area of Nazareth.  Joseph and Mary had nothing in Nazareth, but they knew that by relocating to a place where they had no connection they would also be keeping Jesus safe.  Joseph puts God’s agenda ahead of any worldly thinking he might have had.

How are you affected by Joseph’s continued obedience?  Is there any doubt as to why God found Joseph a great candidate for His own Son?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 3:1-3