The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Matthew 2:13, 19-20,
"When they [the Magi] 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.'... After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 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.'"
Following the visit of the Magi, an angel visited Joseph and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. The way in which the account is given provides the picture of a sudden flight from Bethlehem to Egypt: "Get up... escape to Egypt... stay there until I tell you..."
The account provides for some questions to an odd mind like mine. If Herod posed a threat to the baby Jesus, why didn't God just take Herod out? In Acts 12:23 we read about a later, different King Herod, "Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died." Why the intrigue of a flight in the middle of the night which was followed by the slaughter of the boys in Bethlehem?
"When they [the Magi] 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.'... After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 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.'"
Following the visit of the Magi, an angel visited Joseph and told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt. The way in which the account is given provides the picture of a sudden flight from Bethlehem to Egypt: "Get up... escape to Egypt... stay there until I tell you..."
The account provides for some questions to an odd mind like mine. If Herod posed a threat to the baby Jesus, why didn't God just take Herod out? In Acts 12:23 we read about a later, different King Herod, "Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died." Why the intrigue of a flight in the middle of the night which was followed by the slaughter of the boys in Bethlehem?
Clearly God chose to remove Jesus from Herod's grasp at that time, rather than remove Herod (permanently) from the equation. Many people speculate (based on historical events) that the stay in Egypt was fairly short, maybe a couple of months to no more than a year or two. Then that same angel came back to tell Joseph to return (who then took the family to Nazareth because of the threat Archelaus presented).
There are certainly countless ways God could have resolved the danger Herold posed to the baby Jesus, but he chose this way. I'm sure there was a reason God chose this way, and I'm sure I don't know what it was. Nevertheless it doesn't preclude my wondering about it.
Possibly there were events taking place in the spiritual realm that provided for why God made his choice?
One observation I have is that while King Herod thought he might be protecting his rule and reign in the area, it was only in a very short time (the time Joseph, Mary and Jesus stayed in Egypt) that he lost it all anyway. Can you imagine what it was like for him to face God following his efforts to interfere with God's plan of redemption and the slaughter of innocent boys in Bethlehem???
What do you think?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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