Can you envision embarking on a journey of 150 miles by foot, leaving in the dead of night? That’s precisely what Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus undertook upon receiving the angel’s warning about King Herod’s imminent order to execute babies.
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, 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”
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. (Matthew 2.13-14).
If you notice a similarity between the stories of Moses and Pharaoh and that of Jesus and Herod, you are correct. In the same way that Pharaoh sought to kill the infants at the time of Moses’ birth, Herod also attempted to take the life of Jesus.
There are many parallels between Moses and Jesus. God used Moses to establish the people of Israel from a group of slaves into a nation. God appointed Jesus to create a new people based on His sacrifice on the cross and the resurrection.
Moses led people from slavery in Egypt. Jesus leads people from slavery to sin to the life that God has for them. These are but a few of the comparisons we can make.
Out of Egypt
Like a skilled preacher, Matthew links events in his story to the biblical text. He connects the call of Jesus out of Egypt to Hosea Chapter 11.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son” (Matthew 2.15).
I encourage you to read Hosea 11:1-9. It is a beautiful story of God’s grace. It tells of how God called His people out of slavery only to have them become enslaved to a Canaanite god, Baal.
Instead of giving up on them and executing wrath, God says that He is God and He’s not a mortal. Thus, He will not execute His wrath. Rather, He will come to them with forgiveness, grace, and restoration.
That’s exactly what Jesus has done for us. In His grace, He has delivered us from slavery to self and idolatry.
Herod’s Evil Deeds
Matthew documents the massacre of children under two years old in the vicinity of Bethlehem by Herod. Scholars estimate the death toll to be around 20 children. However, this act is far from being Herod’s only cruel deed.
I encountered a list of individuals Herod had executed, so extensive it would be longer than the length of my usual blog posts. For example, he decreed the execution of all Jewish nobles upon his death to ensure that all of Israel would grieve his passing.
The murder of 20 children is merely one instance of his many heinous actions.
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the magi.
Then what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2.16-18)
Matthew points to a chapter in Jeremiah (chapter 31) that is filled with hope and restoration. In the middle of that chapter (verse 15) is a lament from Rachel.
Matthew may be giving people who read his gospel a picture of what they will experience. There will be hard times because Jesus will be opposed, but also there will be hope and restoration because the Savior of the world has entered the time and space of humanity.
More than 2,000 years and countless pages of history have passed since Matthew first penned his Gospel. Yet, this brief account of Jesus’ life remains relevant to us today.
Humanity has faced immense challenges and suffering, particularly from those who reject the path of our Savior.
On the other hand, for those who embrace Jesus’ attitudes, teachings, and actions, there has been hope, peace, and restoration.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It can be found on the Bob Spradling YouTube channel.
Real Voices 