Herod Dead and Another Dream Matthew 2:19

Matthew shared what happened when Herod, “saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not”, and in chapter two and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew shared how, “an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph” again where we read:

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

The verse reads, “ But when Herod was dead, ...” Matthew began with the word, “but” which means “moreover and” “when Herod” or “at the time and moment Herod whose name means heroic and was the name of a royal family that flourished among the Jews in the times of Christ and the Apostles. Herod the Great was the son of Antipater of Idumaea. Appointed king of Judaea B.C. 40 by the Roman Senate at the suggestion of Antony and with the consent of Octavian, he at length overcame the great opposition which the country made to him and took possession of the kingdom B.C. 37” “was dead” or “was decease and no longer living and finished in life”. Matthew began to present what happened when “Herod” died.

The verse continues, “... behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,” Matthew added the word, “behold” which means “lo and see”, “an angel” or “a messenger, envoy or one sent” “of the Lord” or “belonging to he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah” “appeared” which means “was resplendent, exposed to view and able to be seen” “in a dream” or “in mental imagery” “to Joseph” which refers to “to the husband of Mary whose name means let him add” “in Egypt” or “within the country occupying the northeast angle of Africa which means double straits”. Matthew shared how “an angel” from God “appeared to Joseph” while he and his family were living in “Egypt”.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how God had a plan for the preservation of His Messiah Son Jesus by fleeing from Herod in Egypt, but when Herod died, “an angel” appeared to give His earthly father further direction. God desired to “save” mankind from the penalty of death which is the result of sin, and when Jesus was to be the “Savior and Lord” to all who believe in Him, nothing and no one who would alter God's plan. Let all who read these words think about how far God has gone to bring and keep His Messiah Son Jesus in the world.

Next time Matthew shares how the “angel” told Joseph to, “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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