Joseph's Warning to Flee to Egypt Matthew 2:13

Matthew shared what happened when the “wise men”, “ heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way”, and in chapter two and verse thirteen of his book, Matthew shares about an “angel” that came to “Joseph” and told him to “flee into Egypt” where we read:

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I bring you word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

The verse reads, “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, ...” Matthew began with the words, “and when” which means “and at the time and moment” “they were departed” or “the wise men left and took another way home”, “behold” or “lo and see”, “the angel” which means “the messenger, envoy and 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 “shined, became evident to and was exposed” “to Joseph” or “the husband of Mary whose name means let him add” “in a dream” which means “in a mental imagery”. As soon as the “wise men” left for home, God sent an “angel” to Joseph in a “dream”.

The verse continues, “... saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt,” Matthew added the word, “saying” which means “uttering, proclaiming and declaring”, “arise” or “arouse, rise up and wake up”, “and take” which means “and join to yourself” “the young child” or “the little boy or toddler” “and his mother” or “Mary who was Jesus' mother”, “and flee” which means “seek safety by flight, escape safely out of danger and vanish” “into Egypt” or “to the country occupying the northeast angle of Africa and means double straits”. Matthew recorded how Joseph was instructed to wake up, gather his family and escape to the country of “Egypt”.

Finally the verse says, “for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” The verse ends with the word, “for” which means “because, since and on account of” “Herod” or “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, and he at length overcame the great opposition which the country made to him and took possession of the kingdom B.C. 37 whose name means heroic” “will seek” which means “will strive for, aim at, require, crave and demand” “the young child” or “the little boy or toddler” “to destroy him” which means “to kill, render useless, perish, put out of the way entirely and abolish the little boy”. The “angel's” reason for Joseph to “flee” with his wife and son was because “Herod” would attempt to “kill” the little boy.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we discover the horribleness of this wicked king Herod. His motive for discovering the “little child” who was the “King of the Jews” was to “destroy” Him. God had other plans, and because God knew in advance what “Herod” wanted to do, He warned Joseph in a dream. God would have His Son Jesus the Messiah to be the “Christ” to the world, and no one, including “king Herod” would be able to eliminate Him. God desires to have a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they yield their lives to Him, they shall be “saved”, receive His provision and protection and inherit “everlasting life”.

Next time Matthew shares how Joseph, “took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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