Matthew 2:13-18
Jesus and His
Family Flee to Egypt
Matthew 2:13–15
13After they [the wise men] were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph† in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to destroy Him.” 14So he got up, took the child and His mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”[1]
[1]
Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp.
22–23). Holman Bible Publishers.
Return to Nazareth
After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up and flee to Egypt with the baby and his mother," the angel said, "and stay there until I tell you to return, for King Herod is going to try to kill the child." That same night he left for Egypt with Mary and the baby, and stayed there until King Herod's death. This fulfilled the prophet's prediction,
"I have called my Son from Egypt."
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
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This was the second dream or vision that Joseph received from God. Joseph's first dream had revealed that Mary's child would be the Messiah (1:20-21). His second dream told him how to protect the child's life. Although Joseph was not Jesus' natural father, he was Jesus' legal father and was responsible for his safety and well-being. Divine guidance comes only to prepared hearts. Joseph remained receptive to God's guidance. How willing are you to listen to God? When you know what God wants, are you willing to follow his instructions?
Going to Egypt was not unusual because there were colonies of Jews in several major Egyptian cities. These colonies had developed during the time of the great captivity (see Jeremiah 43-44).
Herod Orders Slaughter
Matthew 2:16-18
Slaughter of
Innocent Children by Herod
Matthew 2:16–18
16Then Herod, when he saw that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the male children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. 17Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be consoled, because they were no more.”[1]
[1]
Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (p. 23).
Holman Bible Publishers.
Herod was furious when he learned that the astrologers had disobeyed him. Sending soldiers to Bethlehem, he ordered them to kill every baby boy two years old and under, both in the town and on the nearby farms, for the astrologers had told him the star first appeared to them two years before. This brutal action of Herod's fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah:
Screams of anguish come from Ramah,
Weeping unrestrained;
Rachel weeping for her children,
Uncomforted—
For they are dead.
- God is
... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are
... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- I will ...
What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How will I
- You can
... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others
by social media links at the bottom of this.
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