December 22 – Egypt
13 After they were gone, an angel of the Lord 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 kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He 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.
The Massacre of the Innocents
16 Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. Matthew 2:13-16
Egypt (December 22)
Not everything about the Christmas story is warm fuzzies, hot cocoa, and Hallmark movies. Yes, we get to enjoy those joyful moments. It is fun to look at Christmas lights, indulge in yummy sweets, and sing Christmas carols.
During the Christmas season, we almost always focus exclusively on the miraculous birth of the Christ Child. The angel visits. The virgin birth. Fulfilled prophecy. The worship of the shepherds. The travels of the wise men.
Danger
We think of the danger Jesus was in during the last days of His life. Of conspiracies and betrayal. Of trial, judgment, torture, and death. But, we think of those bad things at Easter time, right before we focus on the miraculous resurrection.
However, Jesus was a wanted man before he ever grew up to be a man. The Jewish King Herod was mad with his desire to attain and retain power. His behavior in the Bible is underhanded, resentful, murderous, angry, and downright evil.
Who will seek Him?
The prophecy had been there for centuries. The promised King of Kings would be born in Bethlehem of Judah through the line of the family of David. A star would accompany His birth. His mother would be a virgin. If Herod had wanted to, he could have read and sought out the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Yet, it was the wise men from far away who poured over the scriptures and prophecies of the Jewish people to learn of the promised Messiah. They, as men with power and wealth themselves, naturally came to the most powerful man in the region to find out more information when they came to find the Messiah.
An Evil King
When the wise men meet King Herod, he acts as if he is longing for the Messiah too. He puts on a false face and says he wants to worship at the feet of the Christ Child when what he really wants is to destroy any threat to His power.
God warns the wise men and they never inform Herod of Jesus’ identity. Enraged by being thwarted from his desires by these foreigners, he does something unimaginable.
Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. Matthew 2:16
Forewarned
Nonetheless, all of this was no surprise to God. Jeremiah, the prophet, told the Israelites that this day would come.
A voice was heard in Ramah,
a lament with bitter weeping—
Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted for her children
because they are no more. Jeremiah 31:15
Because God knew, He protected Jesus by warning Joseph.
After they were gone, an angel of the Lord 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 kill him.” Matthew 2:13
Imagine the scene: Joseph has a dream where an angel tells him to get up right away and leave everything and everyone he knows because someone he has never met (and is far beyond his own social circle) wants to kill his son. I would wonder if I had eaten something strange to cause such a bizarre dream. And if my husband came to me with that dream, I would tell him to go back to sleep.
Unquestioning Obedience
Joseph doesn’t argue or hem and haw about this dream. Mary doesn’t argue with him or pout and try to stay where she has a support system for raising her small child. Rather, they obey without question.
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. 15 He 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. Matthew 2:14-15
Provision and Protection
Through obedience, Joseph and Mary open up the door to the provision and protection of God in their lives. Some scholars say that the great value of the gifts of the wise men funded the family’s escape to Egypt and time there.
Think about that for a moment, God started the wise men on a path to provide for the provision and protection of the Jesus long before the Child was born. Their obedience made it possible for Joseph and Mary to shield the Messiah from harm. Obedience yields protection and provision.
A Principle Designed by God
This is a principle designed by God that is still true today. When we obey God, we keep ourselves within His will. When we are in His will, we are in the place of provision and protection.
Obeying when it doesn’t makes sense, makes us feel foolish, or seems irrational allows God to get the glory. Spending valuable gifts from the wise men on a trip to Egypt had to seem irrational and foolish to their family friends; that is, until they saw what Herod did and how Jesus was protected from it.
December 22 Devotional Action Step:
Can you see the protection and provision of God in your life right now? Is there something He has asked you to do that you are arguing with Him about in your spirit or dragging your heels on because you really don’t want to? Is that disobedience sliding you out from under the protection and provision of God’s will?
It is time for us to submit and obey, even when it is inconvenient, costly, irrational, or makes us look foolish. It is hard. Sometimes painful. People that we love may try to convince us not to obey.
Life is not all about warm fuzzies and comfort. Sometimes we have to make those hard decisions to step into God’s protection and provision in our lives.
Prayer:
Dear God, open my eyes to areas I have yet to submit to You and obey You in my life, but also reveal to me all the amazing ways you have been providing for me and protecting me. Thank You for all You have done for me! In Jesus’ name, amen.
Access to the other posts in this series and the free printables for this December can be found at the Series Overview page. Come join me as I pursue the peace and joy on the Savior’s birth throughout the month of December!