Jesus As Refugee

Mistreatment of others is part of every nation’s history. Let’s recognize humanity’s mistreatment of foreigners and innocent children, and Jesus as the world’s only hope, in Matthew 2:13-23.

Fleeing to Egypt

Now when they [the wise men] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” 14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” (Matthew 2:13-15 NKJV)

We are confronted by the fact that peace on earth is not yet here, not even in the church. Instead, the news was of yet another brutal monarch killing people, children under two years of age. Jesus’ family fled to Egypt. Jesus identified from childhood with all who suffer persecution.

Prejudice against the Bible as a historic record dismisses Herod’s massacre of the innocents as an unsupported myth. Yet, much of ancient history is only found in one place. Herod’s murder of several boys under two in Bethlehem is only recorded in Matthew. Other historical records do show this as typical of Herod, who also murdered many others including a wife and three sons. As a result, Jesus and His parents became stateless refugees.

Massacre of the Innocents

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:16-18 NKJV)

Human history is filled with refugees fleeing atrocities. Jesus was a foreigner in Egypt and later in Nazareth. Under God’s law, He reminded them that uncircumcised foreigners must be given the same poverty relief as a native born citizen (Deuteronomy 10:18-21), and live by the same legal standard (Numbers 15:13-16). God watches for the welfare of the foreigner and other disadvantaged groups (Psalm 146:9).

God will bless a people that does not oppress foreigners (Jeremiah 7:5-7). In the New Testament we are told that God will speak the Gospel through foreigners, but Christians of all nations are not foreigners to each other, though foreigners to the world. Their citizenship is in heaven.

One of the saddest stories of Christmas is the murder of little children. We decry the senseless murder of innocent children at a school shooting and the perverted treatment of little ones in child porn and then turn a blind eye to the greatest abuse of our children, abortion.

We kill innocent children mostly for convenience. We abhor rape yet punish the innocent children who had nothing to do with the crime. We decry terrorism, but terrorize innocent children. Let’s turn from this evil and ask God for forgiveness. He is merciful and forgives those who repent.

When Christians support those who oppress and deny refuge to hungry and persecuted immigrants who are only seeking a free and safe place to live, they are sinning. Throughout the Bible, foreigners, aliens and strangers are to be treated well (Exodus 22:21; 23:9; Leviticus 19:33-34; 25:35-37; Deuteronomy 10:18-19; 24:14-17; 23:16; 27:19; Psalm 146:9; Jeremiah 7:6; 22:3; Ezekiel 22:7; 47:22-23; Zechariah 7:10; Malachi 3:5; Matthew 25:43; Ephesians 2:19; Hebrews 11:13; 13:2).

The Home in Nazareth

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:19-23 NKJV)

Jesus moved to the provincial town of Nazareth and later from there as an adult, began a ministry telling of the good news of peace. Jesus lived in Nazareth among a people despised and rejected (John 1:46; 7:52) and He too was eventually despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:2-3, 7-9, 12; Psalm 22) .