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.
Flee to Egypt
Matthew 2:13-15 Now when they 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.”
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.
The murder of perhaps as many as 20 boys under two in Bethlehem is not known in any other record, but due to Herod’s similar murderous abuse is very plausible. Jesus and His parents became stateless refugees. We cannot look self-righteously at Herod. All nations have a history of atrocities.
Massacre of the Innocents
Matthew 2:16-18 “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.’”
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, and live by the same legal standards. God watches for the welfare of the foreigner and other disadvantaged groups.
God will bless a people that does not oppress the foreigners among them. 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 and their citizenship is in heaven.
One of the saddest stories of Christmas is the murder of the 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 wrong people, the innocent children who had nothing to do with the crime, but are just as much victims as the mothers were. We decry terrorism, but are guilty of our own homegrown terrorism against the innocents.
The Home in Nazareth
Matthew 2:19-23 “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.”
Jesus returned to provincial town Nazareth and later from there as an adult, began a ministry telling of the good news of peace. Jesus was despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:2-3, Isaiah 53:7-9, Isaiah 53:12; Psalm 22) as were people from Nazareth (John 1:46; John 7:52).
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.
Readings
Isaiah 63:7-9
I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord And the praises of the Lord, According to all that the Lord has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses. 8 For He said, “Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie.” So He became their Savior. 9 In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old.
This passage is about to be fulfilled as a Savior is born. The Jews had betrayed God many times, each time suffering for it. In Jesus, the incarnate Lord of the Hebrew Scriptures became the Savior that they seek, revealing His lovingkindnesses, great goodness, mercies, His love and His pity.
Psalm 148
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! 2 Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! 3 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! 4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of the Lord, For He commanded and they were created. 6 He also established them forever and ever; He made a decree which shall not pass away. 7 Praise the Lord from the earth, You great sea creatures and all the depths; 8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; 9 Mountains and all hills; Fruitful trees and all cedars; 10 Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and flying fowl; 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; 12 Both young men and maidens; Old men and children. 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven. 14 And He has exalted the horn of His people, The praise of all His saints—Of the children of Israel, A people near to Him. Praise the Lord!
Citing visible evidence, one of the culminating Psalms is filled with praise for the Maker of all things. Even in our vociferously naturalistic world, the creation loudly voices praise for its Creator.
Hebrews 2:10-18
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” 13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.”
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
This tells us who Jesus is and what He has done, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Salvation is a rescue mission from heaven, only made possible because Jesus was willing to call us His brothers and sisters and suffer like us.
New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Matthew 2:13-23 in Rhyme
To Joseph an angel appeared,
In Egypt, safety is assured
Stay there until I bring you word
Herod wanted no children spared
So by night they left for Egypt
And stayed ‘til the death of Herod
Fulfilling prophecy begun,
“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
When Herod saw the wise men flee
He went on a child murder spree
Fulfilling what the prophet said,
Lamentation through Ramah spread
When Herod died, an angel said
You can go back home, Herod’s dead
Fulfilling prophecy foreseen
“He shall be called a Nazarene.”
