WHEN CHRISTMAS CAME TO EGYPT
Scripture Reference: Matthew 2.13-15
ILLUSTRATION
When I was growing up in East Saint Louis, around this time of the year I developed what I call a new profession.
I had chores around the house that I was responsible for, but this job was not mom-appointed, but rather self-appointed.
The job --- super detective --- I would go on a mission to find out where my parents have hid the Christmas presents. I would until they would go off to work and then I would go to work.
I’d look in hallway closets, under beds, and inside of attics. I was on a mission to find out if they bought me what I ask for. I even had a staff of two – my younger brothers helping me out.
One Christmas year, I found them stashed in my parents’ room way back in the closet behind some old clothes. I pulled them down and began to sort through them looking for the ones with my name on them.
I’d shake them, feel them, and hold them up to the light to see if there was any hint to what was behind the wrapping paper.
After moments spent doing that, I would carefully put them back the way I found them and covering them back up and leave the room remembering the shapes and sizes of the presents.
I was excited because I knew come Christmas morning there was a gift with my name on it. I couldn’t wait to get it open because the gift on the inside would bring life to kid on the outside.
I’ve got some good news for you this morning. I am excited for some of you this morning because Christmas is coming.
I just came to tell you that there is a gift with your name on it, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid out in a manager, and it’s got your name it.
You don’t have to look very far or dig very deep. It’s as close to you as your Bible and it’s got your name on it. That unspeakable gift is Jesus Christ.
The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. The Bible calls Him, "the unspeakable gift!"
TRANSITION
It was the middle of the night, and Joseph was sleeping, when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.
Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” The wise men from the east had just visited Jesus. They had told King Herod that they were on their way to visit the one who was born King of the Jews, and this bothered Herod.
He was the King of the Jews, or so he thought. He wondered if this newborn child would be a threat to his throne. The wise men didn’t return like he thought they would, and this upset him.
Any threat to his position of power must be eliminated. And so very soon, maybe even the next day, Herod would send his soldiers into Bethlehem to massacre all boys under the age of two.
“Get up, Joseph,” the angel said. “Get out of here as fast as you possibly can.” Satan was behind this whole thing – this was his first attempt to assassinate the Messiah.
And so Joseph got up in the middle of the night, and he and Jesus and Mary made their way to Egypt. They were sent to Egypt.
They were sent to Egypt. Why would they be called upon to go there? Egypt, the only other place aside from Jerusalem that is mentioned at least once in almost every book of the Bible.
Egypt, the place where Hagar, the handmaid of Sarah Abraham’s wife was from.
Egypt, the place where Joseph, the Bible’s most successful single was sold into slavery by his brothers.
Egypt, the place where Jacob and all of his family moved during a famine in Canaan and lived under the rule of Joseph who was then second in command under Pharaoh.
Egypt, the place where Pharaoh ordered the destruction of hundreds of Hebrew male children to stall the rapid growth of nation dwelling in the land.
Egypt, the place where Moses was born a Hebrew, raised as an Egyptian, fled as a Hebrew, but returned as a deliverer of God’s people.
Egypt, the place where God performed signs, wonders, and miracles before the Egyptians so that they would know they were not gods and before Israel so that they would know that there was a true God.
Egypt, the places were Israel was delivered, redeemed by the hand of Almighty God.
Four hundred years of oppression – delivered.
Four hundred years of working at building Pharaoh’s house – delivered.
Four hundred years of making bricks for temples and gold for idols – delivered.
Four hundred years of between them and the promise land – delivered.
Four hundred years of whips, chains, and cruel taskmasters – delivered.
Four hundred years of under someone else’s fears, doubts, and intimidations – delivered.
Four hundred years of suppressed faith, undercover worship, and secret prayer meetings – delivered.
But those of us who are most familiar with the story know that while Israel was delivered up out of Egypt, Egypt never fully was delivered out of them.
This was the place that God reminded Israel well over 20 times his deliverance:
Levitcus 11:45. For I am the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You must therefore be holy, for I am holy.’’
Numbers 15: 41. For I am Jehovah your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt; yes, I am the Lord, your God.’’
Deuteronomy 5:15. Why should you keep the Sabbath? It is because you were slaves in Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out with a great display of miracles.
Psalms 81:10. For it was I, Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Only test me! Open your mouth wide and see if I won’t fill it. You will receive every blessing you can use!
This place according to multiple Scripture references about it was called Great Dragon, Great of Flesh, an Iron Furnace. Wisdom flowed beyond its’ rivers, War was it strength and might, and Wealth was its playground.
But it would forever be locked up in Scriptures as a place of bondage, oppression, pride, arrogance, idolatry, and sinfulness. God told Isaiah to walk about naked and barefooted for three years to symbolize His judgment against them for their pride and arrogance.
Isaiah 20:3. Then the Lord said, My servant Isaiah, who has been walking naked and barefoot for the last three years, is a symbol of the terrible troubles I will bring upon Egypt and Ethiopia.
The land of bondage. The land that represented all that was pagan and sinful. Why would they be called upon to go there? Could not God protect this tiny infant and his earthly family? Where were the angels now? Where was the glory they had just experienced?
Moses had to flee from Egypt for his life, so that later he could return and lead his people out of Egypt into freedom. So now, in reverse, Jesus has to flee into Egypt for his life, so that later he can return from Egypt and save his people.
As you reflect this morning on the passing Holiday Season and on the events of the year, let me direct your attention to far weightier matters. Many have experienced great heights in God.
You’ve “been on the mountain with Jesus”. You have seen things in the Spirit, and in the Word that have greatly impacted your life. You have received definite direction from God for your life.
God has used you in mighty and wonderful ways. But the glory of those times, and of your dreams has become a distant memory. You feel you have been sent to Egypt. You feel you are in a land of bondage.
You do not see the plans God gave you ever coming to fruition. You are living AFTER THE GLORY. What is next , you do not know. That is what I have come to tell you today.
We do not always live on the “mountain top”. There are times we go through valleys. There are valleys of depression, of indecision, of lost focus, of deep questioning. But God’s plan is never to leave us in the valley.
He uses them to lead us into greater glory, into greater service, into stronger anointing, into larger influence, into deeper relationship with Him. Past glories are not all you will ever see. God has greater plans for your life!
Just as we are changed “from glory to glory”, so God desires to lead us from glory to glory. Persevere through the Egypt experience.
God has a way of bringing out and bringing you through. Just wait ‘till you see what is on the other side!
Listen, believers are in Egypt, yet Egypt doesn’t have to be in you. Throughout Scripture Egypt is a type of the world and it symbolizes enslavement and bondage. We are called out of the world now and we are called out of the world eternally.
I. Protection in Egypt
13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
A. The WARNING (v.13).
1. It is probable that all the events in the middle of chapter 2 (The magi’s meeting with Herod, the adoration of the magi, their departure to their own country and Joseph’s warning) took place on the same night.
2. The magi had visited at night, bestowing their costly gifts. As "they departed" by God’s instructions, Mary and Joseph lay in their bed, wondering at all these things. Their joy was cut short by a divine message.
3. Like when assuring Joseph about Mary’s child (1:20), "an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream."
4. Joseph was told to "flee" with Jesus and Mary. "Flee" comes from the Gk. word pheugo from which we get "fugitive." It means "one who escapes from something or someone." It is in the present imperative meaning that it is to be continued. We might paraphrase, "Don’t stop, but keep on running until to you get to Egypt."
5. The reason for this sudden warning was that "Herod will seek... to destroy Him." Jesus had come into the world to save sinners and He had barely arrived before sinners tried to destroy Him.
6. What a twist, that Moses was hidden by the Jews from the Egyptians and Jesus was hidden from the Jews by the Egyptians.
II. Prophecy in Egypt
15. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
1. All these things happened "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet." The prophet was Hosea.
2. The Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to include a line for Hosea 11:1, "Out of Egypt I called My son."
3. Hosea’s line was primarily a historical comment that spoke of God delivering His "son" Israel from slavery in Egypt some 700 years earlier. 700 years after Hosea penned those words, God used them to prophetically speak of Christ who would be called "from Egypt."
4. Herod’s threat was no surprise and no problem for God. Hundreds of years before Herod had been born God’s plan was in place.
III. Provision in Egypt
11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
A. The FLIGHT (vv.14-15a).
1. The first word of the angelic warning was "Arise!" Joseph "arose." Can you imagine them scrambling around the little home trying to decide what was essential and what could be left behind?
2. Joseph took Jesus and Mary and left "by night." Probably that same night the Magi were leaving for the East, this little family left for Egypt.
3. They "departed to Egypt." It was some 75 miles to the Egyptian border and probably another 100 miles to a place of safety. We don’t know if they had animals or walked. Imagine traveling with a baby.
4. They stayed in Egypt "until the death of Herod."
a. We know little of their stay in Egypt. Most likely they stayed in Alexandria where there was a large Jewish settlement.
b. It is likely that the expensive gifts of the magi provided their needs during this time.
CONCLUSION
