Matthew 2:13-18
The Escape to Egypt
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” (Hosea 11:1)
16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A cry was heard in Ramah—
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead.”
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead.”
More prophecy fulfilled. Verse 18 is from Jeremiah 31:15
This is what the Lord says:
"A voice is heard in Ramah,
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
"A voice is heard in Ramah,
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
We saw this killing of innocent children under the age of two elsewhere in the Bible. Remember Moses' humble beginnings? In Exodus 1 Pharaoh, after hearing a deliverer would be born that would free the Israelites from slavery, ordered all baby boys born be thrown into the Nile River.
Moses was a fully human deliverer chosen by God to deliver His people. It took Moses 80 years of preparation to fulfill Gods purpose for his life. Moses rescued the Israelites from Egypt. Then, because the weren't faithful to God, the Israelites wandered in the desert 40 years until that generation was gone. Likewise, Moses was not allowed to enter the promise land because He doubted God.
In contrast Jesus was fully human and fully God. Jesus' 33 years of life was in preparation for His purpose, to die on the cross for our sins. He escaped to Egypt (Hosea 11:1). Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the desert preparing for His ministry. He came to deliver the Jews but they rejected Him so He went to the Gentiles and preached His message of salvation.
And who were the gentiles? Non Jews, those who did not believe in the God of Isreal. Interesting the word "Gentile" translates from "people of the world". That still translates today. If you are not following Jesus, you're living for the world, the earthly ways, possessions, money and self.
Like the Israelites who doubted God, we can't enter Heaven if we doubt Jesus.
Matthew 7:13-14
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Dont let history repeat itself again.
Blessings, Cecilia
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