January 11
“Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 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.’ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 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. 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.
Eventually, what is reported about individuals – including people in government and people in the fields of science and education – who have tried to dethrone God, and in particular, Jesus Christ the Son of God? Sooner or later, the report is, “They are dead!”
When puny little people kick up a storm and think that they can dethrone God, they make God laugh! A thousand years before Jesus was born, the psalmist wrote of such people and said, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision,” Psalm 2:4. Those words of the psalmist were fulfilled by Pontius Pilate and another King Herod, as it is reported in Acts 4:23-27.
After Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, “Those who sought the young Child’s life are dead!” Joseph was told to return to the land of Israel, which he promptly did. However, when he learned that Archelaus, Herod’s son, was ruling in Judea, he was afraid. Archelaus was as wicked as his father, or even more so. Again, God intervened through a dream, and directed the family to Galilee. They went and dwelt in Nazareth.
Matthew closes with the words, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” We cannot point to any one specific verse in the Old Testament to which the reference is being made. Matthew uses the word, ‘prophets,’ in the plural, and evidently is referring to something spoken in general. Beyond this, we do not have an exact explanation.
The lesson for us to learn from the Scripture quoted above is to follow God’s direction as Joseph did. God told him what to do, and he did it! Following God’s direction in the first place means that we believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and our Savior. When Jesus was asked by certain ones, “‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” John 6:28-29. If you want to do works that are pleasing to God, they must be works that flow from faith. “We love Him because He first loved us,” 1 John 4:19.
The Bible quotes only one thing that Joseph ever said: “He called His name Jesus,” Matthew 1:25. This was done at His circumcision – “His name was called Jesus,” Luke 2:21. Joseph is always presented as a “thinking” man, one who listened to the Lord and then acted accordingly. What an example to follow! Search the Scriptures and then follow God’s will.
The Savior stands with outstretched arms, inviting, pleading, and calling: “Come to Me!” Come to Him, believe and trust in Him as God’s Son and the Savior who suffered, died, and rose again to conquer sin, death, and the devil, and then you can say, “Heaven is my home!”
Savior, I follow on, guided by Thee, Seeing not yet the hand that leadeth me.
Hushed be my heart and still, fear I no further ill, Only to meet Thy will my will shall be.
Riven the rock for me thirst to relieve, Manna from heaven falls fresh ev’ry eve.
Never a want severe causeth my eye a tear, But Thou dost whisper near, “Only believe.” Amen.