Weekly Devotion no 38
18 December 2020
Bible reading – Matthew 2:13-18[1]
13 When the Wise Men had left, Joseph had a dream. In the dream an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph. “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you to come back. Herod is going to search for the child. He wants to kill him.”
14 So Joseph got up. During the night, he left for Egypt with the child and his mother Mary. 15 They stayed there until King Herod died. So the words the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true. He had said, “I brought my son out of Egypt.”[1]
16 Herod realized that the Wise Men had
tricked him. So he became very angry. He gave orders about Bethlehem and the
area around it. He ordered all the boys two years old and under to be killed.
This agreed with the time when the Wise Men had seen the star. 17 In
this way, the words Jeremiah the prophet spoke came true. He had said,
18 “A voice is heard in Ramah.
It’s the sound of crying and deep sadness.
Rachel is crying over her children.
She refuses to be comforted,
because they are gone.”[2]
Reflection
I wonder if Joseph was used to the angel visits by now, or if it was still an overwhelming experience? The first time the angel had told him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife even though she was pregnant. But this time, the angel is seeking to convey a sense of danger in Joseph to spur him into action to protect the baby. Notice that the angel reiterates that Joseph is not the father of this child, and yet he is charged with protecting the baby.
And Joseph takes the angel at his word, realises the urgency of the request, and escapes with Mary and Jesus during the night. Joseph continued to act honourably and obediently in relation to this child and his wife.
Matthew’s reference to the prophet Hosea reminds us of the way that God had delivered his people from Egypt many years previously under the covenant he had made with them. Jesus, under the new covenant, would deliver his people out of darkness into light.
The murderous and paranoid Herod had worked out how old the child who the wise men had told him had been born to be King of the Jews. He also knew the child had been born in Bethlehem. So he had ordered all boys under 2 years or age to be killed. The size of Bethlehem at the time probably meant this was about 20-30 children who were killed. This is the act of a desperate man – slaughtering innocent babies in case they might threaten his position of power. God’s people have known grief and pain before and so the pain of this slaughter was nothing new. It was distressing and traumatic for those affected.
Joseph had to go to
extraordinary lengths to protect the life of the child born to his wife – a life
that was under threat and opposition right from birth. But God was guiding him
and leading him, reminding him that he need not be afraid. May we too be obedient
to God’s calling and live lives that honour him, knowing that we are children
of the new covenant living in the light of Jesus.
Hymn
Verse 1
The race that long in darkness pined
have seen a glorious light;
the people dwell in day, who dwelt
in death’s surrounding night.
Verse 2
To us a Child of hope is
born:
to us a Son is given:
him shall the tribes of earth obey,
him all the hosts of heaven.
Verse 3
His name shall be the Prince of Peace,
for evermore adored:
the Wonderful, the Counsellor,
the great and mighty Lord.
Verse 4
His power increasing still
shall spread,
his reign no end shall know:
justice shall guard his throne above,
and peace abound below.
Prayer
O Lord,
raise up your power
and come among us,
and with great might
succour us,
that, whereas through
our sins and wickedness
we are sore let and
hindered
in running the race
that is set before us,
your bountiful grace
and mercy
may speedily help and
deliver us;
through your Son our
Lord,
to whom with you and
the Holy Spirit
be honour and glory,
now and for ever. Amen.
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