To Read: Matthew 2:19-23
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Again, the angel guides their steps, this time inviting them back to Israel. And yet, more danger is lurking because of the rise of Archelaus. He was known for similar cruelty as his father, but unlike Herod, he did not even attempt to earn the favor of the Jews, he was hated by them from the moment he stepped into power. He was quickly sent to rule in another part of the Roman Empire by Caesar Augustus, emperor at the time. But this fear landed this family in Nazareth, which is near the Sea of Galilee. There is no particular OT reference here for “he shall be called a Nazarene,” but rather Matthew adopts the theme of the Suffering Servant prophecies, that this Messiah would be despised and rejected, much like the town of Nazareth. It also fulfills the anticipation of Isaiah 9 – that the light would come by “way of the sea, the Galilee of the nations.”
Jesus fulfills the prophecy that he would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and that he would be from Galilee (Isaiah 9), despised and rejected from birth, and having nothing by him materially that we would esteem him highly (Isaiah 53). He was fully prepared to take on all the hardships in life, and he would do so without the grumbling that would characterize God’s people in the wilderness generation. He would obey his Father perfectly and fulfill all the plans made by the Father to bring salvation to the earth.
Look at the faithfulness of Mary and Joseph, however. Jesus is God in the flesh, Immanuel, so we expect that obedience from him – but here we have a very normal, non-God-like couple in Israel who obey the Lord, facing shame for an unwed pregnancy, moving away to Egypt, then back to Nazareth. They are putting all their trust in the Lord and serve as good examples for God’s people today, who may face adverse circumstances – follow the Lord, follow his lead, and give him thanks for always being with us.
Song to Sing: O Little Town of Bethlehem
This beautiful song began as a poem first printed in 1868 in Philadelphia, the song was inspired by the desperate need for peace in the wake of the Civil War. I love these words:
Yet in thy dark streets shinethThe everlasting lightThe hopes and fears of all the yearsAre met in thee tonight
There are certainly plenty of hopes and fears surrounding us; and yet, they’ve met their match in this night – the light has come and no fear can dispel that brightness.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, comfort us now. Be with us as we consider what is bleak and what is hard – remind us of how much you love us by pointing us to Jesus, who suffered along with us. Let us then turn to joy, remembering we have to be thankful for, and remind us of the hope we have for eternity with the Lord. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Echoes of Eden: Think of the most beautiful place you’ve seen – a beach, or some rocky cliff in the British Isles – thank the Lord for travel, for airplanes and boats, and ways to get around this beautiful planet.