Out of Egypt

(Matthew 2:19-23 below)

We don't know exactly when this happens, it states that Jesus is still a child. Herod has died and his plan of doing away with Jesus has failed. God sends and angel to speak to Joseph again - twice to be exact. The angel lets Joseph know that all is well, you can go back. Upon arriving in Israel, Joseph is told of danger since Herod's son is ruling in his former area. Under advisement from the angel in a dream, Joseph settles in Nazereth.

Nazereth - the Nazarene people - what is particular about this? Once again, God takes what people thinks should be and turns it upside down. Jesus, the King of the Jews is to be raised in Nazereth, a place that the Jews looked down upon as a poor area and thought that the people were not “pure” Jews. Jesus’ father was a carpenter. His family was not rich. Once again, God is showing - it's not where you're from, it's not who you know, it's not what you do, it's what you allow God to do with you, just where you are, as who you are and in all you do.

Joseph also shows us once again the value of listening to God. Joseph most likely didn't want to go to Egypt. He sees later the value in God's leading. He then most likely doesn't want to go to Nazereth, yet seeing Jesus grow and mature there speaks volumes of God's plan to Joseph.

We see here an often repeated refrain in God's Word. God leads us to places we don't understand, puts us places that aren't overly glamorous and God usually turns the world on its ear when it comes to choosing who, when and where His work will be done.

Is God leading you somewhere today? Does it not seem to make sense? Look backward at times of stress or difficulties you have survived in your life. Do you as I see deliverance in ways that we couldn't have even imagined to pray for? That's God's plan - God's working in us. Let us look forward with the same amount of trust in God's future for us as we have in knowing how He has successfully led us through our past.

19After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."
21So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."