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After the Magi had left, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said, “Herod will be looking for the child in order to kill him. So get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave. Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and left during the night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died. This was done to make come true what the Lord had said through the prophet, “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

When Herod realized that the visitors from the East had tricked him, he was furious. He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its neighborhood who were two years old and younger-this was done in accordance with what he had learned from the visitors about the time the star had appeared.

In this way what the prophet Jeremiah had said came true:

“A sound heard in Ramah, the sound of bitter weeping. Rachel is crying for her children; she refuses to be comforted, for they are dead.

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother to go back to the land of Israel, because those who tried to kill the child are dead. So Joseph got up, took the child and his mother and went back to Israel.

 

Matthew is the only one of the four Gospels who told this story. It’s only been a few days ago that we celebrated the birth of Jesus. The Wise Men’s visit probably took place two years later. The child, Mary and Joseph were still living in Bethlehem. Upon the news of Herod killing all the baby boys two years and younger, an angel told Joseph to get up and go to Egypt in the middle of the night. This was done to protect Jesus from being killed. Joseph never question God, he immediately obeyed the instructions given to him.

Several years later after Herod died, Joseph got another visit from the angel to get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel. He immediately followed the orders.

Joseph didn’t question God, he just did what he was told. He had faith that God knew what He was doing. Joseph was chosen to be Jesus’ earthly father, to protect him and follow God’s plan. God had the plan for Jesus from the beginning of time. God was at work in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Egypt. He is also at work in our lives. It’s not our place to know everything about how God work. It’s our job to follow, like Joseph in faithful obedience.

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for having a plan for our lives, even when don’t understand what you are up to. Help us to trust and obey that your plan is always good.

Jeanne Palumbo jeannelpalumbo@gmail.com

 

Pray for people that don’t know God and that His plans are always good.