Egypt

 

Chapter 27 Egypt

From Other Little Ships

"When the Wise Men had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." Matthew 2:13-15

From the shock, recoil, embarrassment, and adjustment of an unexpected pregnancy to the elation and jubilation of birth, shepherds, stars, Wise Men and splendid gifts. Now fleeing a psychotic mass murderer.

Let's admire this young couple just a little bit more. And let's wonder at God.

God was obviously willing to go to any lengths, to do anything necessary, to save us. And obviously there is a great cost to those whom God calls upon to be instruments of His great salvation.

Let's remind ourselves that this story was carefully planned in eternity past. God's not just spinning material out of whole cloth. Matthew actually quotes from the prophet Hosea (Hosea 11:1) in this confidence. Four hundred years before Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were born God knew that this trip to Egypt would be an absolutely essential part of His master plan.

Joseph, leading a donkey into the night . . . . again.

We sing about a crowded city, no room in the inn, and birth in a stable. We don’t sing about trouping in the dark to a foreign land where they don't speak the language, they don't know anyone, they had no contacts, no references, and no idea what was in store.

I wonder if Joseph knew about that verse in Hosea.

Joseph, that baby you're helping God protect is farther away from home than you are. He's more "out of place." But you're saving Him so that He can save you. And me.

Thanks. And you too, Mary.

And God . . . . where do you want ME to take Jesus?