The Messiah - Part 13

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
Hosea 11:1

This is another double prophecy. The children of Israel abode in Egypt one time for over 400 years. They went there to escape a severe famine in the land of Canaan. Joseph was second ruler to Pharaoh and encouraged his father and brethren to dwell close by in the land of Goshen. After the death of Joseph and his brethren a king arose over Egypt who didn't know Joseph and had no regard for the children of Israel. Pharaoh grew to fear them because they multiplied so rapidly that he was afraid they would join the enemy and fight against them. He made them serve as slaves for 400 years until God had seen His people suffer enough and raised up Moses to deliver them and bring them out of Egypt.

This reference of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt may be our first thought when we read the above passage.

We see though by reading the story in Matthew that after the wise men returned to their homeland thereby avoiding Herod, the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream instructing him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt and stay until He brings them word again that they might leave. He warned Joseph that Herod would try to kill the young child.

This would make the prophecy come to pass about calling His Son out of Egypt.

Matthew 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

I never noticed this before but it was a Joseph that invited the children of Israel into Egypt many years before and it was a Joseph that took Jesus into Egypt. God used Egypt as a refuge many times but He also warned against trusting in Egypt for help. God alone was to be their help and
supplier.

They stayed in Egypt until the death of Herod.

Matthew 2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

There is no written record of any prophet saying that "He shall be called a Nazarene." The prophecy given here is something that was spoken by the prophets but not written down at least not in any writings that were included in the bible. Many times though Jesus was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth.

Bible study can be fascinating sometimes when we begin to really search for a greater understanding of God and find out who He really is. We may wonder why God didn't just send an angel to guard the Christ child instead of sending Joseph into Egypt. We can also wonder why God didn't just send Jacob manna when the famine was great in the land of Canaan so that they didn't have to go to Egypt.

So many things to wonder about and searching the scriptures can sometimes answer our questions. Other answers are found by diligently seeking God in prayer and asking Him. At other times we have to exercise simple child-like faith and just trust God no matter what even when we don't understand. There is a bible verse that says,

Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. John 20:29

Some of us have not physically seen Jesus yet we believe and this verse promises us a special blessing for believing even though we have not seen.

Egypt was a place of refuge many times but we see that God was not always pleased when His people trusted in Egypt. Egypt was a place that worshipped false gods and did not trust in the true and living God.

And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. Genesis 12:10

The first incidence of God's people going to Egypt for help was in the above verse when Abram went down to Egypt to escape a famine. This may not have been a wise choice because we see later that Abram ran into trouble. Pharaoh not knowing that Sarah was a married woman tried to take her for himself but God intervened in that situation. It was very important that Sarah not be with any other than her husband because of the promised lineage of the Messiah that was to come through her.

And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Genesis 26:1-2

So we see in the days of Isaac that another famine came and God instructed Isaac not to go into Egypt but that He would take care of Him. Perhaps that was what Abraham should have done.

Later we see that the son of Jacob, Joseph was sold as a slave was ended up in Egypt but God was with him. Later the whole tribe of Israel had to go into Egypt to escape a long severe famine.

Isaiah30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, said the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

After God used Moses to deliver the people out of Egypt, they were not to go back. Egypt represented bondage and slavery. Sin is also a bondage. When we are living in sin we are actually slaves and are under bondage. We are lost and without God. God is calling us out of Egypt and slavery. We are to be free from sin.

When God told Joseph to come out of Egypt and bring Mary and Jesus back into their own homeland, it fulfilled prophecy,:

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. Hosea 11:1

The Son of God was called out of Egypt, and made a way for all of us to come out of Egypt which represented bondage and slavery to sin. We can be free from sin through faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. We are called to come out of those things and live a whole new live in Jesus Christ. That is why He came the first time around. He is coming back the second time to fulfill all things prophesied of Him. At His Second Coming He will not be meek and mild. The Second Coming is one of judgment against all who have rejected His plan of salvation.

You may think that is cruel but listen closely. God saw that we were lost and on our way to hell. He saw that we were in bondage to sin and sin cannot enter into heaven. Sin brings physical death and eternal death of the soul in hell. Sin kills and destroys. We could not get rid of sin no
matter what we did to try to get rid of it. Animal sacrifice could not do it but only pointed to the Holy One who did sacrifice Himself to take away sin.

The death of Jesus Christ was an example of the just suffering for the unjust. An innocent person suffering for the guilty ones. He did not deserve to die because He did not have any sin within Him. He was killed innocently. His death can now count for us because He (Jesus) was innocent of any sin or crime. He did not deserve to die. Now through faith in Him, our sins can be cleansed away and forgiven. We can be free and one day enter heaven and inherit eternal life. There is no other way. God made a perfect plan to redeem all of us so that we don't have to go to hell and be lost forever.

Now after sacrificing His own Son and allowing Jesus to suffer such a horrible death to save us; how can we just ignore this, take it lightly and refuse this plan of salvation without receiving judgment from God.

God is a just God and we may not understand everything just yet but if we ignore this way of salvation there is no other way to be saved. Without Christ, we are still in our sins and cannot ever enter into eternal life and the Kingdom of Heaven. Sin cannot go there. Sin has to be destroyed and if we continue in sin and reject the savior, we will have to go where sin is going and that is to hell.

We don't have to die and be lost. We can receive Jesus Christ now and live forever. Only our natural bodies will die if we die before Jesus returns. Our soul and spirit will live forever with a new body that is given at the resurrection. This new body will never die. The soul and spirit of
every believer goes to be with God at our physical death to await the day of resurrection when we will receive our new body along with other believers. If we die without Christ our soul goes to hell to also await the judgment day. The soul does not die but will live one place or the other. The soul can feel pain. Hell is a terrible place of eternal torment. It is a place that is the final place for all that are still in their sins.

Jesus came to keep us from going there. He came to save us. That is why he stayed on the cross instead of allowing the angels to deliver Him. He had to stay there until the work of God to redeem all mankind was finished. We can say yes or no. How can we escape judgment if we neglect so great a salvation as God planned for us?

He offers this free gift to us. Let us not refuse it. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of all sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. God will send His Holy Spirit into your life to keep you until He returns again. Ask and just receive. He loves you. DC

Messiah Index

Messiah part 14