The second chapter of Matthew covers two important events: the visit of the wise men from the east and the escape into Egypt by Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus.
When we think of the visit of the Magi, we often think back to some of our earliest lessons of the birth of Christ. How many of us played with the three wise men figurines in nativity sets when we were young, positioning them approaching the stable with their camels? We are very familiar with these men...but have we looked at their story closely?
We read that they arrived in Jerusalem "unexpectedly" as my HCSB version states. In other versions, the word "behold" may be included. And they came asking a very unexpected question, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" Why was this unexpected and disturbing? Because the Jews already had a King on their throne, King Herod. And Herod was very disturbed. Herod was never secure in his position, after all he was not a true Jew and much more loyal to Rome than to the Jewish people. Herod would stop at nothing to protect his throne, including killing his own family members...his father-in-law, several of his ten wives, and two of his sons. Brutal and ruthless are adjectives describing the King that the Magi approached with their question.
We find that the Magi had studied the star extensively and were able to tell Herod the exact time that the star had first appeared. This gave Herod his timeline for when this child had been born that he would use in his subsequent killing rampage. Herod told them that the child would be found in Bethlehem, according to the words of the prophets. And the Magi went on their way, happily, thinking that Herod was just as anxious as they were to find this child of promise!
They again saw the star in the east and it led them each step of the way until it stopped above the place where Jesus, sweet baby Jesus, was. And then we come to the verse that I selected, "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees they worshiped Him." True worship! Finding the goal of their journey, knowing they had arrived at their destination, and being convinced that this child, this small child, was someone so very special that they could not stand in His presence. They fell to their knees because of who Jesus is.
We are told that they were warned, supernaturally, in a dream to not return to Herod, but they returned a different way to go back to their own country. Have you ever thought...the wise men were the first missionaries! These men who had seen something so extraordinary, so very holy went back to their country and you can't tell me that they didn't tell everyone what they had seen and experienced! They had been overjoyed beyond measure and they had fallen on their knees...these are words that describe an event unlike any other in their lives. God's eternal plan is at work. People of all nations are already starting to hear of His Son's arrival to this earth. I think that's amazing.
Speaking of dreams, Matthew conveys in just the first two chapters of his gospel five instances of God-sent dreams. This was an important thing for Matthew to let his Jewish audience be aware of, for they knew that in the Old Testament, God had often used dreams to convey His direction, and now He was using dreams again to direct the people surrounding the birth of Jesus. This again confirmed the truth of the Messiahship of Jesus.
In reading of Herod's massacre of the babies of Bethlehem and the flight of Jesus and his family to Egypt, it occurred to me that this is the first instance of Christian persecution. Hatred fueled the murder of these children and forced Mary, Joseph and Jesus to become refugees to a foreign land. The arrival of Jesus brought with it the division of those who will honor Him (the wise men) and those who will despise Him (Herod). This division has never left the earth...we see it 2,000 years later in just as horrific ways. And we see it 2,000 years later in much more subtle ways as well.
But the encouraging thing that we also see is that God's plans will never be diverted by Satan's promptings of evil. God protects Jesus and His family, and allows them to return to Judea at just the right time to just the right place. Jesus will grow up in Nazareth in relative obscurity, allowing Him to thrive and grow and "become strong, filled with wisdom, and God's grace was on Him." (Luke 2:40) "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people." (Luke 2:52.
So what did I discover about Jesus' mission in this chapter of Matthew's gospel:
1. Through the prophecy quoted in v. 6, Jesus came to be the shepherd of the people of Israel. He truly is the King of the Jews, and is the promised Messiah spoken of to Abraham and David and by the prophets. Matthew was presenting Jesus to his Jewish brothers and sisters, and many of them came to faith.
2. Again, we see that fulfillment of prophecy was part of Jesus' mission. (Verses 6, 18, and 23)
3. That Jesus brings with Him a choice to everyone...will we honor Him, or will we reject Him? Will He bring joy to our life as we fall on our knees before Him, or will He be a stumbling block to our own personal agenda?
Are Matthew's words coming alive to you? They are full of life to us who believe. Every word of Scripture is. Now we move to Chapter 3. Which verse(s) are you selecting to store in your heart? I am choosing v. 16-17, "After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him. And there came a voice from heaven: 'This is My beloved Son, I take delight in Him.' "
These verses are foundational to the evidence of the Holy Trinity---Father, Son and Holy Spirit all present at the same moment. And because of what Jesus has done on my behalf, I can hear the Father's words spoken over me as well. Not because of who I am, but because of what He's done; not because of what I've done, but because of who He is. Thank You Jesus for coming for me!
When we think of the visit of the Magi, we often think back to some of our earliest lessons of the birth of Christ. How many of us played with the three wise men figurines in nativity sets when we were young, positioning them approaching the stable with their camels? We are very familiar with these men...but have we looked at their story closely?
We read that they arrived in Jerusalem "unexpectedly" as my HCSB version states. In other versions, the word "behold" may be included. And they came asking a very unexpected question, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" Why was this unexpected and disturbing? Because the Jews already had a King on their throne, King Herod. And Herod was very disturbed. Herod was never secure in his position, after all he was not a true Jew and much more loyal to Rome than to the Jewish people. Herod would stop at nothing to protect his throne, including killing his own family members...his father-in-law, several of his ten wives, and two of his sons. Brutal and ruthless are adjectives describing the King that the Magi approached with their question.
We find that the Magi had studied the star extensively and were able to tell Herod the exact time that the star had first appeared. This gave Herod his timeline for when this child had been born that he would use in his subsequent killing rampage. Herod told them that the child would be found in Bethlehem, according to the words of the prophets. And the Magi went on their way, happily, thinking that Herod was just as anxious as they were to find this child of promise!
They again saw the star in the east and it led them each step of the way until it stopped above the place where Jesus, sweet baby Jesus, was. And then we come to the verse that I selected, "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed beyond measure. Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and falling to their knees they worshiped Him." True worship! Finding the goal of their journey, knowing they had arrived at their destination, and being convinced that this child, this small child, was someone so very special that they could not stand in His presence. They fell to their knees because of who Jesus is.
We are told that they were warned, supernaturally, in a dream to not return to Herod, but they returned a different way to go back to their own country. Have you ever thought...the wise men were the first missionaries! These men who had seen something so extraordinary, so very holy went back to their country and you can't tell me that they didn't tell everyone what they had seen and experienced! They had been overjoyed beyond measure and they had fallen on their knees...these are words that describe an event unlike any other in their lives. God's eternal plan is at work. People of all nations are already starting to hear of His Son's arrival to this earth. I think that's amazing.
Speaking of dreams, Matthew conveys in just the first two chapters of his gospel five instances of God-sent dreams. This was an important thing for Matthew to let his Jewish audience be aware of, for they knew that in the Old Testament, God had often used dreams to convey His direction, and now He was using dreams again to direct the people surrounding the birth of Jesus. This again confirmed the truth of the Messiahship of Jesus.
But the encouraging thing that we also see is that God's plans will never be diverted by Satan's promptings of evil. God protects Jesus and His family, and allows them to return to Judea at just the right time to just the right place. Jesus will grow up in Nazareth in relative obscurity, allowing Him to thrive and grow and "become strong, filled with wisdom, and God's grace was on Him." (Luke 2:40) "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people." (Luke 2:52.
So what did I discover about Jesus' mission in this chapter of Matthew's gospel:
1. Through the prophecy quoted in v. 6, Jesus came to be the shepherd of the people of Israel. He truly is the King of the Jews, and is the promised Messiah spoken of to Abraham and David and by the prophets. Matthew was presenting Jesus to his Jewish brothers and sisters, and many of them came to faith.
2. Again, we see that fulfillment of prophecy was part of Jesus' mission. (Verses 6, 18, and 23)
3. That Jesus brings with Him a choice to everyone...will we honor Him, or will we reject Him? Will He bring joy to our life as we fall on our knees before Him, or will He be a stumbling block to our own personal agenda?
Are Matthew's words coming alive to you? They are full of life to us who believe. Every word of Scripture is. Now we move to Chapter 3. Which verse(s) are you selecting to store in your heart? I am choosing v. 16-17, "After Jesus was baptized, He went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him. And there came a voice from heaven: 'This is My beloved Son, I take delight in Him.' "
These verses are foundational to the evidence of the Holy Trinity---Father, Son and Holy Spirit all present at the same moment. And because of what Jesus has done on my behalf, I can hear the Father's words spoken over me as well. Not because of who I am, but because of what He's done; not because of what I've done, but because of who He is. Thank You Jesus for coming for me!
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