Tuesday, December 29, 2015
THE WONDERS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN THE PRESERVATION OF THE CHILD JESUS (2)
Matthew 2:13-15 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him." When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."
GOD IN CONTROL
This text takes up after Wise Men from the East had been to Bethlehem to worship the Christchild (by the miraculous star they were providentially guided to the house where the Child was). And when King Herod tried to discover the whereabouts of the newborn King by asking the Magi to return and bring him word, we see God's almighty providence at work: "Being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way" (v. 12).
The people back then likely took the holy family's hasty flight as a stroke of good luck. Ah, but it was hardly that! Knowing the wicked king's desperate plot, God the Father designed it that this flight to Egypt take place. He warned Joseph of it in a dream.
See God's providential care at work! Centuries earlier He had preserved His Old Testament people Israel in Egypt in spite of Pharaoh's active opposition. So here, God preserved His newborn Son in Egypt in the face of Herod's plot.
Psalm 2 comes to mind: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, 'Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.' He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: 'Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion....'"
Often contrary to outward appearances, let there be no question who is in control of events in this world, or in the individual lives of God's believing children.
The star proclaims the King is here;
But, Herod, why this senseless fear?
He takes no realms of earth away
Who gives the realms of heav'nly day.
The wiser Magi see from far
And follow on His guiding star;
And led by light, to light they press
And by their gifts their God confess.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 131:1-2)
