This year we are alternating our Old Testament readings (currently the book of Job) with a continuation of thoughts from the book of Matthew which we started before Christmas 2022. This week we follow on the account of Jesus' birth.
Matthew 2:13-23
Jesus has had a visit from wise men from an Eastern country. After their visit Jesus' earthly father, Joseph, is told by an angel of God to flee with the family to Egypt until King Herod dies.
Meanwhile King Herod, realising that the wise men aren't coming back to share with him where they found Jesus, furiously ordered all the male children of 2 years old and under in the region of Bethlehem to be killed.
After Herod's death an angel of God again visited Joseph in a dream and told him to take the family back to Israel. On returning they were alarmed to discover that Herod's cruel son, Archelaus was reigning in Judea. After a further visit from an angel in a dream confirming their fears, they travelled to Galilee setting up home in Nazareth.
What lessons can we take from this (to some of us) very familiar account?
We are being told of God's care of his precious Son, Jesus.
We are seeing how God used angels in a vision to communicate his will to Joseph.
We notice Joseph's immediate obedience in following the instructions of the angels.
And we see how earlier prophecies were being fulfilled. Tokens that the Messiah had been born were being given, both by these moves into Egypt and Nazareth and Herod's murderous actions.
But on re-reading these verses these words from verse 13 seemed to stand out, '...until I bring thee word'.
Joseph was being given the promise of hearing a definite and clear message from God again. He was being given the promise of instruction and leading in the way he was to go. He was being assured of God's care of him and the family.
How we may long to hear the Lord's voice to us! His guiding voice, his loving voice, his assurances of his care and forgiveness to us. Not only through the promises and instruction of his written word but as that still small voice breathed into our hearts.
Do you long for it?
I noticed in my daily readings yesterday the comment that once we have known the preciousness of Christ we will long to hear his voice again and again.
It is as the Shulamite sings in Song of Solomon 1:2, 'Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine'.
It is easy as we read through scripture with the benefit of hindsight and knowledge of what is recorded there to skim over the verses in minutes when the actual experience of them may have been years, and this can affect our appreciation of them.
In these verses we are told that Joseph and the family were in Egypt until the death of Herod. My study Bible tells us that our current calendar is a little off, placing Jesus' birth at 6/5 years BC and Herod's rule from 37-4BC. We were also told earlier that when the wise men visited Jesus they saw him as a young child in the house rather than as a babe in a manger. Herod then killed all the children from 2 years and under going by the calculations of the wise men.
So, Jesus may not have been much more than 2 when Herod died and Joseph may not have been in Egypt much more than a year waiting to hear the voice of the angel telling him to return. But the point I wanted to make was how when we have first heard the Lord's voice how long it may seem before we hear it again, or how much we may long and look for the fulfilment of a promise he has given us.
We can imagine how Joseph must have wondered each day if the angel would return to speak with him. Some days he no doubt got immersed in what he was doing but other days how he must have felt that he was in a strange land.
Did he worry and wonder:
... whether the angel really would return?
... whether he might not hear the voice?
... how the angel would speak to him?
... what he would do if the angel didn't speak to him?
Did he have doubts?
Did he speculate in his mind as to where and what they would do when the angel did speak?
Did he rest in God' promise?
Did the days seem long as he waited?
How did he occupy himself till the angel came again?
Did he wonder what was happening to his old home?
Did he miss his family, his home, his familiar surroundings?
Has God asked you to leave your home and relatives? To go into a strange country? Do you wonder when you may be able to return?
Waiting for something to happen can be paralysing. We may find it so hard that we cannot give our full attention to other things. All our focus is on this thing that is to happen and wondering when it will be. But it might be many many years to wait. It might be just a few days!
How are we to live as we wait to hear the Lord's voice to us again?
Jesus' words come to mind, 'Occupy till I come' (Luke 19:13).
Jesus is telling the story of a nobleman who left home for a long trip. He gave each of his servants ten pounds and told them to 'occupy' or do business until his return.
We likewise, as we wait to hear the Lord's voice in our daily lives, wait to hear his instruction, and as we wait to hear him calling us to our eternal home, are to 'occupy'. To do the business that he has given us. Use the talents that he has given us, diligently do the work he has given us, love the families he has given us and the people he brings into our lives, look after the homes he has given us and attend to the business of the Lord's house he has brought us to.
And may we continually be watching to hear his voice again. Not thoughtlessly wandering through life or totally immersed in it, but prayerfully - 'trimming our lamps' and watching to hear our bridegroom's voice as we read his word, attend worship services and go about our daily lives.
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