Thursday, December 22, 2011

Matthew 2

We three kings of orient are.....
That's right!  Matthew 2 involves the wise men visiting Jesus!  So many prophecies are fulfilled in this chapter.  The wise men traveled to Bethlehem and upon seeing Jesus, fell down and worshiped Him, and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Prophecy #1 "And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel."

Herod was King during the time of Jesus' birth, and when the wise men asked where they could find 'He who has been born king of the Jews?', Herod and his chief priests and scribes began to plot how to ensure His death.  He asked the wise men to bring back word of where this King was, that he too could go and worship Him.  In a dream, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child and destroy Him."  This fulfills Prophecy #2 "Out of Egypt I called my Son." 

When Herod realized he had been tricked by the wise men, by them returning to their home by way of a different route, he because furious and sent for all of the male children in Bethlehem age 2 and under to be killed.  Looking at my baby boy, sleeping so peacefully next to me, I realize he falls in that age range.  I cannot imagine...nor do I want to...what the mothers went through.  Did Mary ever hear what had happened?  Did she know that God provided protection for her baby?  What was her reaction, if she did hear the horrible news of what had taken place?  Prophecy #3 "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more."

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to take Mary and the Child, and go to the land of Israel.  They went and lived in a city called Nazareth, fulfilling Prophecy #4 "He shall be called a Nazarene."

I love rereading these chapters and writing about them.  It helps me to be reminded of all the prophecies that were fulfilled.  That could only be fulfilled by the Messiah.  Praise God for keeping His promises!  Great is His faithfulness!

2 comments:

  1. Loved this, Emmie. Reminded me of our first Christmas with our new son who was almost four months old. He was colicky, so I spent a lot of time in the rocking chair with plenty of time to do nothing but think. So, for the first time, I think I entered into the agony of "Rachel" as I thought of cruel soldiers bursting through the door, snatching my son, using their swords, and leaving as quickly as they came - and probably without any explanation at all. (Not that it would have helped, but the lack of lack of it would just feel that much more brutal and random.) But, that sense of grief was followed by the remembrance that there was One who died in the place of my baby boy, not to save him from Herod and Roman soldiers, but from sin and death. Blood on the doorpost. (And THAT reminds me of the New Empires song, which I've loved ever since I heard it.)

    Did you ever wonder if the wise men learned what Herod did after their visit? They knew he was a dangerous man.

    Merry Christmas!
    Marty D

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  2. I never have thought about that, Marty. I suppose I have assumed, until now, that Mary, Joseph, and the wise men all knew what went on... I never gave either any thought at all. But knowing that they might not have known makes God's providence even more clear. Looking back over my life, I can see where God provided, though I didn't see it at the time. Praise God for how He provided back then!!

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