There is a wonderful instinct in the father of a newborn- to protect their baby! When the Lord told Joseph to rise and flee to Egypt, he promptly obeyed. Even though Joseph had not “known” Mary before Jesus was born, he embraced responsibility for him-as his own son.

King Herod ordered the murder of all the baby boys (2 years and under), to squelch any possibility of the prophetic “Christmas Star” child becoming King.

When the culture steals our children, God is working upstream of the tragedy. Those vying desperately for power and position may be the ones who are about to get tumbled.

Jesus stood before King Herod’s son, (Herod Antipas) prior to His death and resurrection. He did not speak a word to him (see Luke 23:9). Was it because King Herod’s son was know by Jesus to be a fox? (See Luke 13:31,32) The future was clear to Jesus His ultimate sacrifice would restore the people-(everyone affected by the cruelty of sin and corruption).

Although Herod thought he was the one in control, he was actually the one who would ultimately rise and flee.* After taking his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias as his wife, he was responsible for the beheading of John the Baptist.

Am I ready to respond to God’s bidding? Joseph provided a great example of a strong earthly father protecting God’s heavenly Son by obeying the direction to rise and flee.

My takeaway: in order to lead well, I must be willing to learn to follow. – Teresa

#trustandobey #culturalstruggleforthefamily #HeisLordofall #HearHim#Hehears#ourcryforthechildren

Matthew 2: 13-18 (ESV) English Standard Version
The Flight to Egypt

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “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, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod Kills the Children

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 “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.”

*https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herod-Antipas