Advent Day 20

“But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 

Herod was on a search-and-destroy mission, trying to eliminate the newborn king. Joseph’s angel returned in a dream, warning the father to flee to Egypt until the angel told him there was no longer a threat to the child.

I have always wanted to go to Egypt. It always seems so far. Six thousand seven hundred ninety-nine miles from the U.S., but for the family, it was only a few days’ travel, a mere 6 miles from Bethlehem. Herod would never have expected the family to leave Bethlehem. In today’s Christmas messages, many pastors, especially the charismatic, will undoubtedly preach on the current migrant status and all the world's refugees. I am all for legal migration and helping refugees, but this is not Matthew’s message. His message is about Jesus. It is so easy for us to miss the point and focus on man.

While at our ministry, I met a man who I like to call “the scientist.” He had calculated Christianity into an equation. On some levels, he was correct; on others, he was lost. He became perplexed as I smiled and listened to him gently applying apologetics to his ideas. His problem was that he would not acknowledge Christ for who He was. His bewilderment was visible because I was not hostile; I nudged him with the truth, posing questions he could not answer but that God could. When we finished, he told me he had enjoyed our conversation. God was working on Him; I could see the wheels turning in his head. Several huge seeds were planted in that conversation. When one gets Christ wrong, one gets the gospel wrong. He was all about blessings, but not wrath, a common view today that takes away the need for a Savior.

I have come to understand that Christ-centered Christianity and an emotional Christianity exist. True Christianity encompasses both Christ and emotion. Christ evokes pity, or man-centered joy and self-satisfaction, in a strictly emotional Christianity. Christ is on the peripheral. There is talk of love but not Godly love. There is talk of Christ and God, but not a biblical Christ or God. Matthew wants us to see Jesus as He is our God incarnate. Later, when Herod died, Jesus came out of Egypt to fulfill the scripture, specifically Hosea 11:1: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Sinclair called Matthew’s story a “symphony.” Contained within are echoes of Genesis and Exodus. They are like shadows cast in reverse. They are cast into the reality that is the life of Christ. He is the Son of God, whom God called out of Egypt. The life of Jesus is an exodus. It begins in Bethlehem, goes to Egypt, the trials in the desert, the Jordan, and goes to Golgatha, called Calvary. Thirty years later, from Egypt to Mt. Tabor, the Mount of Transfiguration, where Jesus would discuss His final exodus plans with Moses and Elijah.

In the final exodus, His death, and resurrection, we would be delivered from Satan, Sin, and Shame. No more guilt; sin would no longer have power over us. We would be free. The reason for Jesus being whisked off to Egypt was not to hide Him; it was to fulfill scripture and prophecy. God was revealing a pattern of deliverance. A final exodus that was not a physical one but a spiritual one. Sinclair wrote something very comforting: as a result of our Savior’s sacrifice, ‘There is no longer any earthly danger, worldly power, or spiritual snare that His people need fear.” Everywhere in Matthew’s story lies salvation at many levels. A crisscrossing pattern of God’s sovereignty and mercy providing salvation to many.

This is the true Christmas message. It is central to everything and the only thing we need. If we could all only see it.

Grace and Peace!

Based on scripture and Sinclair Ferguson, The Dawn of Redeeming Grace”, The Goodbook Company, 2021