Hi! Welcome back, hope you enjoyed our last lesson. We have a
lot to go over, so let’s get started.
Outline Summary
- Vs. 1-12 The Magi visit.
- Vs. 13-18 Joseph takes Jesus and Mary to Egypt.
- Vs. 16-18 Herod’s command of Massacre.
- Vs. 19-23 Jesus is taken to Nazareth.
Introduction:
Matthew continues to show God’s sovereignty in the protection of Jesus as a child. In this chapter, we see God work out His will despite opposition from evil faces.
This
chapter starts out by showing us that Jesus is Lord of all people (both the
Jews and the Gentiles). These Magi came from a distant land, to worship Jesus.
How sad it is that even at birth, His people had little interest in Him (and
rejected Him). The religious leaders (who KNEW Scripture) had to be informed of
the arrival of the New Born King… yet these men traveled MILES to find Him
because apparently, they had also read (and knew of) Scripture and recognized
the signs! So, my friend, don’t’ be surprised to know that the enemy knows
Scripture, but others knows Scripture as well…. The land these Magi came from
did! Though they didn’t worship the true God (our God), there was something
compelling to them about our belief, and they came to SHOW THEIR RESPECT to the
birth of our Savior. So sad that His own people didn’t spend as much time seeking
out the “signs of the times.”
So, in
saying all this… WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH SCRIPTURE? Are you ignoring it like
His own people did… disregarding it? Or are you like the enemy, corrupting and
twisting it? Or are you being like these Magi (studying and following it)?
Insights:
Vs. 1) We
read that the Magi came to Jerusalem. But note that it says after Jesus was
born. So, we don’t know how long it has actually been. Bethlehem
(in the City of David) is located 5 miles south of Jerusalem.
·
Bethlehem
means “house of bread”
·
This
Bethlehem is not to be confused with a town also known as Bethlehem in the
Galilee Region Josh 19:15).
Vs. 11) The
Magi come to the house where Jesus is. This was not the same night Jesus was
born.
Vs. 14) The
flight to Egypt --- notice how Joseph always immediately obeyed.
- Look back at Matt. 1:25, now look at 2:15 and 2:17. What
is the repeated phrase?
► Remember that when Mary became pregnant,
she and Joseph lived in the town of Nazareth in Galilee. Now there was a slight
problem with this because, it had been foretold that the Messiah would be born
in a town called Bethlehem. But here again, God’s Word would be fulfilled! A
decree went out causing Joseph to have to travel to such place, and he took
Mary with him.
- Look up Micah 5:2 and make note:
► Something to also note: the star the Magi
first saw that led them to Jerusalem, continued to lead them to Jesus. It
either reappeared, or maybe it never quit shining to begin with, we’re not
sure. But, the thing to understand is that the night they came to Jesus in not
the night He was born. By this time Scripture says that He is a young child, so
probably between the age of one or two.
- Matthew’s infancy story is different from Luke (who does
not record the visit of the Magi, the flight to Egypt, and the slaughter
of the innocents).
- Matthew stresses God’s protection of the child Jesus.
Chapter 2 shows that God works His will despite opposition from evil
forces.
Who was this Herod? “In the days of Herod the king…” Historical background tells us that Herod
the Great (73 B.C. to 4 B.C.) was not a Jew— his father was an Idumean and his
mother Arabian. The Roman senate had made him king of Judea in 40 B.C. Although
Herod was a great builder (including the enlargement of the temple) and had
been occasionally generous to the Jewish people, he eventually lost favor with
them. The reason being is that his mixed lineage with his Edomite blood would
have made him unacceptable to the people (see Malachi 1:4).
This “King
Herod” became increasing cruel toward the end of his reign. Thinking that his
own family was about to overthrow, he actually murdered one of his wives
(Mariamne), her mother, two of her sons, and his own eldest son! He definitely was a tyrant and earned the
title of “the Great” by being a great builder. He rebuilt the temple in
Jerusalem (20 B.C.), rebuilt Samaria (which he renamed Sebaste in honor of the
emperor) and other significant works
The Magi
were probably astrologers: meaning they
were men who gained special insight into world affairs from their observation
of the planets and stars (hence the common translation “wise men.”). These men
were students of the stars.
The
emphasis in Matthew 2, however, is on the fact that they were Gentiles. So, you
might wonder what (or who are) they Gentiles. Well, to the Jews the Gentiles
were foreigners and outside of God’s plan and purposes.
- In the Book of Matthew, we will see repeated attention to
the Gentiles responding to Christ, where the Jews do not.
After Jesus
was born, the Magi from the east went to Jerusalem to find “the King of the
Jews.” They had come to worship Him. So, they were asking where to find
Him. They assumed that Herod and his
people would know and would be worshiping Him too.
When Herod
heard, it very much troubled him. So, he found out from those who knew the Scriptures, (the chief
priests and scribes), and asked them where the “Messiah” was to be born. They
quoted a reference from the Old Testament prophet Micah to tell Herod that
Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem in Judah.
Then Herod
secretly met with the Magi (wise men) to determine the time of His birth. He
sent them to Bethlehem to find the child.
The star led them to the house where the child was. They presented gifts
and worshiped Him. God, however, warned them not to return to Herod so they
went home a different way.
>>
Verses 13–18 What happened? Where was Jesus? <<
The angel
of the Lord told Joseph to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt because Herod was about
to look for Him to kill Him. This also fulfilled what the prophet Hosea wrote.
Enough time
went by for Herod to determine that the Magi weren’t going to come and tell him
where the child was in Bethlehem. He was
so enraged that he had all the boys 2 years and under killed in Bethlehem and
its vicinity (Jesus was probably about 2 years old at that time).
So, why did Herod want to kill Jesus? Because there was now a clash of the Kings
of Judea—Kings of the Jews. With Jesus
on the scene, Herod was concerned he would lose his throne. The horrible
murders Herod ordered in Bethlehem were also prophesied in Jeremiah.
In verses
19–23; The angel of the Lord told Joseph to return to Israel after Herod died.
Since Herod’s son Archelaus was King in Judea, the Lord warned Joseph to go to
the Galilee area in Israel. They settled in Nazareth—also fulfilling prophecy.
► So, let’s look a little bit closer at
verses 13-23.
First, once
the Magi left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph IN A DREAM. Does God
still speak in dreams? Of course, He does.
- Look at Acts 16:9-10, Ps. 1:1,2, Josh. 1:8, and Ps.
63:5,6.
Look at verse
13, notice the command given to Joseph, what was it?
He was to
STAY THERE UNTIL I BRING WORD…. Have you ever had to STAY put until God gave
you the next step?
Now look at
verse 15, notice the phrase: “that it might be fulfilled.” God’s Word cannot be
broken. Nor will they come back void. Look up Hosea 11:1 and write it down.
What is the
key word in verse 17?
Even now,
Matthew is showing us how Jesus fulfilled God’s Word about Him. This also shows
us that God does indeed know the future.
When does
Joseph move next? In 19, because the Word came from God. Look at verse 22, and
write it down, and then look Isa. 30:21 and write it down.
My friend,
when we are truly seeking God in our lives and are obeying Him, we don’t have
to worry about our steps, because He will direct us.
On a side
note--- look up Luke 3:29. Luke doesn’t talk about this trip into Egypt. So, I
suggest you mark your Bible to put a reference there about this passage.
My friend, there is so much to see in the
chapters to come! So, I hope you will keep walking with us! See you next time.
Kassie
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