“When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Matthew 2:14-15
Imagine being a first time, young mother, taking a three to five day journey with your fiancé, and having to deliver suddenly in the worst place, at the worst time. Yes, and if that is not enough, imagine going from being celebrated to targeted, becoming a refugee with that child and fiancé. Let’s talk…
King Herod was a mad king. He was insecure, intimidated, and erratic when he heard the news of a King being born. He said, “King? A replacement for ME? I am in charge here!” He began to rehearse the comparisons of Kings: territory, reputation, power. He wanted to cut off this king before he even got started. He sent for the chief priests and scribes to map out where the king was and how it worked in the timeline of his reign. Then he sought privately the wise men that they would go and worship Jesus and then kidnap Him. He could not stay alive. He had to be destroyed.
This sounds like a soap opera until you look at your life. How many times have we done nothing wrong but still faced the accusations and terror of the insecure? How many times have you just began a project, only to get smiles and set ups behind your back? The truth is that God has a way of showing power without even speaking. Here, the Christ child was barely days old and did not speak; yet His presence spoke volumes to the crazed king. Never question who you are. Your enemies know exactly who you are!
So what do you do in the face of mad kings? You listen! Joseph listened to the angel of the Lord to get the mother and child out of that country and into Egypt. In times past, Egypt represented bondage. It represented oppression. But because Jesus came to reverse the plague of bondage over the people of God, Egypt would now begin to see a new moniker. It was the place of hiding! Perhaps your holiday season is rough. Maybe you are dealing with loss, bereavement, or even mad kings. My hope for you today is that you take courage in the voice of the Lord. God oftentimes will hide you in Egypt so that He can save you from dangers you may not be aware of. God will give you spiritual Joseph’s — those who are committed to your safety — that will hide you when you are too weary to see. And in the state of being a refugee you will find refuge!
They dwelt in Egypt until the coast was clear. They didn’t have to prove who they were, and they didn’t have to announce who they were when they came back. It was already prophesied by Hosea that “out of Egypt I have called my son.” Sometimes God will hide you while He is allowing other things to die off. They dwelt in Egypt until Herrod died. With Herrod, the danger, the insecurity, and the threat to the mission also died. Don’t holler in your hiding. God is killing off things that you cannot. Enjoy your holiday, and know that God is bringing you out of Egypt!
The Traveler Weekly 