The Escape to Egypt - Matthew 2
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus...
So, just who was Joseph...? While not many verses are devoted to him, we do know a fair amount about Joseph. The Bible tells us he was a craftsman (Mt. 13.54-55)...a man who worked with his hands. It tells us he was "righteous", a stand up type of person...a great father, teacher, and a very sensitive man to others feelings. He is only mentioned a few times, the last being (Lk 2:41) when Jesus was just 12 years old...and so it is left to us to surmise that Joseph had likely passed some time prior to Jesus' public ministry. Perhaps, even, that is the reason that there is no mention, or alluding to Jesus' age, for several years. Additionally, Mary the mother of Jesus is mentioned several times after Jesus' public ministry began.
If Joseph had passed away, Jesus as the eldest son would have taken His father's place as provider for the family.
We know from Scripture that Joseph had passed along to Jesus his trade...likely as a carpenter, or stone mason. That might account for the lack of specific Scriptural reference to Jesus' life from age 12 until around 30 years of age.
Joseph was a great example of how we should live as Christians...he was a man of responsibility in whom God, our Father, entrusted His only Son. He took responsibility even in the face of humiliation from both friends and strangers.
Joseph was a man who truly trusted God
We all remember the story of the Angel that comes to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:18-25) wherein the Angel of the Lord tells Joseph that its okay to marry Mary as her pregnancy is from the Holy Spirit. It's an amazing story of trusting the Lord and His plan...being in His perfect will.
You see, in the times in which Joseph lived, a woman who conceived a child out of wedlock was, at best, ostracized from the community. A wife who became pregnant due to adultery was often subject to death by stoning. Joseph would have had great input as to the severity of her punishment as an adulteress, but believing in God through His messenger the Angel, he chose to be in God's will. Joseph at first, and showing his great compassion for others, had planned to just quietly divorce Mary and move on. His trust in God led him to follow the Angel's counsel and marry his betrothed, Mary.
A great question to ask yourself is if you had been Joseph, would you have had that kind of level of faith? I mean, it came to him in a dream! What if God called on you today to have that level of faith to trust in Him? Would you be able to just turn over your trust to Him like Joseph did? We have every reason to have Faith in God and His promises. Jesus promised that He would "never leave you, nor forsake you". Just as He promised, Jesus is always there for us..."the same yesterday, today and tomorrow".
So, just who was Joseph...? While not many verses are devoted to him, we do know a fair amount about Joseph. The Bible tells us he was a craftsman (Mt. 13.54-55)...a man who worked with his hands. It tells us he was "righteous", a stand up type of person...a great father, teacher, and a very sensitive man to others feelings. He is only mentioned a few times, the last being (Lk 2:41) when Jesus was just 12 years old...and so it is left to us to surmise that Joseph had likely passed some time prior to Jesus' public ministry. Perhaps, even, that is the reason that there is no mention, or alluding to Jesus' age, for several years. Additionally, Mary the mother of Jesus is mentioned several times after Jesus' public ministry began.
If Joseph had passed away, Jesus as the eldest son would have taken His father's place as provider for the family.
We know from Scripture that Joseph had passed along to Jesus his trade...likely as a carpenter, or stone mason. That might account for the lack of specific Scriptural reference to Jesus' life from age 12 until around 30 years of age.
Joseph was a great example of how we should live as Christians...he was a man of responsibility in whom God, our Father, entrusted His only Son. He took responsibility even in the face of humiliation from both friends and strangers.
Joseph was a man who truly trusted God
We all remember the story of the Angel that comes to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:18-25) wherein the Angel of the Lord tells Joseph that its okay to marry Mary as her pregnancy is from the Holy Spirit. It's an amazing story of trusting the Lord and His plan...being in His perfect will.
You see, in the times in which Joseph lived, a woman who conceived a child out of wedlock was, at best, ostracized from the community. A wife who became pregnant due to adultery was often subject to death by stoning. Joseph would have had great input as to the severity of her punishment as an adulteress, but believing in God through His messenger the Angel, he chose to be in God's will. Joseph at first, and showing his great compassion for others, had planned to just quietly divorce Mary and move on. His trust in God led him to follow the Angel's counsel and marry his betrothed, Mary.
A great question to ask yourself is if you had been Joseph, would you have had that kind of level of faith? I mean, it came to him in a dream! What if God called on you today to have that level of faith to trust in Him? Would you be able to just turn over your trust to Him like Joseph did? We have every reason to have Faith in God and His promises. Jesus promised that He would "never leave you, nor forsake you". Just as He promised, Jesus is always there for us..."the same yesterday, today and tomorrow".
Joseph, Joseph...Wake up!...I am here...Who is it, Lord?
It seemed so familiar...awakened from a deep sleep after a long day of hard work. Was this the same dream...the same Angel? Joseph's mind couldn't help but rewind to the previous encounter he had with an Angel. The one where the Angel explained how Mary became preganant. As part of that visit, Joseph was Blessed by having the Angel tell him that "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”Mt. 1:21 Joseph was highly favored by God.
Joseph's second Angelic encounter
Joseph, Joseph...Wake up!...I am here...who is it, Lord? It is the Angel of the Lord, Joseph! How may I serve you, Lord? “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Mt. 2:13...Lord, though it is the darkest part of the night, and the Boy is not yet even 3 years old...I will do as you will...
Joseph, in the middle of the night, got his family up and set out for Egypt...not knowing where, or how, things would be there...Joseph, nonetheless, trusted God for their needs and protection. This would have meant a trip of at least 250 miles!. ""And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Mt. 2:15.
Joseph truly walked by Faith, and not by sight. Amazingly, after this second Angelic visit, Angels would visit him in his dreams twice more! The earthly father of Jesus was truly a special man...
An Angel of the Lord visits Joseph a third time
Joseph, Mary and young Son, Jesus, had settled into life in Egypt. Joseph working as a craftsman, doing carpentry work, and along the way, teaching Jesus about both carpentry and Jewish Law. He took very seriously the responsibilities of being a father, and with patience and love nurtured Jesus towards manhood. Jesus' knowledge of these things would serve Him in the future as provider for the family after Joseph's passing, as well as a young, itenerant, Preacher in Galilee. Joseph probably thought that finally I feel that we have a home now here to raise our family...
After Herod, the king who wanted to kill Jesus died, Joseph's life would, once again, take an unexpected turn...
The Return to Nazareth
"After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” Mt. 2:19-20
Joseph, ever obedient...Lord, even though we have established a nice life here, and I have work...I am your servant...So, again, in the middle of the night Joseph get's the family up and sets his sights on home...back to Judea...back to their previous life...the life before the birth of the Child...before the flight to Egypt and the life that they made there.
The Lord Re-routes Joseph Again
So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Mt. 2:21-23
The Boy Jesus at the Temple - the Last Mention of Joseph - Luke 2
41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
So, there we have it...the earthly Father of our Savior's name isn't even used in his last mention in the Bible...fitting, in a way, for this man who seems to be little more than background or scenery in the story of how we got a Savior. Hard working, honest, righteous, a great family man, teacher and prophecy fulfillment facilitator...exactly the type of person to impart to Jesus, our Redeemer, the way of living a right life while here on earth...at least partly because of the obedience of Joseph is the verse that says... "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52
We could all do worse than to emulate Joseph as a man, father, and teacher...always trusting in God's plan for his life...have you put your trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not do so today? Why not do it now? Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus fulfilled his mission to prepare Jesus for His...to die for our sins. Joseph trusted in God...shouldn't you...?
Blessings this day...larry
Joseph's second Angelic encounter
Joseph, Joseph...Wake up!...I am here...who is it, Lord? It is the Angel of the Lord, Joseph! How may I serve you, Lord? “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” Mt. 2:13...Lord, though it is the darkest part of the night, and the Boy is not yet even 3 years old...I will do as you will...
Joseph, in the middle of the night, got his family up and set out for Egypt...not knowing where, or how, things would be there...Joseph, nonetheless, trusted God for their needs and protection. This would have meant a trip of at least 250 miles!. ""And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Mt. 2:15.
Joseph truly walked by Faith, and not by sight. Amazingly, after this second Angelic visit, Angels would visit him in his dreams twice more! The earthly father of Jesus was truly a special man...
An Angel of the Lord visits Joseph a third time
Joseph, Mary and young Son, Jesus, had settled into life in Egypt. Joseph working as a craftsman, doing carpentry work, and along the way, teaching Jesus about both carpentry and Jewish Law. He took very seriously the responsibilities of being a father, and with patience and love nurtured Jesus towards manhood. Jesus' knowledge of these things would serve Him in the future as provider for the family after Joseph's passing, as well as a young, itenerant, Preacher in Galilee. Joseph probably thought that finally I feel that we have a home now here to raise our family...
After Herod, the king who wanted to kill Jesus died, Joseph's life would, once again, take an unexpected turn...
The Return to Nazareth
"After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” Mt. 2:19-20
Joseph, ever obedient...Lord, even though we have established a nice life here, and I have work...I am your servant...So, again, in the middle of the night Joseph get's the family up and sets his sights on home...back to Judea...back to their previous life...the life before the birth of the Child...before the flight to Egypt and the life that they made there.
The Lord Re-routes Joseph Again
So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” Mt. 2:21-23
The Boy Jesus at the Temple - the Last Mention of Joseph - Luke 2
41 Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. 43 After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
So, there we have it...the earthly Father of our Savior's name isn't even used in his last mention in the Bible...fitting, in a way, for this man who seems to be little more than background or scenery in the story of how we got a Savior. Hard working, honest, righteous, a great family man, teacher and prophecy fulfillment facilitator...exactly the type of person to impart to Jesus, our Redeemer, the way of living a right life while here on earth...at least partly because of the obedience of Joseph is the verse that says... "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52
We could all do worse than to emulate Joseph as a man, father, and teacher...always trusting in God's plan for his life...have you put your trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If not, why not do so today? Why not do it now? Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus fulfilled his mission to prepare Jesus for His...to die for our sins. Joseph trusted in God...shouldn't you...?
Blessings this day...larry