Leading from Above Those Living here Below

The Alerting of Joseph — (Vs. 13)

Flee — comes from the Greek word (pheugō) and it means to run away, to escape, to vanish and it speaks of doing so with haste!

Joseph wasn’t to linger around but was to get the family and their belongings and go immediately!

Listen this morning friends, sometimes we don’t understand the why behind why God tells us to go somewhere or do something that we’ve never done before but what we need to understand, is that we don’t need to know the why as long as we know the who that’s telling us to go, Amen!

God said to the Psalmist in...

Psalm 32:8 — I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

As long as He’s leading, we must be willing to follow. We don’t have to have all the answers because He does, Amen!

When God says to move, we just need to be willing to move!

Stay — “be thou there” — NLT says, “stay there until I tell you to return.”

Joseph had not idea how long they were going to be in Egypt. All he knew, was that God had just sent them some men who provided them with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh which would fund their trip and take care of them along the way!

God provided and God said go, so Joseph went!

If we’d only be so obedient to the Spirit’s leading today!

I’d dare say many of you sitting here this morning have been moved by the Holy Spirit to go and do this or that or go to this person or that person and speak to them but for fear of the unknown, you haven’t taken that leap of faith!

Listen this morning friend, when God is in the lead and you are following close behind, you will never find yourself where you’re not supposed to be or in a conversation He didn’t want you to have!

There’s a little saying I’ve always enjoyed that goes like this…the will of God will never take you where the grace of God cannot keep you!

And there is a very mighty truth in that this morning that ought to bring about a peace to every Christian sitting here!

If you are being obedient to the Spirit’s moving, you will never be found where you aren’t supposed to be!

And here’s the other thing to take from this verse....

The angel tells Joseph to go and then he tells Joseph to stay.

Can I just say, staying is hard!

Especially when you just want to go!

We are an impatient people but sometimes God just wants us to sit and stay until He’s ready to move us somewhere else!

Psalm 46:10 — Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 27:14 — Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.

But the problem is, when we get tired of staying and begin to move on our own, we find ourselves in a position or a place that we never intended on being with an outcome that is less desiring than we intended on having!

If Joseph hadn’t of stayed in Egypt until told otherwise, undoubtedly, there would have been dire consequences they would have faced.

But because he followed God’s lead, to our knowledge, the trip and transition was a smooth one for the family.

Destroy — comes from the Greek word (apollymi) and means to destroy fully or as we would say today “to kill”.

Herod wasn’t interested in taking the child prisoner, no he wanted him out of the picture completely for fear of one day losing his prized position!

So we see the Alerting of Joseph, now let’s look on down at Verses 14-15 at The Adhering of Joseph.

The Adhering of Joseph — (Vs. 14-15)

The Bible says here in the KJV, “when he arose” but this isn’t the best translation, for it makes it sound as if Joseph waited to wake up in the morning to leave.

The NLT gives us a better understanding in it’s translation by saying, “That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary his mother.”

Joseph wasted no time following through on the angels command.

As I read this it prompted me to ask the question, how many times do we Christians procrastinate God’s commands?

How many times do we know exactly what God wants us to do but yet we say…ah I’ll wait until tomorrow to do this or that?

How many times does a lost person hear the gospel of Jesus preached, the invitation given and frustrate the grace of God by putting off salvation for some other convenient time?

How many times has that procrastination lead to eternal damnation because that next time never came?

I want to assure each and every one of you of something this morning…not a single person sitting here, saved and lost alike, is guaranteed anther minute in this world so what that means is this...

If God is telling you Christian to go and do something or to go and talk with someone, do it, for you may not be here tomorrow or they may not be here tomorrow!

And if your here this morning and lost, do not frustrate the grace of God and take this opportunity for granted for now is the accepted time and today is the day of salvation!

You may not get another chance to believe upon His Son and if this were to be the last time and you let it pass you by, then you will, not might but will, wake up in a devil’s hell where you will suffer endlessly and aimlessly for all of eternity!

Do not let that be your fate this morning!

If God is speaking to your heart, come while there’s time!

Come while the Spirit is calling! Do business with God right here and right now!

You don’t need me, you don’t need the deacons, you just need God!

The Bible says to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling!

Get humble with God. Get honest with God. Get right with God this morning!

But the Bible says here that Joseph arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt.

It goes on to tell us here, that they stayed there until the death of Herod.

Now, notice something very important here.

I want you to see the why behind Egypt.

“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, out of Egypt have I called my son.”

God took Joseph and the family to Egypt so that He might also call them out of it and in turn fulfill yet another OT prophecy.

With every prophecy fulfilled, the witness of Christ grows stronger and stronger!

And these moments build His case more than any because he had nothing to do with it for He was just a small child!

It was His parents who were fulfilling prophecies about Him without Him having anything to do with it!

You can just see the sovereignty of God at work here in these verses and it’s amazing to see the plan of God from eternity past unfold right before our very eyes!

And it’s not like Matthew quoted just one prophet, no he quoted many different prophecies from different prophets to prove his point!

Matthew wrote his gospel in such a way as to remove all doubt from the readers mind that Jesus, the one and only Son of God was also the prophesied Messiah, the Christ!

So, we have seen The Alerting of Joseph and The Adhering of Joseph. Next, I want us to look at The Aftermath of Herod.

The Aftermath of Herod — (Vs. 16-18)

The Bible says here that when Herod realized that the wise men left another way and didn’t come back and tell him that they had found the Christ child, he was furious!

So much so, that he sent and had killed all the male children, two years old and under in Bethlehem and and in all the coasts thereof the Bible says.

When it says here, “the coasts thereof” the Greek word means “the region”.

Now this comes into play in Verses 17-18.

But it says here that Herod killed all the children two years old and under “according to the time that he had inquired of the wise men.”

What this tells us is that when he had enquired of these wise men in Jerusalem what time they had seen the star it was more than likely some time less than two years before when the star appeared.

It was probably like a year or year and a half and Herod said to himself to be on the safe side we’re going to go two years just in case those wise men were off a little!

But now look at what the Bible says next here about this great slaughter in Verses 17-18.

Jeremiah had been given this prophecy some 500-600 years beforehand and at time it had reference to the children of Israel who were about to be carried away captive to Babylon.

One writer said that Ramah was the gathering place for all the Jews that were to be deported to Babylon.

Ramah lay about 5 miles north of Jerusalem almost the exact same distance north of Jerusalem as Bethlehem was south of Jerusalem.

But Brother Bobby if the children that were slaughtered were in Bethlehem how does this prophecy about Ramah come into play here?

That’s actually a really good question and one that has many different views depending on whose commentary you’re reading.

The best explanation I found came from J. Vernon McGee who said that there was a good possibility that when the Bible says here, that Herod slew all the children two years old and under in Bethlehem and “the coasts thereof” or region thereof, that Herod actually had all the male children two years old and under in a 5-10 mile radius of Jerusalem slaughtered.

This would also then include Ramah which lay about the same distance away on the northern side.

This then would also fulfill the prophecy of the Old Testament and knowing who we’re dealing with here, a deranged, evil, power driven psychopath, it’s not a far reach to see this command given to ensure that he didn’t miss the prophesied King of Jews!

But there’s an even deeper thought here I want to hone in on for just a moment.

What I want you to see is that Satan tried to use his evil puppet, king Herod, to try and kill the one and only Son of God before He could even get started but as always, God was a step ahead for He sent Joseph and Mary to Egypt to escape the slaughter of the boy children.

The thing I find most interesting, is that even the evil that was done was a prophecy fulfilled. God knew what Satan was going to do before he ever did it and even went as far as to foretell it!

This just goes to show what a mighty God we serve! Aren't you glad to know this morning that our God always has had and always will have the upper hand!

God is always one step ahead. Leading from above those living here below. And as long as we are trusting in God, we will always be fighting on the winning side.

As born again believers we fight from victory not for victory, Amen!

Now that we’ve seen The Aftermath of Herod, next let’s look at The Approval to Return and then we’ll finish it out by looking at The Application to Us.

The Approval to Return — (Vs. 19-23)

After an undisclosed amount of time, now that Herod is dead, we once again see an angel appearing to Joseph in a dream and telling him to take the child and his mother and return to Israel for those who sought the child’s life are now dead.

So, once again, Joseph gathers the family and their belongings and sets out on a journey back to Israel.

As he’s on the way though he hears that Archelaus, the son of Herod, now reigns in his stead.

And this news worries Joseph and he’s afraid to return for fear that Archelaus may also search for and seek to murder the child.

Now as I was studying this, something jumped out at me as I was typing this all up...

Joseph was scared for the baby Jesus!

Here’s a man who is raising a child that isn’t even his own flesh and blood and so far, he’s followed every command that’s been given him to protect this child, but here, God has told him to return but Joseph is scared!

Not for his own life but for the life of the child! He doesn’t want to see anything happen to this child and he is trying to protect him at all costs even when God has told him it would be ok!

But why?

I believe it’s because Joseph knew deep down in his heart that this child was to be the great, wonderful, mighty counsellor of God!

I mean of course he had been told this by angels but I think now, as the child has grown, it has set in!

“I am raising the savior of the world!”

This child is destined to do mighty, wonderful things and it is my duty, that’s my job that God has entrusted to me, to protect Him at all costs!

And I believe that’s why you see this hesitation here when Joseph hears of Archelaus’ reign.

You see, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree with Archelaus. He was as evil as his father Herod.

Before he was even acknowledged by Caesar as king, right after his father’s death, he had 3,000 Jews murdered because they wanted revenge upon the servants of Herod who had killed two teachers and around 40 youth for removing a golden eagle that Herod had placed at the temple entrance.

This act of Herod was seen as blasphemous and therefore this group of people tore it down with axes and then Herod had them immolated, or burned to death for doing so!

So when they caused a ruckus after his death seeking revenge for the loss of their friends, Archelaus sent first off a small group to the large mass to try and calm them down but they ended up stoning the men to death.

Upon hearing this, Archelaus sends his entire army and has 3,000 Jews slaughtered at the temple then cancels the Jews passover celebration.

He was as evil as his father and no doubt this is why when Joseph hears of his reign he begins to fear their return.

So what does Joseph do?

Notice the Bible says, notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth that yet another prophecy might be fulfilled that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.

I believe when Joseph heard of Archelaus reign, he immediately went to God in prayer to ensure he heard the angel right.

“God, Herod’s son is now in charge. Are you sure you want me to take your son back to Israel? God, I need confirmation that this is really what you want me to do.”

And God answered his prayer with another dream and told him to go to Nazareth.

Why Nazareth?

So that yet another prophecy could be added to the list.

What prophecy exactly was fulfilled?

Well this is where you have to do a little studying.

John Phillips said this...

The name "Nazareth" is derived from the Hebrew word netzer, which means "a sprout." Netzer was a term of contempt. When a tree is hewn down, a small green shoot springs up out of the stump. A Hebrew seeing such a shoot would have used the word netzer. "It is just a sprout," he would have said. "The tree is gone. Of what use is this shoot?" Similarly Nazareth was just a small town on a hillside hemmed in by fifteen higher hills. It was a town of Galilee, an area that had a mixed population and was often contemptuously called by the Jews "Galilee of the Gentiles."

Scofield says that probably there is a reference in Matthew 2:23 to Isaiah 11:1: "There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots." "Branch" is a translation of the same word from which "Nazareth" is derived (netzer). Thus Jesus the Nazarene is identified not only with Nazareth, but also with a Messianic title in the Old Testament. Jesus, though a Bethlehemite, carried the name of Nazareth with Him, a name that expressed the contempt of those who despised and rejected Him.

Which in itself is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53 which says of the coming Messiah...

Isaiah 53:2-3 — 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, And as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Over and over and over we see God proving His Son through the actions of the New Testament.

He did this for all who would come later so that we can see that without a shadow of a doubt Jesus of Nazareth is the prophesied Messiah.

The Savior set and sent to redeem His people before the foundation of the world!

Now as we come to a close, I want to give you three points of Application for Us to take with us from this set of scripture before us today.

The Application to Us

The Duty of Joseph

With every dream we’d do well to notice who it is revealed to.

Who did the angel speak to in each dream?

Joseph, right?

But why not Mary? I mean after all she is the biological mother of the baby right?

The reason the angel appeared to Joseph and not Mary is because Joseph was the head of the household.

Now, I’m not trying to be male chauvinist or sexist or anti feminist or any of those things but what we need to understand this morning, is that there is an order given to man from God about how a household is to be run and it begins with the man being the head of the house.

Listen, a woman’s role to the family is extremely important and exceptionally needed but her role is first and foremost not to be the ruler or leader of the household.

That role is reserved for the man of the house.

The Bible says in...

1 Corinthians 11:3 — But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

1 Timothy 3:4–5 — 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

Now, this doesn’t mean that the woman’s role is any less valuable to the family or that the man is to Lord over his wife in a demeaning way for the Bible also says in...

1 Corinthians 7:3-4 — 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

Ephesians 5:25 — Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

It simply means that the man of the house is to be the leader of the house and men we ought to lead our houses well!

How do we do that?

First off, by getting and keeping our families in Church!

Second, by reading God’s word and growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ so that we can help our families to learn.

And thirdly, by leading our families to Jesus!

Men, it’s not the preachers job to lead them to Jesus, it’s not the Sunday school teachers job to lead them to Jesus, it’s ultimately your job to lead your family to Jesus!

God gave them to you, He entrusted them to your care and therefore it’s your responsibility to lead them to Him!

Now, I do understand that there are some women here who may not have a man at home to rule the house. If that be the case, then you have no other option but than to be the leader.

And I know that this is probably extremely hard on you but if you will trust in God to lead you and ask him for guidance as Joseph did, I can assure you He will never lead you astray!

Now, maybe you’re here and you have a husband at home but he’s not saved. If that’s the case, it is still his responsibility to lead the house but the spiritual leadership that your house needs is going to fall back on you seeing as you’re the one born again.

Be that light for your family that God has called you to be. Be that light to your children. Tell them and teach them about Jesus. Be that light to your husband and try to lead him to Christ.

Now to the second application.

The Diligence of Joseph

Every time God told Joseph to do something or go somewhere, how long did it take Joseph to take action?

It was immediate, right?

Listen, God only wants whats best for us and all those around us and He alone knows the gifts that He’s given us, so when He calls us to do something or to go somewhere, we can know it’s whats going to be best for the furtherance of His kingdom so we need to act immediately.

So many times we think we know more than God don’t we?

God tells us to do something or go somewhere and we’re like “nah God I’m good.”

How many people could you have led to the Lord if you’d of just listened to His leading?

How different would your life be right now if you’d of just listened and went when He said go and done what He said do?

We must be diligent in listening to His leading.

And lastly, I want you to see the Divine Providence and Deity of God.

The Divine Providence & Deity of God

Five times in the first two chapters of Matthew do we see God using dreams to guide men where He wanted them to be.

Four times we see the phrase “that it might be fulfilled” speaking of prophecies of old being fulfilled by the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and this is just in the first two chapters.

As I was studying for this message, I found 13 verses in the Book of Matthew where the phrase “that it might be fulfilled” was used to specifically speak of OT prophecies being fulfilled.

It is widely accepted that the Book of Matthew contains more references to the Old Testament than any other gospel.

One writer stated...

Matthew had some 93 quotations from the Old Testament, while Mark quotes the Old Testament only 49 times, Luke 80, and John only 33 times. — John G Butler

The thing I want you to see more than anything about this passage is that God is on the throne and He’s still in control even when it seems as if everything around us is falling apart.

In the good times and the bad, God knows what’s going on before it’s ever even a blip on our radar screen and we can trust that God knows best and He makes no mistakes.

We can trust that all things will work out according to His will and He is sovereign over all!

And that should bring every born again believer here this morning a great deal of peace and comfort.

Now, if you’re here and you don’t know Him then you need to understand you’re currently fighting a losing battle but if you will come to know Him as Lord then there will never be a battle you can’t win!

For with God all things are possible!