Matthew 2:13-23

Matthew 2:13–23 ESV

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” 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.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Jesus’ Fulfillment and Perfection of all the Imperfect Leaders of God’s People

Adam

Adam and Jesus are the only two men who were supernaturally given life

Jacob

The battle for blessing and inheritance between Jacob and Esau continues in the “battle” for kingship between Jesus and Herod.

Herod was the son of Antipater, who was an Edomite (a descendant of Esau). He had no right to the throne of Israel because he wasn’t an Israelite! Herod was attempting to steal back the blessing and inheritance of being the people of God by becoming the king over Israel. He knew he was not the rightful king and that is a major reason he was so threatened by the birth of Jesus. The rightful inheritor of the blessings of the people of the LORD, the true and better Jacob, was coming to claim his stolen crown!

Moses

Just the Pharoah tried to end the blessings to the Israelites by killing a whole generation of males in Moses’ time, Herod tried to end the blessing to the Israelites (and to the world!) by killing a whole generation of males in Jesus’ time.

Just as Moses was saved by being adopted and raised in Egypt, Jesus was saved by His family escaping to and raising Him in Egypt.

David

In verse 6, Matthew quotes Micah 5:2 talking about how the Messiah will be a ruler who also is a shepherd. Who does this bring to mind? David!

Don’t you see? Jesus is the promised one! The one who would defeat the snake in ways that NONE of his ancestors could!