Chapter 4—The Flight Into Egypt
Herod had not been honest in saying that he wanted to go and
worship Jesus. He feared that the Saviour would grow up to be a king,
and take his kingdom from him.
He wanted to find the child, that he might have Him put to death.
The wise men prepared to return and tell Herod. But the angel of
the Lord appeared to them in a dream, and sent them home another
way.
“And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young
child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I
bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him.”
Matthew 2:13
.
Joseph did not wait till morning; he rose at once, and with Mary
and the child, started by night on the long journey.
The wise men had given costly presents to Jesus, and in this way
God provided for the expenses of the journey and their stay in Egypt,
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until they should return to their own land.
Herod was very angry when he found that the wise men had gone
home another way. He knew what God by His prophet had said about
Christ’s coming.
He knew how the star had been sent as a guide to the wise men.
Yet he was determined to destroy Jesus. In his wrath he sent soldiers
to kill “all the children that were in Bethlehem, ... from two years old
and under.”
Matthew 2:16
.
How strange that a man should fight against God! What an awful
scene this slaying of the innocent children must have been! Herod had
before done many cruel things; but his wicked life was soon to end.
He died a terrible death.
Joseph and Mary remained in Egypt till after the death of Herod.
Then the angel appeared to Joseph, and said, “Arise, and take the
young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they
are dead which sought the young child’s life.”
Matthew 2:20
.
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