44
The Desire of Ages
that the father’s designs against Christ might be carried out by the son.
Of all the sons of Herod, Archelaus most resembled him in character.
Already his succession to the government had been marked by a tumult
in Jerusalem, and the slaughter of thousands of Jews by the Roman
guards.
Again Joseph was directed to a place of safety. He returned to
Nazareth, his former home, and here for nearly thirty years Jesus dwelt,
“that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall
be called a Nazarene.” Galilee was under the control of a son of Herod,
but it had a much larger admixture of foreign inhabitants than Judea.
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Thus there was less interest in matters relating especially to the Jews,
and the claims of Jesus would be less likely to excite the jealousy of
those in power.
Such was the Saviour’s reception when He came to the earth. There
seemed to be no place of rest or safety for the infant Redeemer. God
could not trust His beloved Son with men, even while carrying forward
His work for their salvation. He commissioned angels to attend Jesus
and protect Him till He should accomplish His mission on earth, and
die by the hands of those whom He came to save.
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