Matthew 2:13-23: God Brings His Son Out of Egypt

God will not allow Herod to kill the Christ as a baby, so the Lord sends His angel to Joseph so that he will take Mary and Jesus to safety in Egypt. This fulfills the Word of God from Hosea 11, showing Jesus to be the people of Israel reduced to one Man. Herod’s foiled plan leads to murderous rage, and he kills the boys of Bethlehem in an attempt to kill Jesus. Even in such evil actions, however, the Scriptures show that the Lord remains present for His mourning people. For all Herod’s raging, he still dies, and the Lord brings Joseph, Mary, and Jesus back to the land of Israel, where they settle in Nazareth. This too fulfills the Word of the Lord that the Christ would be despised by men.  Rev. Nate Hill, pastor at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Winchester, TX, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 2:13-23.  To learn more about St. Michael's Lutheran, visit stmichaelswinchester.org. “The Reign of Heaven Stands Near” is a series on Sharper Iron that studies the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims that God has fulfilled His Old Testament promises by sending Jesus to bring the reign of the heavens among us. As the Son of David, Jesus is the gracious King we need, and as the Son of Abraham, Jesus is the blessing to all the families of the earth.  Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Pastor Appel serves at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, IL. Learn more at flcgodfrey.org. Submit comments or questions to: [email protected]