20 December - Jesus of Nazareth

20th December 2021

Matthew 2:19-23
The Return to Nazareth 19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 2:19-23

The Return to Nazareth

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

Jesus of Nazareth

King Herod had launched the massacre of the innocents in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus, but the Holy Family, after being warned, are in Egypt. An Angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph and brings him the news that King Herod, his persecutor, is dead. The Angel tells him to return to Israel. Joseph observed and obeyed the command and took the young child and His mother and left Egypt.

But when he heard that Archelaus, the son of Herod was his successor (a very cruel and wicked man like his father), Joseph was afraid to go to Judea so went to Galilee. Galilee was an obscure place, where Joseph thought they could live unobserved and free from danger. He came and settled in a city called Nazareth; this accomplished what had been foretold by the prophets. Although Christ was not born in Nazareth, but because He dwelt and was educated there, He became known as Jesus of Nazareth.

Joseph’s actions are an example of trust and obedience in God, travelling with a young child and His mother at a time when it was still extremely dangerous to do so. However, their faith is rewarded by God’s protection and provision for them. This Christmas let us celebrate the joy of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and during recent times of uncertainty let us trust and obey the Lord, that He will protect and provide for us too.

Campbell and Alison Chalmers and family