And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:12
an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. Matthew 2:13-15
In reading Matthew 2 today, we see wonderful examples of obedience.
As AW Tozer says of the Magi:
The story of the wise men says two things and says them loudly.
One is that a longing soul with scanty theological knowledge is in a better position to meet God than a self-satisfied soul, however deeply instructed in the Scriptures.
The wise men were Gentiles, “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” Yet they saw the star and left all to make the long, dangerous journey to lay worthy gifts at the feet of Jesus. They acted on small knowledge and found the Messiah. That is to their everlasting credit.
The Magi defied the king, Herod, because they had met the true King! They followed the instructions seen in their dream and went home a different way! Also demonstrating incredible obedience, Joseph didn't debate with the angel, instead, he got Mary and Jesus up and fled to Egypt that very night!
Join me in reading Matthew 2 and be encouraged!
