When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Matthew 2:13 NABRE
Joseph is the patriarch of the Jesus’ family. He is tasked with protecting and providing for the family. Joseph does an admirable job. Despite the fact Joseph would have been a law abiding Jew who was drawn to community he led his family even when it was drawing him to places he was not comfortable. Joseph would have preferred to stay in the vicinity of his community but warned of the threat against Jesus’ life takes his family to Egypt. This was a safe place for Jewish refuges as Rome ruled and there were many Jews who lived in Egypt, so finding a familiar community of people would have been possible for Joseph. Taking Jesus to safety is similar to the rescue Moses required. Pharaoh was concerned with the growth of the Jewish community in Egypt and thought one day they could align themselves with an enemy and overtake Pharaoh and his army. So Pharaoh “commanded all his people, ‘Throw into the Nile every boy that is born, but you may let all the girls live.’” (Exodus 1:22) Moses was saved by Pharaoh’s own daughter who drew him out of the water. It is another equivalency that helps us see Jesus as a new type of Moses, a liberator of his people.
Joseph is the model of a family leader, the father who knows his family is his priority and willing to do whatever is necessary to raise his family in health, safely and opportunities. Father’s model yourself after Joseph, listen to God’s word and put family first, then children will know they are loved.
Are you a father who loves his children? If you are not a father is there a leadership role you could take in someone’s life?
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