He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:15 NABRE
Jesus’ visit by Magi includes their meeting King Herod inciting his paranoia about a new king. Herod unable to locate King Jesus has all children in Bethlehem two and under killed eliminating this perceived threat. Joseph, husband of Mary is warned of the threat and takes Jesus to Egypt. After Herod’s death, Joseph returns from Egypt, settling in Nazareth, a small, obscure village in the Galilean hills. Matthew writes this happened to fulfill a prophecy, from Hosea, “When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son.” (11:1) The language is poetic, God calls Israel son, enslaved in Egypt and led to freedom by Moses, the great Exodus.
This second exodus is Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Hosea’s language, Israel my son indicates the type or relationship God desires. Rashi from the ninth century a respected rabbi and author of commentary on the scriptures, interprets the term son of man from Daniel 7:13 as representing the entire Chosen people, all Jews. Jesus uses the same term, son of man referring to Himself. We can imagine Jesus shares this larger vision of the son of man, He includes all people in the kingdom of God. Thus like the first exodus, Jesus’ exodus from Egypt represents all people leaving slavery, overcoming fear and no longer threaten by death. In the book of Hosea, God uses scripture to expand our view of Jesus, not as a redeemer of individuals but of the entire community. In Christ we participate in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) and we participate completely in His life and death, including our own exodus from slavery, fear and death. We all are God’s son or daughter, too.
Are you aware you are divine? Are you aware you fully participate in Christ?
God uses the prophet Hosea to expand our view of Jesus, not as a redeemer of individuals but of the entire community. We participate in Christ, His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4) life and death, we too exodus from slavery, fear and death. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #exodus #Israel #Matthew #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #gospels #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways