Key Passage
After the wise men left, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. The angel said, "Get up! Take the baby and his mother and escape to Egypt. Herod will start looking for the baby. Herod wants to kill him. So stay in Egypt until I tell you {it is safe}."
— Matthew 2:13 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
Egypt was a long hard journey and a great unknown to this young family. Yet it was God’s place of protection. God’s commands can call us to something undesirable, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable. Yet the Father shows us his reason for these demands throughout revealed Scripture. He wants to protect us and bless us, just as he protected Joseph, Mary, and Jesus from King Herod at this crucial juncture in Jesus' life. When fully analyzed, many of God's commands are not unreasonable demands or prohibitions, but they are part of his protection. When we do what God commands, we are blessed and protected in ways we may never understand. In addition, our obedience ensures that we are available to be used by him, in his work, at his time.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for caring not only about my holiness, but also for my physical and spiritual protection. Give me strength to stay away from those things you prohibit, courage to do what you ask of me, and excitement to enjoy the life I have in you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Related Scriptures
But a bad spirit from the Lord came on Saul. Saul was sitting in his house. Saul had his spear in his hand. David was playing the harp. Saul tried to throw his spear into David's body and pin him to the wall. But David jumped out of the way. The spear missed David and stuck in the wall. That night, David ran away.
— 1 Samuel 19:9-10
But David thought to himself, "Saul will catch me some day. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up looking for me in Israel. That way I will escape from Saul."
— 1 Samuel 27:1
An evil person can hurt other people by the things he says. But good people are protected by their wisdom. When good people are successful, all the city is happy. When evil people are destroyed, people shout with joy. A city becomes great when the honest people living there give it their blessing. But the things an evil person says can destroy a city. A person without good sense says bad things about his neighbors. But a wise man knows when to be quiet. Any person who tells secrets about other people can't be trusted. But a person that can be trusted does not spread gossip. A nation with weak leaders will fall. But many good advisers will make that nation safe.
— Proverbs 11:9-14
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