Matthew 2:13

Matthew 2:13 says, And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.  An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph once again, telling him to take the young Child and His mother and flee to Egypt.  Joseph was told to stay there until he received word that it was safe to return, because Herod would seek the young Child, Jesus, to kill Him.  Herod was not as powerful as he thought he was, just as many people today who attempt to destroy God and His people are not as powerful as they think they are.  Verse fourteen declares, When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:  Joseph arose and left for Egypt that night.  When we know what God wants us to do, we don't need to  hesitate, but need to simply do what He tells us to do as soon as possible.  Verse fifteen adds, And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.  Joseph and his family remained in Egypt until Herod was dead, and this also fulfilled a prophesy about Jesus, the Messiah.  Verse sixteen declares, Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.  At the time of the visit of the wise men, when they didn't return to tell Herod where Jesus was, he had all the children in Bethlehem and the coastal area around it, two year old and younger, killed.  This was probably based on the length of time that the wise men had been following the star, and also on Herod's determination to make sure that the One that the wise men called the King of the Jews did not survive.  Verse seventeen adds, Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,  Then verse eighteen continues, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.  Herod's action also fulfilled a prophesy of Jeremiah that there would be weeping in Rama and that Rachael would not be comforted because her children were dead.  The women of Bethlehem and the area would not have been comforted, because their children were dead at the hand of Herod.  Verse nineteen declares, But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,  After Herod died, the angel once again appeared to Joseph, in a dream again this time.  Verse twenty adds, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.  Joseph was told by the angel that it was safe and he was to take Mary and Jesus and return to Israel.  Verse twenty-one states, And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.  Joseph once again obeyed the angel, God's messenger, just as we must obey the leadership of the Holy Spirit as followers of Christ today.   When we know what God wants us to do, we should do it as quickly as possible.  Verse twenty-two declares, But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:  When Joseph heard that Herod's son was in power, he was afraid and went into Galilee.  He was also warned by God in a dream to go into Galilee.  This time, we are not told that an angel warned Joseph, but that God Himself warned Joseph in a dream.  Verse twenty-three adds, And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.  This also resulted in the fulfillment of a prophesy.  Once more, I do not believe that God was forcing events to happen to fulfill prophesies, but that events were unfolding that fulfilled the prophesies of God.  God's prophesies will always be fulfilled, but they will be fulfilled in His time frame.