Flight

After this visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus, they were warned in a dream to avoid Herod and went home by a different route. Mary and Joseph, in turn, fled with the infant Jesus to Egypt. This both confirmed the prophecies of the Old Testament, as noted here in our reading, and kept our Lord from being put to death before His time.

                What then are we to make of this flight into Egypt? We have already discussed the practical aspect of keeping Jesus safe from Herod. But it also undid one of the great sins of the Old Testament people of God. When Israel was brought back from slavery in Egypt, they rebelled against God and sinned against Him. Our Lord Jesus, on the other hand, went into Egypt and came back to the promised land without sin of any sort. This sets a theme for the life and ministry of our Lord. What the people of God did not do, what they failed at, Jesus does in their place perfectly.

Why did our Lord Jesus have to flee to Egypt? Find out in this sermon from St. John's Lutheran Church of Oakes, ND!