The Commands, Teachings, and Life of our Lord Jesus Christ: Matthew 2:19-23

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 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. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

   Herod eventually did die, it actually wasn’t that long at all. By some estimates only a couple of years after Joseph fled to Egypt. Again, the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream (this seems to be how the Lord consistently spoke to this particular servant of his). And Joseph got up and left. Again God says arise—immediately obey—and Joseph does. He immediately obeys the Lord and prepares Jesus and Mary to go back to Israel.

 22 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:

 
    What was Joseph’s fear? That Herod’s son was now reigning in place of his father. Joseph was honestly afraid to be around Herod’s son. But what does God do? He comes again in a dream and warns Joseph and Joseph turns toward Galilee—a rural area of northern Israel.

 23 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.

     We see prophecy wonderfully fulfilled again in the Life of Christ—He grows up in Nazareth and is called a Nazarene. Now, Nazareth was a small town type of area and the reason why people mocked a great leader coming from there is pretty understandable—do you expect a great leader to emerge out of the sticks? Nonetheless, Jesus grew up there. It is significant to note that Joseph does not go there because of prophecy, but because of fear Herod’s son and God’s direction. God will fulfill His Word, even though people do not know it or remember it.

Matt 2:19-23 (KJV)