THE YOUNG CHILD IS OUR LORD AND GOD. Matthew 2

‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. ( 2:2) Wise men from the East enquired after Herod, who interrogated the religious leaders concerning the place where the Lord would be born. Herod, of all people, sent them to Bethlehem, after hearing that ‘You, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not the least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you shall come a Ruler, who will shepherd My people Israel.’

Herod first used the beautiful term, ’the young child’ when he commanded the wide men to ’Go, and search diligently for the young child , and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I may worship Him also.’ (v8) Liar, Herod! You want to snuff out this light and destroy this young life sent from God. You cannot deceive the living Lord; nor escape judgment from a holy God.

The creator God showed His control of the stars, by directing one, ’The star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.’ He who had created the stars selected one to illuminate the place where He lay. Mystery? Surely, but we fall at His feet in wonder. ’All things were made by Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.’ Heaven gazed as the senators from the East, Persia or even China, as scholars suggest, completed their mission in discovering the young child. The Shekinah glory shone on Him.

The guiding star delighted them with great joy; however, ‘When they had come into the house, they saw the young child and His mother; so they fell down and worshipped Him, ‘(v11) ; They did not worship the created star, but their Lord even in His childhood. Did they quote the scriptures, read a Psalm or quote a great song from the word of God? What prayers did they bring to their God? They poured out their spirit in worshipping the Son of the eternal One. A great example for us.

Their devoted spirits drove them to ‘Open their treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh.’ (v11) It was later written of the Lord, ‘ That foxes have holes, the birds of the ait have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.’ In this setting, the sacrificed treasures were invested in the Lord. One dear brother, suggested that gold would provide for the family during the refugee years ahead. Frankincense spoke of prayer, ascending to the Father’s throne; while the myrrh foreshadowed the suffering He would endure, when ‘He was made sin for us’ on Calvary.

The scripture speaks of ’the young child ’ and His mother, showing His superiority over Mary His mother, and Joseph, His legal father. We worship only Him.

Heaven intervened when ‘They were divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so that they departed for their own country by another way.’ God sealed the accomplishment of their mission, which we gladly affirm 2 000 years later.

The unique title ’ the young child ‘appears twice in verse 13.’ ‘An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream ( common in the east in guidance even to this day ) ‘Arise, take the young child and His mother. Flee into Egypt, and stay there until I being you word; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy it.’’ Mary and Joseph’s heart ached, musing that their beloved Son might be slaughtered by that despot, Herod. Typically, satan failed to defeat Christ in early life and ministry.

Joseph obeyed the heavenly call, ‘ He arose, taking the young child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt.’ The Lord of glory understands the plight of refugees, for he was such a one in Egypt. ‘We have not a great high priest, who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all things tempted as we are; yet without sin.’ Glorious consolation for all distressed.

Our Australian General hospital was stationed in Egypt during WW11. During our retreat from the same country where our Lord found refuge, we went by rail to Nazareth in Israel. At night, during bombing raids, the crew forsook the train, carrying our entire staff and much of our hospital equipment, to hide in the desert.

The prophetic word spoken by Hosea, ’Out of Egypt I have called my son,’ was fulfilled. The family stayed there until the tyrant Herod died. God brings all men to judgment, ’For it is appointed unto man (Herod was no exception ) once to die, and after that the judgment.’ God called His beloved son to terminate His Egyptian stay.

Herod’s malicious intention failed, and fuming with unconcealed rage, he planned to execute all the male children in Bethelehem and districts who were two years old and under.’ History records the massacre of the infants, for which the plotter would face the anger of his holy God. Oh, the heartache and grief for the mothers and fathers of those whose lives were brutally taken. No wonder ‘Rachel wept for her children; refusing to be comforted, because they were no more.’ ( Jeremiah 31:13 )

Again the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream in Egypt, Herod having gone to his judgment, ‘Arise, take the young child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life were dead.’ (v20) Joseph immediately responded to the angelic word. Do we obey implicitly; promptly?

The King of Israel, though still the young child , returned to His own land. God warned them again by a dream when they discovered that the brutal Archelaus, Herod’s son, ruled in his place. He turned aside to the region of Galilee, and came and dwelt in a city Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, ‘He shall b e called a Nazarene.’ (v23) Scripture was precisely fulfilled.

John wrote, ’The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. We beheld His glory; the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.’ Our beloved Lord entered His boyhood as the young child, displaying His eternal glory.

Angels, shepherds, wise men worshipped the young child :let us gladly do so.