Matthew 2:13-23 KJV
(13) 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.
(14) When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
(15) 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.
(16) 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 enquired of the wise men.
(17) Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
(18) 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.
(19) 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.
(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:
(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.

What kind of Father did God pick out for his son. He picked out a father that would be both obedient to him and protector to his Son. First thing first Joseph was a man who cared enough that before he was told by God to marry Mary, he had chosen to put Mary away quietly and not has a public spectacle. Yet God came in a dream and told Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary to be his wife because the child was of the Holy Ghost. Yet that would not be the last time God spoke to Joseph to protect His Son Jesus. Joseph was obedient man to the Lord. And so as the wise men left the scene in chapter 2, Joseph was warned to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt and then back to Israel to place called Galilee, to a town called Nazareth.

There were stories that have been told over the centuries of God’s hand upon a person’s life for protection for a purpose. In the human mind no matter how much one believes in God, unless God has spoken warnings, the concept is foreign knowledge. It is not knowledge easily understood, believed and accepted. I can understand not sending children around a block where there is a bully, but I can not comprehend sending them into the bullies. Yet it only takes knowledge of who the bully is to make a decision not send a person there. Common sense takes over when there is comprehension of a problem. Yet had Joseph even thought about the problems politically of having an adoptive son that would one day be a king, and ruler of m3n’s hearts. Had he himself understood certain principals about the Messiah. Had He understood what it was to be a daddy to this baby?

When the warning came Joseph packed up his family and left. He packed them up and haul freight out of Bethlehem. No one knows for certain from the time Joseph and his family left Bethlehem the killing of the infants took place, but we know it was shortly after with the knowledge the king had that the child could be at the least new born to the most two years of age. Israel in the land of Bethlehem lost their babies because of this king. The warning was not for them but for God’s child. Had the people of the kings forsaken God. The kings of Israel wives had slaughter their own children to Ashtaroth. Yet this foreign king would seek to kill this new king that was born. Had God forsaken Israel, the answer is no for the redeemer lived. Yet the children slaughtered were to fulfill the prophesy in Jeremiah. What God declares, will happen. Was God’s foresight in the things to come, only a reflection of evil to come or knowledge he controlled. I believe it was foresight knowing how men think that ruled that were evil.

What evil people do because they desire power is foreknown by God. Why he choose not to intervene, because it was his will to teach of his divine protection. What we do not know is how many babies were born in Bethlehem at the time. Maybe zero. Yet none the less the decree came from the king. Were those children that were killed Israel’s children, we know it was for Rachel wept for the slaughter, meaning the women of Israel. There was at least a few that lost there life because of a new king that had come. God’s will was his Son would not die at this time, but escape to a land that even Abraham had traveled too. A land not necessarily Jewish friendly, but a land that would be a place of shelter for a time. When King of Israel died, Joseph was told by God to take his family home. For Jesus would be called a Nazarene, fulfilling prophesy once more. God definitely chose a man that would not only obey his voice but also protect his child.

God has called ever father to be a protector of their children, yet there are times that man can not protect their kids. The only thing a father can do is obey the Lord, knowing evil people exist that harm kids. They can do their best to teach their kids how to be safe. Leave the rest in the Lord’s hands and His will for your children. How many close calls do children have growing up not because of a parents neglect, but because it out of the human’s parent control. Some things that happen are not stopped by the hand of God and yet we can wonder why and sometimes there is no clear answer beyond the knowledge that evil people to exist. And God might not be stopping evil today, but a day is coming that all evil will be destroyed. God’s timing not ours.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for protective father’s who care enough to do their part in trying to keep their children safe. To those that listen to your instructions and warning about evil. In Jesus precious name, Amen.