[The following devotional is a part of our 2014 Advent Devotional Guide. We will be posting a devotional each day on this blog between November 30 – December 31, 2014.]
A Sentimental Journey by Mark Robinson
Read: Matthew 2:13-18
Are you sentimental about locations? Do you have a special restaurant you go to with your spouse or sweetheart to celebrate anniversaries or key events? Do you have a special location that embodies “family vacation” in your mind? Most people do.
One such location for the Robinson family is Branson, Missouri. Since I was a little boy my family has gone to the Ozarks for vacation. I have so many memories playing mini golf, riding water slides, watching country shows, etc. in this hillbilly holiday.
Because of those memories, I am excited that recently my family has resumed gathering in Branson for long weekends together. It has been great to introduce my son to Silver Dollar City and Branson shows while in the company of my extended family.
You probably have places of significance in your family as well. You know what? So does God. That’s right, God has some special places that are full of memories with His people. One such place is Egypt. It seems God’s people visit there on occasion.
Of course, the most famous visit to Egypt from God’s people began in the time of Joseph (Genesis Joseph, not Jesus’ adoptive father) during a great famine in Palestine. God protected His people from starvation in the shadow of the Sphinx, and allowed them to grow in great numbers in this foreign land. After a number of years, however, Egypt began dealing harshly with the people of Israel, and God would raise up His servant Moses to lead God’s people out of bondage and into the promised land.
Because of that memory, God wanted to go back to that prominent place with His people in the time just after the birth of Christ. While Jesus was just a young child, the wicked King Herod wanted to kill Jesus because he was afraid of what Jesus would do to his earthly influence. In order to protect His Child from being starved out of life in Palestine, God sent Jesus to Egypt with Joseph and Mary to wait until it was safe to return (the story you read earlier today in Matthew 2:13-18).
After it was safe to return, God called forth the Redeemer, Jesus, out of Egypt and back to Palestine. Like Moses before Him, Jesus would be God’s leader to usher His people to the promised land. By going back to Egypt, God tied Jesus in as a type of Moses. However, Jesus is much better than Moses.
▪Moses would be used by God to lead the people through the Red Sea, but his disobedience prevented him from ushering God’s people all the way to the Promised Land. Jesus, however, lived a perfect life, and completed the task of saving His people!
▪Moses was the vessel chosen by God to deliver His Law to His people, but the Law only condemned, it could not save. Jesus, however, was the Living Word providing a Living Way for God’s people to not just hear about holiness but experience it!
▪Moses would die in the wilderness still awaiting the promises. Jesus rose from the dead, a full heir of heaven’s blessing.
By taking Jesus back to Egypt God was using a bit of historical sentiment to show us the amazing truth that Jesus is better than even Moses. More than a religious figure, Jesus was the Savior of the world.
Questions
- Do you have a place that is sentimental for your family?
- Do you see any special significance in God taking Jesus back to Egypt in Matthew 2?
Advent Prayer
- Pray and thank God for how Jesus is superior to ALL others, even other famous people from the Bible.
There could be times, when the individual would like to drive a car of his choice to the airport.
You can find all range of cars in car rental agencies as per your choice and suitability.
They hire a limo party bus and can travel to the party venues.