Joseph: husband of Mary, mother of Jesus.
What a good man Jesus had as an earthly father! He – Joseph – was visited by angels!
Matt.
2:13: “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.”
Joseph had the sacred duty of keeping Mary and Jesus safe. So he did as he was told. He was obedient!
How arduous was that journey to Egypt? Google (AI overview) gives me this info:
The
distance from Bethlehem to the border of Egypt in biblical times was about 75
to 80 miles (120 to 130 kilometres) southwest, while a longer journey deep
into Egypt (such as to the Nile or Alexandria) spanned roughly 300 to 350
miles (480 to 560 kilometres).
Why was Egypt safe? More from Google:
Key Reasons Egypt
Provided Safety
- Outside Herod’s Reach: King Herod ruled Judea and ordered the
Massacre of the Innocents in Bethlehem out of fear that the newborn "King
of the Jews" would threaten his throne. Egypt was governed
separately, meaning Herod’s soldiers had no authority there.
- Large Jewish Community: Egypt—particularly major urban centres like
Alexandria—hosted a massive, long-established population of Jewish people
living in relative peace and safety, making it easier for the family to
find community and integrate.
- Roman Infrastructure and Travel: Both Judea and Egypt were controlled by Rome
and linked by established coastal trade routes (such as "the way of
the sea"), allowing Joseph to travel relatively straightforwardly
despite the urgency of the flight.
Matt.
2:19-21: “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt, /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. /And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and
came into the land of Israel. /But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in
Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither,
notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream (another angel?), he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: /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.”
Now. The seeker of the origin of that phrase, “He shall be
called a Nazarene”, may find this a bit of a puzzle. I will leave it to that
seeker to search for himself.
It would seem that Joseph, perhaps unconsciously, knew of
that prophecy. He certainly knew the precious child he was blessed to care for.
Joyce Voysey
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