The Road to ChristmasSample

Divine Protection

Easy to forget how the initial Christmas events rapidly moved beyond joy to the world and wise men paying homage. Herod wanted this kid dead who stirred praise and pilgrimage. Herod’s horrific reaction to being outwitted by the Magi points back to an Egyptian leader who killed the baby boys of God’s people. Echoes of the Exodus come with Joseph whisking Mary and Jesus to Egypt – and back again.

The divine protection offers an overlooked example of God’s rescue being hardwired into Jesus’ whole story. But the glimpse of ‘weeping Rachel’ from Jeremiah is actually a hopeful way to end this Egypt anecdote. Read the Jeremiah prophecy in context to see how Rachel – one of the Old Testament matriarchs – wept over God’s children. They had been exiled from His close care but, in the same breath of Scripture, God promises hope and restoration. A promise fulfilled by this child, protected in Egypt as an infant.

Written by BEN MCEACHEN