Advent Devotionals

Advent Devotional Day 11: Matthew 2:16-18- Herod's Massacre of the Innocents

In your quiet time, read Matthew 2:16-18.

Joseph and Mary left for Egypt with Jesus to leave Herod’s command to kill innocent baby boys under the age of 2 (Matthew 2:14, 16). This story is like another in the Bible. Moses, too, was born in a time of a great massacre of newborns and infants (Exodus 1:22). When Moses was much older, God called him as the person to help deliver the Hebrews from the oppression of the Egyptians (Exodus 3:10). In an Old Testament and Jewish perspective, Moses was the greatest deliverer of all time. With Jesus’ birth, something (or someone) much greater had now come on to the scene (Hebrews 3:3).
Jesus was hunted as an infant, much like Moses. Jesus was called as well to deliver all peoples from spiritual oppression, not just Egyptian oppression. In a time that looked so gloomy for the Hebrews, God preserved Moses and kept him safe from Pharaoh. God purposed Moses to be the deliverer of the Hebrews from the Egyptians. In a time that looked so gloomy for all people, including the Jewish people, God preserved Jesus and kept him safe from Herod. God purposed Jesus to be the deliverer of all peoples from spiritual oppression. Is there any area of your life where it looks gloomy and you need deliverance from oppression? Be still and know that the God who preserves will keep you safe and well cared for. The God who delivers can free you from any oppression that you may face.