Matthew 2 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“So Joseph got up, took the child and His mother and entered the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea,in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in a dream, he withdrew to the region of Galilee.Then he went and settled in a town called Nazareth to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets, that He will be called a Nazarene.”Matthew 2:21-23

My father is retired from the oil business. One of the drawbacks of my dad’s job was that we moved around a lot. By the time I entered 5th grade, I had lived in 5 different cities. I believe the L-rd used those re-location experiences to prepare me to serve Him as an adult. Every time we moved, meant a whole new set of experiences. I often draw from those experiences whenever I communicate the gospel. ..as I’m doing right now!

My dad has told me that if he could do it allover again, he would have just stayed in one town and raised his family in a more “sheltered” environment. That plan was well intended and may have seemed right to my dad, but it would not have prepared me for G_d’s unique call on my life.

I believe Joseph had a plan to take the young Yeshua straight to Jerusalem.We know this because the Scripture says that Joseph was headed straight for Judea. We also know that Jerusalem is in Judea, and the angel told Joseph& Mary that Yeshua was the Messiah. 

Anyone who knew the Torah…especially a righteous Judean like Joseph…would know that all the great Jewish kings were enthroned in Jerusalem.They would also know, as Yeshua would later say, “It is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem”!This is a similar situation to Joseph’s errant (yet well intended) plans to quietly divorce Mary. The L-rd intervened.

“There is a way that seems right unto man, the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

Had Joseph done what seemed right to him and decided to settle in Jerusalem, Yeshua would never have survived all the vicious, exploitative opportunistic self-seekers swarming around Jerusalem.Can you imagine someone boasting, “I taught the Messiah all He knows…buy my book.?"

Did G_d have a plan for Yeshua in Jerusalem? Yes. Did Joseph understand from the Scriptures that Yeshua’s ministry would eventually wind up in Jerusalem?Yes. Did Joseph comprehend all that needed to happen between Yeshua’s boyhood and His manhood? Nope.

We may not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds it. G_d doesn't usually unfold His plans to us. He simply asks us to trust Him, seek Him daily, and to follow His leading…just as you are seeking Him today. :-)

~Steve Wiggins, Shuvah Yisrael 
Daily Devotional, Sunday April 21, 2013