Did you know that Jesus lived for a few years in Egypt? That’s the place where the greatest salvation event of the Old Testament happened. In Exodus, Egypt’s Pharoah feared the strength and numbers of the Hebrew people. He did a number of oppressive and cruel things to them, enslaving and oppressing them. Most horribly, he tried to coerce the Hebrew midwives to kill Hebrew baby boys by drowning them in the Nile.
But the midwives were faithful to God and their calling. They fought back and did not follow Pharoah’s orders. God had a plan to rescue His people by rescuing and redirecting one baby boy, Moses. Technically, his mother did put him in the Nile, but in a little water-basket. His big sister watched over him until Pharoah’s daughter herself pulled him out of the water. That put God’s agent of change and salvation right in Pharoah’s court. From there, God guided Moses to lead his people to freedom and the Promised Land.
To hear that God redirected baby Jesus to Egypt makes our ears perk up. Was another rescue needed? Were God’s people burdened and enslaved? Could they free themselves or did they need God to send a Savior? This time, God’s people were not literally enslaved, but the burden of sin and death was heavy on them. Their inability to save themselves through their own efforts was clear.
And there is a cruel and oppressive ruler in this story, as well: Herod. He wanted to wipe out a generation of baby boys to try and eradicate the Messiah. What would God do to rescue his chosen savior—this time a savior of the whole human race—from sin and death? He sent a message to Joseph by an angelic dream.
The chosen savior was rescued, and God’s plan to save us all from sin and death was being carefully guided. But little ones were murdered because of an oppressive evil king’s desire to keep power he would have to relinquish in time. We are reminded that this word is a hard place for the defenseless, the innocent, and those who are subject to tyrants. God allows us to make horrific choices. But those of us who love the Savior know there is a still more excellent way, the way of love.