International S. S. Lessons.
By Editor
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." —Neh. 8:8 LESSON IV.—SUNDAY, JULY 22, 1894.
[NOTE.—The questions which follow are merely suggestive for the student on the leading points of the lesson; it is presumed that the thorough student will think of many more as he studies the subject. References, where verses alone are given, always refer to the lesson scripture printed above. All other references are given in book, chapter, and verse. The text printed is that of the Revised Version, not because it is especially preferred, but because it is not found in every family, as is the common version.] 13. Now when they were departed, behold, an 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 tell thee; for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14. And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod; 15. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son. 16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had carefully learned of the wise men. 17. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 18. A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she would not be comforted, because they are not. 19. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20. Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead that sought the young child's life. 21. And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee. 23. And came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene. Golden Text: "The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in." Ps. 121:8. NOTE.—Chronologically, this lesson follows immediately after the last. Joseph and Mary evidently started for Egypt immediately after the departure of the wise men. This account is found only in Matthew. The places mentioned are Bethlehem of Judea, spoken of in our last lesson, Nazareth, a little city in Galilee west of the Sea of Galilee, and the country of Egypt. The place there is supposed to be Matareeh, a few miles northeast of Cairo. The rulers, general and special, at this time were, Augustus Caesar, emperor of Rome, and Herod the Great, his thirty-fourth and last year as king of Judea. His successor was Herod Archelaus, this being his first year. - When the wise men had departed, how did the Lord speak to Joseph? Verse 13.
- What did he tell him to do? and why? Note 1.
- How promptly did he obey? Verse 14.
- How long was he in Egypt? Verse 14. Note 2.
- What prophecy was thus fulfilled by Joseph's going into Egypt? Verse 15.
- When Herod saw that the wise men did not return, how did it affect him? Verse 16.
- What did he do?
- What prophecy was thus fulfilled? Verses 17, 18. Note 3.
- When Herod died, how did the Lord again instruct Joseph? Verse 19.
- What message did he send him? Verse 20.
- How did Joseph regard the message? Verse 21.
- When he heard that Archelaus was reigning in the room of Herod, how did he feel? Verse 22.
- What did the Lord warn him to do? and how?
- Where did he dwell? Verse 23.
- What was thus fulfilled? Note 4.
1. THE child Jesus was in danger, not because of any hatred which was possessed toward Joseph,558but because of the hatred which Satan possessed toward Christ. Herod was not stirred up against the holy family because of any prejudice which he had against them, but because Satan had stirred him up against the promised Ruler of the people of God. In his birth, his care, and his training, he was under the divine instruction. The Lord says, Go to Egypt and stay there till I bring thee word. "It was not necessary for Joseph to know the times nor the seasons;" as it has been well remarked, only that he should commit his ways unto God, who did know. The cruelty of Herod is well known. Farrar says: "Deaths by strangulation, deaths by burning, deaths by being cleft asunder, deaths by secret assassination, confessions forced by unutterable torture based on insolent and inhuman lust, marked the annals of a reign which was so cruel that it is said the survivors during his lifetime were more miserable than the sufferers." "And, as in the reign of Henry VIII., every dark and brutal instinct of his character seemed to acquire fresh intensity as his life drew to its close." This lesson also shows God's special goodness as manifested through the ministration of angels. 2. Until the death of Herod.—How long they remained after this is uncertain. Immediately after the reign of Herod began the reign of Herod Archelaus. He also was of a cruel disposition. Consequently when Joseph returned, he did not dwell longer in Judea. 3. In this act of Herod is shown the fearful cruelty of his character. His rage was vented entirely upon those who were innocent of any wrong. Even granting that there was to be a king from some of those children who would take the throne which Herod occupied, he probably would not have come to the throne during Herod's lifetime. But Herod's foolish ambition and mad jealousy brooked no restraint. In this prophecy in Jeremiah is also brought to view God's promise of the resurrection. This is not mentioned in Matthew; but the Lord says in Jer. 31: 16, "Thy children shall come again to their own border." God will bring back from the enemy's land, the land of death, all those who have died for his sake and in him. That is especially true of those children who were slain for his sake, not in the same sense in which others have suffered for his sake, but they were innocent sufferers because he was in the world. 4. He shall be called a Nazarene.—Not "Nazarite," which is a different word in the original Scriptures. The word Nazareth seems to have come from Nezer, denoting a feeble branch in contrast with a noble tree, and the city itself seems never to have risen out of its original insignificance. The Jews seem to regard it in that light. "Can any good come out of Nazareth?" had become with them a proverb. So it is said of the Messiah by the prophet Isaiah that "he is a root out of a dry ground." He is called the "Branch." He had no external sign of nobility or excellence or power, and the family of David at this time was sunken in lowliness. By living in Nazareth Jesus came to be known as a Nazarene; and this name precisely fulfilled the idea, says Peloubet, expressed by the prophets as belonging to the Messiah. Jesus was a branch (Isa. 11: 1), and by his Nazareth (branch) name fulfilled this prediction. But if we take the meaning of Nazareth to be one who saves or protects, the name Nazarene would have reference to his work as a Saviour. In either case it fitly applies to the Lord's Messiah. One practical lesson that we may learn from this is God's divine guidance and special care over all his children. He will guide us and minister to us just as truly as he did to our Lord Jesus Christ if we trust him. We may also learn that however much men may plot or plan against God's purposes their schemes will come to naught. God's decrees, the purpose of the ages, will be fulfilled. The kings of the earth may take counsel against his Anointed, but the Lord that sitteth in the heavens will laugh and will have them in derision. Everyone who embraces Him in whom all God's purposes center will triumph with Him in that day when He shall take His kingdom.