Rejoice with exceeding great joy!

Good morning! My name is Charlotte and I am writing to help us give our first thoughts to the Lord.

We have been looking at the birth and early life of Jesus. Wednesday and Thursday we looked at a timeline, as a friend of mine questioned me about, when the wise men came to bring gifts. It is accepted today that Jesus was about two years old.

Yesterday we read about after the eight days he was circumcised and after Mary's days of purification, which was forty days, they went to Jerusalem. Then they went from Jerusalem to Nazareth.

Matthew says this Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasured, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

They were in a house. Jesus was not a baby. He was a young child. The wise men rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Why? Maybe because the star led them away from Bethlehem by this time and when it stopped in Nazareth over the place where Jesus was, they were filled with joy because they had finally found the child. Remember it was about 75 miles from Bethlehem to Nazareth. Mary and Joseph went from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to Nazareth.

The star appeared when Jesus was born. So, you have to allow for their travel time on camel which was slow. And they were wandering. They were following a star with no destination in mind just trusting in that star.

Matthew goes on to say And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared 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 bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt. And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophets, saying, out of Egypt have I called my son.

So from Nazareth, they went to Egypt. They did not go from Bethlehem to Egypt. They went from Bethlehem to Jerusalem to Nazareth. So, this must have happened in Nazareth. Herod inquired as to when the star appeared, so when he killed all children under two years of age, this is how old he surmissed Jesus to be at this time. Somewhere between newborn and two years old.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice herd, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were not.

Isn't it wonderful to see God's hand leading and directing Joseph and Mary and Jesus to protect Jesus from the wrath of Herod.

Thank you, Father God, for your leading and guiding hand to protect us from harmful things. Thank you for giving us wisdom to live by. Most of all thank you for Jesus. For it is in His name that we pray. Amen (it is done)

Have a great weekend, although it doesn't seem like Friday.

Charlotte