BULLETIN ARTICLE
19 January 2020
God Is In Control
This is an action-packed sequence and a full cast of characters that wouldn’t be out of place in a Hollywood or Netflix movie. Some Magi, foreigners travelling after a star, are looking for Jesus. They meet a ruler (Herod), who wants to kill a new prophesied king(Jesus). There’s deception, murder, and escape from danger. You can imagine the camera panning across different places — Bethlehem, where Jesus was born; Jerusalem, where the political and religious elite lived; Egypt, symbol of oppression and refuge throughout the Bible; Nazareth, where the chapter ends, and our lead actors (Joseph, Mary, and Jesus) finally find some peace.
From previous weeks, you may recall that Matthew emphasises how Jesus bridges theOld and the New Testament. In this chapter, Matthew quotes Old Testament scripture to drive this point home numerous times. Four times in twenty-three verses (v6, 15, 18, 23), he shows how the unfolding events in Jesus’ early childhood actually fulfilled specific Old Testament prophecy. We come away with a strong sense that there is no such thing as coincidence — everything was set perfectly in motion ages ago.
The events described here are also unique to Matthew. No other gospel mentions the Magi, their journey to look for Jesus, or their gifts. No other gospel describes how Herod killed all the baby boys around Bethlehem the age of two and below, and howJoseph fled to Egypt. This is a cold-blooded massacre; in today’s language, we would call this a “crime against humanity”. Amidst the breathless flurry of events, however, one truth remains. God is good, and he is in control. God’s protection and his plans far outweigh the schemes of man. Powerful men (Herod) may be evil and do terrible things (v16). The innocent (Joseph,Mary and Jesus) may have to flee under cover at night (v14). But those who trust in God and his word (the Magi and Joseph) were always one step ahead of the wicked (v12-13).
Does life seem out of control sometimes? Do you see injustice, violence, natural and climate-caused disasters in the world, and don’t see a solution? Are you longing for something that remains unfulfilled? Do you fear something that lies ahead? God is good, and he is in control. Do you believe this? Will you hold fast to it?God is not directly named in Matthew 2, and he spoke to the Magi and Joseph through dreams. So his presence may not always be obvious, and he may speak to us in unexpected ways. But we can be fully confident that God orchestrates every step in its time, and goes before those who trust in him. May we be among those who listen to, obey, worship and trust the one true king!
