Bible Discussion Thread

Matt.2:14-16 "Out of Egypt"

"When he (Joseph) 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 prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son."

Here we have quote from Prophet Hosea, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt."

The three wise men arrived in Jerusalem looking for the king of the Jews. Rightly so, the sign that they had seen in the sky settled the matter of his kingship.

God had commanded Moses in the case of a king who may in future have anything to do with Egypt in these words,"forasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way." (De.17:14-16) Now Hosea's prophesy informs of his Egyptian connection. How do we resolve the apparent discrepancy of the two passages?

Moses asked Pharaoh to release Israel from their bondage, "Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn." In calling Israel they were called in his Son, who is the firstborn of all creation. As Hosea says,"When Israel was a child, then I loved him." In the v.2 we see the rupture, "As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images." God rejected the kings of Israel and let the temple ransacked until not a stone remained. (2 Ki.21:13)

For Egypt connection we need look elsewhere. Matt.1:1 sets Jesus Christ as the son of Abraham. Here we see his deity established. After blessing Abraham he sends him away," And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there." (Ge.12:10) Now Hosea makes a distinction between Israel and Jesus on the basis of faith.

Isaac is the heir of promise and there was a famine in his time and God forbade him,"And said, Go not down into Egypt" (Ge.26:2). Hosea makes faith as the touchstone whereby 'Out of Egypt I called him" refers Jesus Christ, the son of Abraham.