Matthew 2:20

Berean Standard Bible

“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”

King James Bible

Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

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Matthew 2:20 reads: "saying, 'Arise, take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.'" This verse is spoken by an angel of the Lord to Joseph, who had taken Mary and the infant Jesus to Egypt to escape the deadly intentions of King Herod. The context of this verse is crucial, as it follows a time of exile and danger, and signals a turning point in the early life of Jesus, framing His return to Israel as both divinely ordained and historically consequential.

The verse carries immense theological and symbolic weight. It begins with the imperative “Arise,” a word that often heralds divine intervention in Scripture. It signifies a shift in status or situation, a transition from passivity to action, from danger to relative safety, from waiting to fulfilling purpose. Joseph’s role in the infancy narrative is often quiet and obedient; he does not speak, but he listens and acts. Here again, he is commanded by divine revelation to move, and he obeys without hesitation, showing his continued faithfulness and trust in God’s guidance. This moment parallels his earlier obedience when he took Mary as his wife despite her miraculous pregnancy, and again when he fled to Egypt at God’s warning. The angel's voice, speaking on behalf of God, consistently directs Joseph in protective stewardship over the Holy Family.

The phrase “take the young child and his mother” is a notable formulation, repeated throughout this chapter. It emphasizes Jesus as the central figure, even though He is still a child. Mary is referenced in a subordinate clause—“his mother”—showing the narrative's focus on Jesus' identity and destiny. It also subtly underscores Joseph’s role as guardian rather than biological father, a steward of the divine child entrusted to his care. This phrasing distances the narrative from any ambiguity about paternity and reinforces the theological claim of the virgin birth and divine sonship.

The command to “go into the land of Israel” evokes the Exodus motif, a central theme in Matthew’s Gospel. Just as God called His son, Israel, out of Egypt (a verse quoted earlier in Matthew 2:15), so now He calls His true Son, Jesus, to return from exile. This typological parallel aligns Jesus with Moses and positions Him as the fulfillment of Israel’s history, the embodiment of its hope, and the inaugurator of a new covenant. The return from Egypt is not merely geographical but redemptive, signaling the continuation of God's salvific plan through His Son. The land of Israel here is not merely a place but a theological stage where divine purposes unfold.

The statement “for they are dead which sought the young child’s life” is both a factual update and a theological declaration. It confirms the death of Herod, the primary antagonist of the infancy narrative. Herod’s death is a turning point, removing the immediate threat to Jesus’ life. The plural “they” may reflect a broader hostility than just Herod alone—possibly including his court or collaborators—but primarily it refers to the end of a particular political danger. More importantly, this phrase echoes the language of Exodus 4:19, where God tells Moses to return to Egypt “for all the men who sought your life are dead.” This intertextual link further strengthens the Moses typology, suggesting that just as Moses returned to lead his people after a time of divine preparation, so Jesus returns from exile, prepared to fulfill His messianic role. The resonance with Moses not only legitimizes Jesus’ mission but also indicates that the new exodus—the ultimate deliverance from sin and death—is at hand.

This verse encapsulates a profound theological moment: the preservation of the Messiah, the faithfulness of God’s guidance, the foreshadowing of redemptive history, and the interplay between divine sovereignty and human obedience. Joseph’s silent yet consistent faithfulness underlines the trust required in divine plans that unfold beyond immediate understanding. The journey from Bethlehem to Egypt and back again is not only historical but prophetic, highlighting Jesus’ identity as the true Israel, the new Moses, and the fulfillment of all that God had promised through the law and the prophets.

Matthew 2:20, though brief, is densely layered with meaning. It represents God's providential care, the triumph of divine purpose over human schemes, and the careful orchestration of events to ensure the fulfillment of prophecy. Through this verse, Matthew continues to paint a portrait of Jesus not only as the long-awaited Messiah but as the very embodiment of Israel’s story, now rewritten in light of God's ultimate plan for redemption.

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To all my dear brothers and sisters who walk in the grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, scattered across nations yet gathered in one Spirit and one hope, I greet you with peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus, who was, and is, and is to come.

Grace be with you who have turned from darkness to light, from death to life, from fear to trust in the living God. I write to you concerning the word spoken long ago, yet ever-living and sharper than any two-edged sword: “Arise, take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” Let us not pass by this word as if it were only a history of past events, but let us receive it as a word of the Lord for today—for your life, for your journey, and for your obedience.

For we know that the Word of God does not return void. Though spoken to Joseph in a dream centuries ago, it resounds still in the hearts of the faithful. Joseph, a man of no renown by the standards of the world, was entrusted with a divine calling to shelter and protect the very Savior of the world. He was not chosen for his eloquence, nor his strength, nor his fame, but for his quiet obedience. O that we might be found as faithful! For when the Lord spoke, Joseph arose. And when the Lord directed, he followed.

Beloved, there are seasons in life when the voice of the Lord calls us to flee—to leave behind what is familiar in order to preserve what is sacred. Egypt, though foreign and pagan, became a place of refuge because the will of God led them there. So too in your life, the Lord may send you to unfamiliar places—not to punish you, but to preserve you. Do not despise your Egypt, for there, in the hidden places, God shapes destinies and keeps His promises. There He shelters His Word within you, until the time is right for you to rise again and return.

Yet there comes a day, appointed by the wisdom of Heaven, when the Lord says, “Arise.” Do not miss that day, beloved. For it is easier to settle in the land of safety than to step forward into the land of promise, especially when the memory of threats still echoes. But the Lord declares, “Those who sought the child’s life are dead.” The very powers that once terrified and threatened your future have been silenced. The plans of the enemy, though fierce and real, cannot stand against the sovereign decree of the Lord. Herod may rage for a time, but Herod will fall. And when he does, the voice of the Lord will call you forth.

What are the Herods in your life? What are the forces—seen or unseen—that have sought to destroy the work of Christ in you? Perhaps it is fear, or sin long rooted in your past, or shame that clings like a garment. Perhaps it is the voice that says you will never be enough, that God’s purposes cannot possibly include someone like you. But hear the word of the Lord: “They are dead.” Their authority is broken, their grip is gone. For when Christ rose from the grave, He triumphed not only over death, but over every voice that accuses, every chain that binds, every ruler that oppresses.

Therefore, arise. Do not stay in Egypt when the Lord has called you into promise. Do not dwell in the shadows when the Light of the world walks before you. Take the child—take Christ afresh into your heart, into your home, into your decision-making, into your relationships. Take Him not as a baby in a storybook, but as the living Lord who still calls His own. And take His mother too—that is, take with Him the reverence, the nurturing faith, the awe that knows how to ponder the mysteries of God, even when the fullness of understanding is not yet given.

The land of Israel was not a perfect land, nor a safe one by worldly standards. It was the place of destiny, of calling, of fulfillment. And so with you: you are not called to comfort, but to purpose. The return is not always easy, but it is necessary. For only in obedience to the Lord’s timing can you step into the next chapter of the story God is writing through your life. And know this: if the Lord preserved you through the night, He will guide you in the dawn.

Joseph did not return with trumpet blasts or fanfare. He returned quietly, with the child in his arms and the Word of God in his heart. This, beloved, is your calling too. You do not need to be loud to be faithful. You do not need to be seen to be chosen. What matters is that you carry Christ where He leads you, trusting that God, who guided stars and spoke through angels, will not fail to guide your path.

So let your hearts be encouraged. Let your hands be strengthened. Rise from despair, from fear, from the paralysis of waiting too long. The enemy who sought your life is defeated. The Lord who watches over you neither slumbers nor sleeps. Arise. Take the child. Walk in obedience. And may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, now and forevermore.

Amen.

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O Sovereign Lord, Ancient of Days, who speaks from the heavens and shakes the earth with the whisper of Your will, we bow before You in reverence and holy awe. You who called Joseph in a dream, You who ordered the movements of kings and kingdoms for the sake of one Child—You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. We lift our eyes to You, our Deliverer and Guide, the One who commands us to arise and leads us out of danger into promise, out of hiding into purpose.

You spoke and said, “Arise, take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And in that word is contained the whole movement of redemption—the protective love of the Father, the obedient faith of the servant, the tender mystery of the Incarnate Son. O God, how You orchestrate all things for Your glory and for the preservation of Your promise! Even the threats of tyrants, the fury of kings, the schemes of the enemy—none can overturn what You have established before the foundations of the world.

We come before You now as those who also have heard the call to arise. You speak not only to Joseph, but to us, through the same Spirit, through the same Word. Arise, You say, and we tremble. For the land You send us to is uncertain, the path unclear, the dangers not fully forgotten. But Your voice is enough, O Lord. Your word carries power. When You speak, the soul is stirred and awakened; the heart is quickened to move. We would rather dwell in obedience with You than remain in comfort without You.

Teach us, Holy Father, to hear as Joseph heard—quietly, deeply, faithfully. Let our sleep be filled with Your whisper, our waking with Your direction. We confess that we often resist movement; we cling to the familiar, even when it is dry and barren. But You, O God, are a God of journeys, a God of pilgrimage and promise. You call us out, like Abraham from Ur, like Moses from Midian, like Joseph from Egypt, because You are not only the God of refuge but also the God of return. You do not merely hide us; You bring us home.

Lord Jesus, holy Child of Bethlehem, once carried in the arms of the obedient, now enthroned at the right hand of Majesty—You know what it is to be pursued by death even before You could speak a word. You know exile, You know fear pressing at the edges of the camp. And yet You are the One who conquers death, who rises above every threat, who lives when others fall. Teach us to carry You as Joseph did—not as a burden, but as the most sacred treasure, the very presence of God entrusted to our care. Let us guard the life of Christ within us, not with anxious striving, but with holy diligence, believing that what You begin in us You will bring to completion.

Father, we rejoice that the enemies of Your promise do not endure forever. Herod died. The voice of death was silenced. Those who sought to destroy the Light could not withstand the dawn. So too in our lives—every lie that has spoken death over our identity, every fear that has tried to kill our calling, every memory that has haunted our journey—you, Lord, declare them finished. You say, “Those who sought the child’s life are dead.” What grace! What victory! You, Lord, have outlasted every oppressor. You, the Resurrection and the Life, have overcome the grave.

Now give us courage to walk in the newness of life. Let us not remain in Egypt when You have opened the way to return. Let us not delay when Your word has cleared the path. Give us the strength to move forward, carrying Christ within, protected not by swords or walls, but by Your sovereign will and perfect love. Let our going be like Joseph’s—steady, quiet, unshaken, guided only by the assurance that You have spoken.

Bless, O Lord, the weary pilgrim, the fearful parent, the quiet servant, the one hidden from applause yet known to Heaven. Strengthen the obedient. Heal the hesitant. Revive the ones who wait for a word from You. And when You speak, let our answer be yes. Let our feet be swift. Let our arms be strong to carry the glory You entrust to us. For You are the God who sees. You are the God who calls. You are the God who leads His people home.

To You be all praise and honor and majesty, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and unto the ages of ages. Amen.