Out of Egypt, Through Judea, and Onto Galilee

Friday, December 11, 2015 

            Joseph had two more dreams in which an angel of the Lord spoke to him, advising him in what he should do to take care of his family, particularly his son.  In the first, Joseph was told that Herod had died and that he should, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who are seeking the child’s life are dead” (2.2).  I am so impressed that Joseph obeyed so readily; the angel had “suddenly” appeared to him.  He and his wife and their son were probably going about doing their daily routine, and then “suddenly” it all changed.  Sometimes God works in our lives gradually, and that is often more comfortable than a sudden changed in plans.  I give the family a lot of credit for taking this in stride and leaving to go to Israel.  They knew that “Out of Egypt God Called God’s Son.”

            But the quick changes did not end there.  They probably thought that they were “going home,” only to find out that Herod’s son was reigning in his stead.  Joseph has changed in all his years of being the father of God’s son: He was afraid; he knew that his family would not be safe there.  I think he knew what God’s will was for him next, and God confirmed it through another dream in which he was told to go to Galilee.  He settled in Nazareth.

            Scholars have spent pages and pages of research and speculation on this move to Nazareth and that Jesus would be called a Nazorean.  This “fulfilled prophecy” is not directly found in the Old Testament, but that does not stop them from looking for it, both there and in a broad range of other somewhat contemporary literature.  However, I think they are “missing the boat” on what is truly important here: I.e. Jesus grew up in Galilee and, as I mentioned last week, Galilee is the place where much of what Jesus taught and represented occurred.  While most Jews highly honored Jerusalem in the south (and I think Jesus did, too, to a certain extent), Galilee was “home” to Jesus.  I, too, have travelled in both Galilee as well as in Jerusalem and the surrounding area, and I agree with Jesus: Galilee would be my home if I had to choose between the two.  Galilee is by far more lush and green and has more of that small town feel, whereas Jerusalem reminds me of a big city with, truthfully, all its pros and cons.  Galilee reminds me of Jesus’ life and his vitality, but I become sad as he travels toward Jerusalem because I know “the end of the story,” and I think Jesus did, too.

            This week we have traversed the whole story of Jesus’ life, from before his birth to his impending death.  We have travelled with his family as they tried to keep him safe as a child, like we do with our own children.  They took him to Galilee where he could grow in the knowledge of God’s ways, but in the lush and beautiful setting of Galilee.  However, as with all of us, life gets more complicated and our innocence becomes tattered.  We, too, march toward our Jerusalems, wherever that may be, to fulfill our destinies as well.  This season I welcome the innocence and purity of the Christ child.  I am enjoying this time with him for too soon Easter will be approaching and my feelings will become a mixture of pain and joy, sadness and exaltation.  Come, Lord Jesus, Come as the Baby of Bethlehem, as the Lord of Our Lives, as the Prince of Peace.  Amen.