"Arise, and take the young child and His mother."--_Matt. 2:13._
HEROD was afraid that the new-born King of the Jews would take away his kingdom. So he meant to kill Him as soon as he could find out from the wise men where He was. But the wise men never came back to tell him, for God spoke to them in a dream, and warned them to go back to their own country another way.
[Illustration: JOSEPH COMMANDED TO FLEE INTO EGYPT.--Matt. 2:13.]
And God also spoke to Joseph the carpenter, the blessed Virgin Mary's husband, and told him to take the young Child and His mother, and flee into the land of Egypt, and stay there till they should be told to come back, for Herod was seeking the young Child to destroy Him. Joseph obeyed, and the whole family fled into Egypt, and lived there for some years.
When Herod found the wise men did not come, he was very angry; and to make sure of killing Him who was to be King of the Jews, he was so cruel and wicked as to cause all the babies in Bethlehem, of two years old and under, to be put to death.
[Illustration: THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.--Matt. 2:14, 15.]
We call them the Holy Innocents, because they were the first who died for Jesus Christ's sake. It seemed very sad then, but they have been happy and glorious ever since in heaven, and always will be. But God had taken care of Him, and He was safe in Egypt; and there they stayed till our Lord was about three years old, and then the wicked King Herod died.
1. What did Herod want to do? 2. Why could he not find our blessed Lord? 3. Who warned the wise men? 4. Whom did Herod murder? 5. What do we call those Babes of Bethlehem? 6. But whom did he not find? 7. For where was our Lord? 8. Who had taken Him there? 9. Who was Joseph? 10. How did Joseph know He was to go to Egypt?
"Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."--_Luke 2:52._
WHEN Herod died, Joseph brought our blessed Lord and His mother back from Egypt, and went to live at Nazareth. We do not know any more about Him till He was twelve years old, and then He went up with Joseph and His mother to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of the Passover. That great feast the Jews always kept in remembrance of the night when God delivered them out of their troubles in Egypt.