December 26 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Matthew 2:13–15

Devotional

“Take the young child and his mother.” The Child is named first. The mother does not go with her Child; no, the opposite is true. In the same manner as Christ takes His mother to Egypt, He takes His church with Him, for His mother typifies the church in this Scripture passage. He has not only assumed the flesh and blood of Mary, but also through her He has assumed the flesh and blood of His church. Through His birth He has become one with His church except in sin. Through this union He takes them with Him in His humiliation and in His exaltation.

Christ takes His people with Him in His humiliation, for unless they are humbled with Him, they will not be exalted with Him. His church must go along in a way that they do not understand. It is a way in which they are exposed to their sinful nature. That is why Herod was only used as the means to send this Child to Egypt. It had to be to Egypt, the house of bondage, where once the people of Israel were slaves to the evil one and to their own sins. They had served the idols there, and if God had not brought them into great need, they would never have wanted to leave.

For that reason this Child must go to Egypt. Christ must suffer and go through a way of humiliation even from the day of His birth. The church must travel along, also today, because they must learn from whence they came. Their origin lies in Egypt, in a lost paradise, in sin. Therefore, this Child must go in a way of humiliation. The more Christ is followed, the smaller, the more sinful, and the more insignificant a person will be. Or is it not true that Christ, as Surety, takes His mother along? This is the way of His mediatorial suffering through which He shows guilty sinners where their guilt lies. Only in this way can He become a Surety for His people.

Perhaps there are among our readers those who see their salvation in this Child. What an unspeakable joy this is for sorrowful sinners! A way is opened for them where there was previously no way. There is a desire, at such a time, to build tabernacles in Bethlehem because they cannot find life in any other place. They must not marvel too much, however, when that blessed time is broken down. There may come periods in their life when they do not know what to believe. It is so necessary that after Bethlehem they come into Egypt. It is not a way that they would have chosen or could have known.

That Child is dearly beloved in Bethlehem but no less beloved in Egypt, because His going into Egypt points to the fact that He is fulfilling His mediatorial work. He takes His mother along, for He knows better what must be done to fulfill the law of God than does His church whom He must save. If His church would have to show the way, then it would be lost forever, for they are more lost than they realize. They want to build tabernacles with the disciples. They want to rest too soon. But the fact that Christ went to Egypt is rich comfort for lost sinners; otherwise they could never be delivered from Egypt. Scripture had to be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt have I called my Son.” Oh, what a wonder that Christ takes them along in His humiliation so that He can take them along in His exaltation! The deepest trials provide at times the deepest reasons for thanksgiving.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.