Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph - Mt. 2:13-15, 19-23

The flight into Egypt is a biblical event described in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:13-23), in which Joseph fled to Egypt with his wife Mary and infant son Jesus after a visit by Magi because they learn that King Herod intends to kill the infants of that area. The episode is frequently shown in art, as the final episode of the Nativity of Jesus in art, and was a common component in cycles of the Life of the Virgin as well as the Life of Christ.

Mary Did You Know

1. Ruth 2:11
   And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before.
   Ruth 2:10-12 (in Context) Ruth 2 (Whole Chapter)
2. Psalm 22:10
   I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God.
   Psalm 22:9-11 (in Context) Psalm 22 (Whole Chapter)
3. Psalm 71:6
   By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You.
   Psalm 71:5-7 (in Context) Psalm 71 (Whole Chapter)
4. Ezekiel 16:3
   and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: “Your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
   Ezekiel 16:2-4 (in Context) Ezekiel 16 (Whole Chapter)
5. Matthew 1:18
   [ Christ Born of Mary ] Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
   Matthew 1:17-19 (in Context) Matthew 1 (Whole Chapter)

Official Nativity Story Birth of Jesus Christ New Movie

The Birth of Christ
Luke 2:1 mentions that Christ's birth was during the reign of
Augusts Caesar. Augusts Caesar reigned from 44 BC to his death in l5 AD The
method of measuring time in the ancient Roman world was based on the reigns of
the Emperors. Thus the early Church fathers dated the birth of Christ according
to the accepted method used by the Romans, Arriving at the following figures:
Irenius: states that it was in the 41st year of Augustus's reign, which
would place it at 4/3 BC depending on how you date the beginning of Augustus's
reign.
Clement of Alexandria: dates it Nov. l8, 3 BC
Tertullian: 3/2 BC
Julius Africanus: 3/2 BC
Eusebius of Caesarea: 3/2 BC
Hypolotus of Rome: 3/2
Epiphanius: 3/2 BC
However all of these people are wrong - see Matthew 2:1
Matthew 2:1 says that Christ's birth was in the time of King Herod
the Great. We know about King Herod from the writings of the Jewish Historian
Josephus, who wrote in the 70's AD. He states that Herod died 37 years from the
time the Romans declared him King, and 34 years from the time he actually became
King. Both these figures arrive at a date of 4 BC
Shortly before the death of Herod, Josephus says there was an eclipse of the
Moon. This is the only mention that Josephus makes of an eclipse in his entire
volume of History (thus demonstrating that he was not fanciful about omens in
this area like other historians of the period). Through astronomical
calculations we find that a lunar eclipse occurred on Mar.l2/l3, 4 BC We also
know that no lunar or solar eclipse occurred in either 3 or 2 BC
Shortly after his death the Jewish Passover occurred (which in that year
should have occurred on April 11, according to astronomical calculations).
Therefore, Herod's death occurred between March l2 and April 11, in 4 BC Since
Christ's birth occurred during his reign, it would must have occurred prior to
the period from March l2 to April 11,4 BC
Matthew 2:l also states that, "certain Magi came from the East." Matthew
2:11 states that they came and saw the child. Matthew 2:l6 notes that King Herod
ordered all male children under two years of age be slain. Considering the
paranoia and brutality that are known to have been a part of Herod's character,
we can be sure that he had good reason to limit the killing to less than two
years old. The time that the Magi arrived was prior to the death of Herod,
possibly very shortly before his death. Thus Christ was probably born no earlier
than 6 BC which would be 2 years prior to Herod's death (Note that Herod had
ascertained from the Magi the time that the star appeared, and apparently based
his decree upon this information.) This line of reasoning will not give us an
exact date for the birth, it only shows that he was likely born later than 6 BC,
and earlier than 4 BC.
Luke 2:l,2-- At approximately this time a decree went out from Caesar
Augustus, that a census be taken. We have no record of this census from secular
Roman sources. However, there is indication from Egypt that a census was taken
approximately every 14 years, and that a census had been taken shortly after 20
BC
Likewise, Luke says that this census was during the time that Quirinius was
governor of Syria. We have no record of where Quirinius was at this time, but
prior to 6 BC we know that he was fighting a war in Macedonia. Thus we know that
the census referred to had not taken place prior to 6 BC Further, we know that
in the early AD years Quirinius was Governor of Syria, and during the years 6-3
BC he was somewhere "in the East," (a passing comment in Tacitus). Syria was, of
course, considered an Eastern Province by the Romans. He could have very easily
been Governor of Syria at this time, there being no evidence to the contrary.
Justin Martyr and Tertullian say that this census can be verified in the
archives in Rome. Even though these archives no longer exist, the fact that
these contemporaries appealed to them suggests that they did exist at the time.
In the l00's AD these men and others had access to this information and their
writings could easily have been refuted if it were not so.
These considerations leave us with the following scenario:

Jesus Christ's birth would not have taken place prior to 6 BC
and no later than Spring of 4 BC which was the time of King Herod's death

Bible prophecies fulfilled by Jesus' birth

Bible prophecies fulfilled:
Bible prophecies fulfilled by Jesus' birth

Below is a selection of prophecies in the Bible that found fulfillment in the birth of Jesus the Messiah about 2,000 years ago.

The commentaries below are from the second edition of the book, 100 Prophecies, by George Konig and Ray Konig, who are the authors and copyright holders of the material. The commentaries are reprinted here with written permission from the authors. All rights reserved. The third edition, revised and expanded, of 100 Prophecies: Ancient Biblical prophecies that foretold the future is available through Amazon.com.

Isaiah foreshadowed the virgin birth of Jesus

Bible prophecy: Isaiah 7:14
Prophecy written: Between 701-681 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: About 5 BC

In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet Isaiah addresses the "house of David," meaning the family and descendants of King David, and speaks of a virgin being pregnant with a child, and giving birth to the child. Isaiah says this in the context of it being a sign from God. He also says that the child would be referred to as "Immanuel," which means, "God with us."

The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke record details involving the birth of Jesus, who was born about 700 years after the time of Isaiah, saying that he was born of the virgin Mary and is the Son of God. Because he is the Son of God, Jesus literally can be referred to as "God with us."

Non-Christian scholars have challenged this interpretation. They say that the Hebrew word "almah," which is the word that Christian Bibles often translate as "virgin," actually means "young maiden" or "young woman." It should be noted that the Old Testament uses the word to refer to young, unmarried women, and that unmarried women were culturally and religiously expected to be virgins. One example can be found in Genesis 24:43, where it speaks of a person being sought as a bride for Isaac. - Copyright © George Konig, Ray Konig and 100Prophecies.org

Isaiah 7:14:

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem

Bible prophecy: Micah 5:1-2
Prophecy written: Sometime between 750-686 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: About 5 BC

In Micah 5:2, there is a prophecy that reveals that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah.

As pointed out in the book, 100 Prophecies, by George Konig and Ray Konig: "The prophecy is effective in a simple way: It eliminates all other cities and towns throughout the world as a place in which the Messiah could be born. It narrows the possibilities to one tiny village just south of Jerusalem."

And throughout the span of the past 27 centuries, from the days of the prophet Micah up through the present time, Bethlehem is credited as being the birthplace for only one person who is widely known throughout the world. And that person is Jesus Christ.

The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke name the town of Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. Matthew 2:1-6 describes the birth of Jesus as the fulfillment of Micah's prophecy.

In recent years, however, some non-believers have attempted to discredit Matthew's interpretation of Micah 5:2 by claiming that the prophecy refers to a person named Bethlehem, not a town name Bethlehem. This claim has been widely circulated on the Internet by a college professor who describes himself as a former Christian minister.

The first problem with this claim appears in Micah 5:1. In that verse, the prophet establishes that he is speaking of Bethlehem the town, not Bethlehem the person, by setting up a context in which he contrasts the great city of Jerusalem with the humble town of Bethlehem.

A second problem with the claim is that there is also evidence outside of the Bible that shows that Micah 5:2 was regarded as a Messianic prophecy involving the town of Bethlehem. Here is an excerpt from the Jerusalem Talmud, which is a collection of Judaism-related writings completed about 1600 years ago:

"The King Messiah... from where does he come forth? From the royal city of Bethlehem in Judah." - Jerusalem Talmud, Berakoth 5a. - Copyright © George Konig, Ray Konig and 100Prophecies.org

Micah 5:1-2:

1 Marshal your troops, O city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel's ruler on the cheek with a rod.

2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah

Bible prophecy: Genesis 49:10
Prophecy written: As early as 1400 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: About 5 BC

In Genesis 49:10, Jacob is blessing his 12 sons. This blessing was also a prophecy. Jacob told his son Judah that his descendants would be rulers and that one of his descendants will be an ultimate ruler. According to the NIV translation: "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his." Christians acknowledge that this is a reference to Jesus Christ, whose kingdom will have no end. Jesus was born about 2000 years after Jacob died. Jesus' ancestry is traced back to Jacob's son, Judah, in Luke 3:23-34 and in Matthew 1:1-16. Today, there are some estimates that claim that there are as many as 2 billion Christians worldwide who follow the teachings of Jesus. - Copyright © George Konig, Ray Konig and 100Prophecies.org

Genesis 49:10:

The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.

The Messiah would be a descendant of King David

Bible prophecy: Jeremiah 23:5
Prophecy written: Sometime between 626-586 BC
Prophecy fulfilled: By the birth of Jesus about 2000 years ago

In Jeremiah 23:5, as well as in other Bible prophecies, we are told that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David.

The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke trace back Jesus' genealogy to King David. (Some scholars believe that the genealogy in Matthew is Jesus' legal line, through his adoptive father, Joseph, and that the genealogy in Luke is Jesus' bloodline through Mary). - Copyright © George Konig, Ray Konig and 100Prophecies.org

Jeremiah 23:5:

"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.