Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20121230.htm

CHRISTMAS INTERLUDE
God's 2012 Christmas Season Provisions
Part V: God's 2012 Christmas Aid Against Harmful Government Intrigue
(Matthew 2:1-16)
    Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

    (1) We live in an era where there is a great distrust of the intentions of government authorities regarding the welfare of its citizens, a fact we can readily illustrate as follows:

    (a) The politico.com web site presents "10 Government Conspiracy Theories" listing popular theories of alleged harmful U. S. government cover-ups. Some of the most prominent are the alleged government's roles in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the alleged faking of the 1969 U. S. astronauts' moon landing and the supposed cover-up of President Barak Obama's alleged non-American citizenship.

    (b) Then, earlier this year, when former Chief Executive Officer of General Electric, Jack Welsh heard the government's national unemployment number had dropped below the 8 % level, he claimed on a social media outlet that the administration had distorted the numbers. That set off another round of conspiracy theories.

    (c) Last Wednesday, when my wife was listening to The Talk of Connecticut local radio talk show, several callers expressed distrust of both Democratic and Republican elected officials regarding the "fiscal cliff" crisis. That event will be the raising of taxes and the cutting of some government services starting January 1, 2013 unless the President and Congress can agree on fiscal issues before then!

    (2) Regardless whether these issues involve true or imaginary conspiracies, we Christians do know that Revelation 17-18 in the Bible claims a worldwide, secret religious and commercial conglomerate exists called "Babylon the Great," and that it is behind much of the world's suffering and wrongs. The Bible claims God will expose and judge this entity in the seven-year Great Tribulation after true believers in Christ are taken out of the world in the rapture.

    (3) However, Biblical Christians are directed in 1 Peter 2:13-17 to "submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king . . . or to governors . . . For so is the will of God . . ." Romans 13:1 tells us: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For . . . the powers that be are ordained of God."


    Thus, we ask, "How can we as law-abiding Christians deal effectively with possible or hidden harmful government intrigue?!"

    Need: "As a Biblical Christian who is to submit to government rulers, how do I handle possible or hidden harmful government intrigue?!"

  1. Joseph and Mary committed themselves to heed God's will that first Christmas, with Joseph agreeing to take Mary as his wife though she was with child, the Messiah, and Mary agreeing to bear Him though she was a virgin, Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38.
  2. God thus helped them avoid the effects of real harmful government intrigue while remaining law-abiding citizens of the state:
    1. Israel's king Herod told the magi he wanted to worship the newborn King of the Jews, the Messiah, Matthew 2:1-8:
    2. In reality, as Israel's hated Edomite king, Herod saw a new Messiah as a threat, so he aimed to use the magi to find Him so he could kill Him, Matthew 2:13b; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV , 1978, ftn. to Matthew 2:1.
    3. God helped Jesus' family avoid Herod's harm as law-abiding citizens:
      1. God used divine revelation to expose Herod's intrigue to Joseph:
        1. God warned the magi in a dream to return to their land without returning to Herod to tell him Jesus' location, Matthew 2:12.
        2. Matthew would not have gained this news from the magi since they were not around when he wrote his Gospel, he gained it from Jesus' family, so the magi reported their dream to Joseph, signaling it was unwise to interact with Herod about Jesus.
      2. God used two reputable testimonies to expose Herod's intrigue:
        1. After the magi had left, God warned Joseph in a dream to flee to Egypt as Herod was about to seek Jesus to kill Him, Matt. 2:13.
        2. This news fit the report of the credible magi who had worshiped Jesus, so Joseph had two credible reports in line with the Law's teaching (Deuteronomy 19:15) that Herod meant to kill Jesus.
      3. God gave extensive circumstantial signals to guide Jesus' family:
        1. God's angel told Joseph to "get up" (NIV) egeiro (Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. Of the N. T., 1967, p. 213-214) and to "flee" (feugo , Ibid., p. 863) into Egypt, Matthew 2:13.
        2. There were two routes to Egypt: (1) the safest away from Herod was to go south into the desert, then west, and (2) the way more vulnerable to Herod but faster and easier was west to Ascalon, then south, for Ascalon was ru led by Rome's Province of Syria, not by Herod, The Carta Bible Atlas, 2002, p. 168; Jean-Pierre Isbouts, The Bib. World: An Illus. Atlas, 2009, p. 277.
        3. However, going south into the harsh desert was perilous for a new mother and her newborn, Ibid., The Carta Bible Atlas.
        4. Thus, with the angel's stress on speed and since it was night (Matthew 2:14) when others would not discern their movements and report them to Herod, and with Herod still "about to" (mello, Matt. 2:13; Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 501-502; U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 5) start searching for Jesus all implied Joseph had time to go the Ascalon route if he acted quickly!
        5. Joseph industriously quickly awoke, got up and took Mary and Jesus by night down the road toward Ascalon, Matthew 2:14.
        6. No one else saw their night flight as Matthew 2:16 proves Herod did not think to pursue them outside the Bethlehem area.
        7. Upon reaching Ascalon under Syria's rule, Joseph could stop to evaluate the news out of Judea to learn that Herod had not suspected they had fled Bethlehem, so he then continued on south to cross briefly and unknown to Herod back into part of his realm until the family made it into Egypt, Ibid., Isbouts.
      4. Since south into the desert was unreasonably harsh for Mary and Jesus, God thus provided the reasonable Ascalon route for Joseph.
      5. God also utilized Joseph's good work ethic that took advantage of the opportunity for flight by quick action rather losing it via delay.
      6. God thus provided a temporary haven in the Syria-ruled city of Ascalon to insure greater safety for Joseph's continued travels.
      7. God provided tangible protection for the family's stay in Egypt:
        1. Egypt had "the largest and most affluent" Hebrew "community" outside Israel as groups "centered around the synagogue, with full internal autonomy . . ." Ibid., The Carta Bible Atlas, p. 179.
        2. The family thus had refuge and support in Egypt, Ibid., p. 168.
Application: To handle possible or secret harmful government intrigue, may we (1) trust in Christ to come under God's "Much More" care, John 1:11-12; Romans 8:32. (2) Then, may we heed Scripture, and (3) see the Lord provide Scripture insight, multiple reputable witnesses, extensive, reasonable, opportunistic, protective, circumstantial guidance signals and tangible protection as we practice a good work ethic to avoid harm and do God's will as law-abiding citizens of the state.

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message . . . )

 God used special revelation to protect Joseph, Mary and Jesus from Herod's harmful intrigue, and one passage of God's special revelation to us that is of great help in minimizing exposure to possible or secret harmful government intrigue today in the still hidden conglomerate, "Babylon the Great," is 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. The ESV puts it: " . . . (A)spire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may live properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."

This directive counters the core problem in dealing with negative intrigue in powerful institutions -- being too dependent on them. A December 20, 2012 story in finance.yahoo.com (Robert Powell, "Avalanche of Boomers May Bury Social Security") claims recent U. S. Census Bureau figures project the nation's population will one day be top-heavy in the elderly and smaller in young wage-earners who are supposed to support them, just as in Europe's fiscal crisis!

What frustrates many American citizens is the irresponsibility of Congress to address this issue now!

However, the solution for us believers, ESPECIALLY in view of the Revelation 17-18 prophecy on the evil worldwide religious and commercial conglomerate, "Babylon the Great", is to heed 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 -- to live as independent of institutions as possible! (a) Continuing to work longer before retiring, (b) seeking added income streams, (c) investing some assets aggressively long-term to avoid loss of value due to inflation and abbreviated Social Security income, (d) minimizing indebtedness to financial institutions by sound budgeting, (e) a good work ethic to take advantage of opportunities as did Joseph and (f) staying as independent of health care entities as is possible via use of a healthy diet, natural supplements and proper exercise to stay well are all steps recommended not only by fiscal gurus, but by way of extension, by the Bible itself!

Thus, the more independently we can function in all realms as 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 directs, the easier it will be for us to escape possible or actual harmful intrigues as law-abiding citizens!



May we heed Scripture, and see God supply the aid we need to fulfill His will regardless of harmful institutional intrigue.