- Preface
- Chapter 1—The Birth of Jesus
- Chapter 2—Jesus Presented in the Temple
- Chapter 3—The Visit of the Wise Men
- Chapter 4—The Flight Into Egypt
- Chapter 5—Child Life of Jesus
- Chapter 6—Days of Conflict
- Chapter 7—The Baptism
- Chapter 8—The Temptation
- Chapter 9—Early Ministry
- Chapter 10—Teachings of Christ
- Chapter 11—Sabbathkeeping
- Chapter 12—The Good Shepherd
- Chapter 13—Riding Into Jerusalem
- Chapter 14—“Take These Things Hence”
- Chapter 15—At the Passover Supper
- Chapter 16—In Gethsemane
- Chapter 17—The Betrayal and Arrest
- Chapter 18—Before Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin
- Chapter 19—Judas
- Chapter 20—Before Pilate
- Chapter 21—Before Herod
- Chapter 22—Condemned by Pilate
- Chapter 23—Calvary
- Chapter 24—Death of Christ
- Chapter 25—In Joseph's Tomb
- Chapter 26—He Is Risen
- Chapter 27—Go Tell My Disciples
- Chapter 28—Witnesses
- Chapter 29—The Ascension
- Chapter 30—Coming Again
- Chapter 31—A Day of Judgment
- Chapter 32—The Home of the Saved
Chapter 4—The Flight Into Egypt
Herod had not been honest in saying that he wanted to go and worship Jesus. He feared that the Saviour would grow up to be a king, and take his kingdom from him.SJ 25.1
He wanted to find the child, that he might have Him put to death.SJ 25.2
The wise men prepared to return and tell Herod. But the angel of the Lord appeared to them in a dream, and sent them home another way.SJ 25.3
“And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him.” Matthew 2:13.SJ 25.4
Joseph did not wait till morning; he rose at once, and with Mary and the child, started by night on the long journey.SJ 25.5
The wise men had given costly presents to Jesus, and in this way God provided for the expenses of the journey and their stay in Egypt, until they should return to their own land.SJ 25.6
Herod was very angry when he found that the wise men had gone home another way. He knew what God by His prophet had said about Christ's coming.SJ 27.1
He knew how the star had been sent as a guide to the wise men. Yet he was determined to destroy Jesus. In his wrath he sent soldiers to kill “all the children that were in Bethlehem, ... from two years old and under.” Matthew 2:16.SJ 27.2
How strange that a man should fight against God! What an awful scene this slaying of the innocent children must have been! Herod had before done many cruel things; but his wicked life was soon to end. He died a terrible death.SJ 27.3
Joseph and Mary remained in Egypt till after the death of Herod. Then the angel appeared to Joseph, and said, “Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.” Matthew 2:20.SJ 27.4
Joseph had hoped to make his home in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born; but on coming near to Judea, he learned that a son of Herod was reigning in place of his father.SJ 27.5
This made Joseph afraid to go there, and he did not know what to do; so God sent an angel to instruct him. Following the directions of the angel, Joseph returned to his old home in Nazareth.SJ 27.6