Light in the WaitingThe Escape to Egypt
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Have you ever had to leave a place quickly, or go somewhere new that felt a little scary?
The illustrated story
Listen to the story
Read aloud with a generated voice, so little ones can follow along.
Read the story
The wise men had come from far away to worship baby Jesus. They had bowed down, opened their treasures, and given Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then they had gone home by another road, because God had warned them not to go back to King Herod.
That night, while the little town of Bethlehem was quiet and dark, Joseph was fast asleep. And in a dream, an angel of the Lord came to him.
“Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you.”
Matthew 2:13
The angel told Joseph why. King Herod had heard about the new King born in Bethlehem, and he was angry and afraid. He wanted to find Jesus and harm Him.
Joseph did not wait until morning. He woke Mary, and they gathered what they could carry. Mary wrapped baby Jesus warmly in her arms, Joseph led the donkey out into the starry night, and the little family slipped quietly out of Bethlehem.
The road to Egypt was long. It went down through rocky hills and across dry, dusty country. Some days were hot and some nights were cold. Joseph did not know everything that lay ahead, but he knew God had spoken, and that was enough to keep him walking.
At last they reached Egypt, a land of palm trees and the great river Nile. There, far away from King Herod, Jesus was safe. Mary and Joseph made a home for Him, and they waited for God to tell them when it was time to go back.
Long before, God had said through the prophet Hosea, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Now those words were coming true. Even this hard journey was part of God’s good plan.
Herod was a powerful king, but God was stronger. God watched over Jesus every step of the way, and He watches over us too.
What we learn
God watches over His people. We can obey Him quickly, and He is with us even on hard journeys.
Family prayer
Dear God, thank You for caring for Jesus and His family. Please guide us, protect us, and help us trust You wherever we go. Amen.
A verse to remember
Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.
Matthew 2:13
Say it together a few times, then see who can say it alone.
Talk about it together
- Who warned Joseph in the dream?
- Why did the family go to Egypt?
- How does God care for us on hard journeys?
Read it in the Bible: Matthew 2:13–15.
Questions or a message for us?
If you have a question about this story, or you would like to share how your family used it, write to [email protected]. We love hearing from readers.
