SECOND READING.
"Arise, and take the young child and His mother."—Matt. 2:13.
HEROD was afraid that the new-born King of the Jews would take away his kingdom. So he meant to kill Him as soon as he could find out from the wise men where He was. But the wise men never came back to tell him, for God spoke to them in a dream, and warned them to go back to their own country another way.
And God also spoke to Joseph the carpenter, the blessed Virgin Mary's husband, and told him to take the young Child and His mother, and flee into the land of Egypt, and stay there till they should be told to come back, for Herod was seeking the young Child to destroy Him. Joseph obeyed, and the whole family fled into Egypt, and lived there for some years.
JOSEPH COMMANDED TO FLEE INTO EGYPT.—Matt. 2:13.
When Herod found the wise men did not come, he was very angry; and to make sure of killing Him who was to be King of the Jews, he was so cruel and wicked as to cause all the babies in Bethlehem, of two years old and under, to be put to death.
