Going to Egypt for Christmas

It is difficult to find much that is Biblical about our modern day Christmas celebration. “There are a lot of bad ‘isms’ in the world and one of the worst is ‘commercialism’, everybody’s got to make a buck” (Miracle on 34th Street). Yes, too many aspects of Christmas are wrong even including the month.

However, there is one aspect of Christmas that is special and seems very Biblical; the gathering together of brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, children and parents. Another gathering occurred around this time of year, at least as far as the weekly Torah readings go. The day after Christmas, we will read...

All those who went to Egypt with Jacob — those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives — numbered sixty-six persons. With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all. (Gen 46:26-27)

One could even go so far as to say it is Biblical around this time of year to leave our homes and our familiar settings and journey to another place that is not my home (Egypt). I don’t necessarily want to go to Egypt, but in that place, the family will be united amidst much bounty, just as in the days of Jacob and Joseph. So pray for our journey as we pray for your travels.

Sometime in the future, not too distant from this time of year, the Bible tells us…

"At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens."
(Mark 13:26-27)

Maybe at Rosh HaShanah or maybe two weeks later on Sukkot, Yeshua will gather the elect together to be with Him in Jerusalem. I know it is an extreme stretch, but traveling to Egypt for Christmas is somewhat analogous to being gathered together in the future.

Yes, this year in Egypt, maybe next year in Jerusalem.