“Direct my footsteps according to your word” (Ps. 119:133a)
I have been reflecting on Matt. 2:13-18 and how according to the word of the Lord, the footsteps of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were directed to escape from the murderous hands of Herod. But I have also been struck by how, even as the family escaped to safety, they were led into the heart of a region considered enemy territory. They moved into a nation which throughout the biblical narrative has represented slavery, bondage, and false worship (Ex. 4:22-23; Rev. 11:8). Even as the Christ child thwarted the efforts of the principalities and powers to destroy him in Bethlehem, his very presence in Egypt must have placed the spiritual forces of darkness on notice.
“So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” (Gal. 4:3-5)
In directing the steps of this family into Egypt, we see the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, but might we also see a plowing up and a preparing of spiritual ground through incarnational prayer for the future evangelizing of Egypt? Might the presence of Jesus and his Spirit-filled family in the heart of Egypt point to a time when an altar to Yahweh will be setup in the heart of Egypt and to a time when the Gentiles of Egypt will repent and turn to Yahweh? (Isa. 19:16-25)
If we consider the two furthest places geographically north and south in which Jesus of Nazareth traveled to in the gospels, both are locales not only considered to be enemy territory, but they are places known to be strongholds of darkness. The furthest location to the south as already mentioned is Egypt. The furthest place to the north is Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13-20), a place known for its demonic Baal worship, a place at the base of Mount Hermon where a cave was considered by the people of Jesus’ day to literally be the entrance or the ‘gates of hell.’ So here we have Jesus as a baby, entering into a cursed land to the south, and then later near the end of his pre-resurrection ministry, Jesus journeys far north to the borderlands just outside of Israel at Caesarea Philippi. It is at this northern place of darkness that Jesus has an important dialogue with Peter and his disciples, then following the Transfiguration (Matt 16:13-17:13), Jesus begins his journey south ultimately to Jerusalem where he will defeat the powers of darkness with his coronation as our crucified King.
It was some 30 years later after Jesus was a refugee in Egypt that Egyptians would first hear the gospel of the Kingdom in their own language (Acts 2:10) and it would be some 300 years later that Saint Athanasius would stand firm in Egypt to halt the continued spread of the Arian heresy and save orthodox Christianity. The Spirit of God ordered their steps according to his word as well, and he will order our steps too.
“Expect great things! Attempt great things!” – William Carey (1761-1834)
Fast forward to the 18th century when a young Englishmen (that many today consider the Father of Modern Protestant Missions) answers the call of God to preach the gospel in India. Even as the Holy Spirit directed the footsteps of William Carey, he spent his first twenty years in India living in that country illegally.
“When Carey entered India, he was an illegal alien. Any European wishing to live in British India needed a license from the East India Company, which refused to grant licenses for missionary work. It felt that “interfering in the religious opinions of the natives” might cause a backlash among Indians and hurt business. It wasn’t until 20 years later, by act of Parliament, that missionaries could get such licenses.” (R.E. Hedland, Christian History, Issue #36, 1992)
Carey was obedient to the Spirit’s leading at a time when few people were leaving the heart of Christianity (in the Global North) to evangelize the Global South, a region with a very limited Christian presence. Fast forward to 2024, and the Global South is the heart of Christianity and fastest growing region of the world for evangelism. The Global South is also a hotbed for worldwide missions.
William Carey was not thwarted by immigration systems because he knew that his citizenship was in heaven (Phil. 3:20) and his mandate came from the courts of Yahweh. I pray that today, we also will be directed according to the word of the Lord to evangelize the USA, Canada, and Europe with a fervor that awakens the western church again to the power of the gospel and to the mandate of the Great Commission. Just as the Christ child entered into the heart of enemy territory, into the heart of places where the name of Yahweh was not heard nor exalted, so may we not love our lives so much as to shrink from our high calling knowing that we are covered by the blood of the Lamb and we have a word from the Lord (Rev. 12:11).
Covered in the blood and with the sword of the Spirit in our mouths we cannot be stopped. We know the end of the story, Jesus wins, and “no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:38). So where are the strongholds of darkness? Where is the heart of enemy territory? Where is God sending us this next year, filled with his Spirit to incarnationally watch and pray as Jesus prepares the ground for hearts to hear the gospel? And where is the Spirit leading you to reap where others have sown? Jesus says the fields are ripe for harvest (John 4:34-38), so may we stand ready to go and bear fruit to the Father’s glory in the coming year. Jesus is ready, Jesus was born ready…Am I ready? Are you ready?
Behold the Lamb, worship him, and we will be ready. And Yahweh will direct our steps.
Chance is an Inspire Missioner based in Wilmore, KY, USA whilst he is studying at Asbury Seminary
Title image is a painting titled “Flight into Egypt” by artist Eugene Giradet.
