Anticipating... Again Pete Kersker - Jan 02, 2026 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more" (Matthew 2:16-18 NIV). Matthew does an excellent job showing the Israelite community how Jesus fulfilled many prophecies about the Messiah (Christ, Anointed One). He quotes the Scriptures (Old Testament) as he describes the life of Jesus. Matthew shows us how the same person came out of Bethlehem, was called out of Egypt as God's Son, and called a Nazarene. After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead." So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel (Matthew 2:19-21 NIV). Jesus left Israel for a little while as Joseph kept him safe in Egypt, but they returned. The Israelites anticipated the Messiah coming on the scenes around this time. We find ourselves reading Matthew's account and anticipating Jesus' return from Egypt. Now that Jesus has completed the mission of his first coming, he has ascended into the heavenly realms and we are anticipating his return...again. After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11 NIV). Do you look forward to Jesus' return with anticipation? What are you going to do until he returns?