5 Oct: Jesus, the Refugee King
“Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt.” Matthew 2:13
Today’s Scripture: Matthew 2:13-15
In 1947, as the British Indian Empire dissolved, more than fifteen million people were forced to migrate for religious reasons. The journey was marked by monsoon rains, disease, and violence. Over a million refugees lost their lives in that upheaval.
Migration has always been part of the human story. People move in search of safety, freedom, or a new beginning. Scripture, too, tells the story of migration—none more well-known than the Exodus, when God led His people toward the promised land. Even Jesus experienced this reality. As a young child, His parents fled with Him to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous rage. In a striking parallel, just as the Israelites once fled Pharaoh who slaughtered Hebrew boys, Joseph was told to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape a tyrant who ordered the same (Exodus 1:16; Matthew 2:13, 16–18).
Matthew reminds us that this fulfilled the prophecy, “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matthew 2:15; Hosea 11:1). But it also tells us something deeply comforting: Jesus knows what it is to live as a refugee, to be displaced, to be vulnerable. He understands the struggles and fears that weigh on us (Hebrews 4:15).
We do not follow a distant God. We have a Savior who stepped fully into the human story, who has walked through suffering and trials, and who now intercedes for us (Hebrews 4:14–16). Whatever our journey, however hard the road, we can draw near to Him with confidence. He listens, He cares, and He walks with us.
By: Andrew Arul
Go deeper on: Jesus, the Refugee King
Reflect & Pray
How has migration impacted you personally? How might the story of Jesus be an encouragement to those who’ve had to flee for freedom or safety?
Dear Father, please protect those who are forced to migrate for safety.