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Numbers 24:7-9:
This passage does not have the exact wording as Matthew 2:15. The prophet Balaam, though a perverted man,
was speaking for God. The King of Midian
wanted him to curse Israel but he couldn’t because God wouldn’t allow him. In this passage he does speak specifically of
a great king in Israel whose kingdom will be exalted, who shall consume the
nations. It is reasonable to see this as
a Messianic prophecy. In his fourth
prophecy (Num. 24:15-24) Balaam is even more clearly Messianic (24:17). Two “Targums” (Jewish writings/paraphrases
from after 70AD, generally in Aramaic as use of the Hebrew language began to
disappear) recognize these passages as Messianic (JWE, pp309f, 430f).
What is of interest is the phrase in 24:8: God brings him out of Egypt. The nation had not yet entered Canaan, and could be described in terms of having left Egypt. But the phrase is singular and refers to the king with the exalted kingdom. Balaam might have spoken this way so as to show the identification of the great king with the nation, that the king is one of them, having his ancestry in Egypt with the rest of the nation.
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Hosea 11:1-2: The wording in this passage makes
it seem more likely that Matthew was referring to this rather than the Numbers
passage. But the question is even more
significant as to why he saw this as Messianic.
Clearly Hosea is talking about the nation that was called out of Egypt
and went on to worship the Baals and carved images. I personally favor this passage as the one
Matthew refers to. And I believe what he
sees (by the Holy Spirit, and perhaps Jesus taught the disciples this after His
resurrection) is a filling out of what John says: He came unto His own (John 1:11). In the flight to Egypt we see Jesus’
connection with His people, the ones He came to seek and to save. Jesus’ coming to earth was a critical time
for Israel. God had called them out of
Egypt to be His people. But more often
than not, they were seeking the Baals and other carved images. The days of Jesus’ earthly ministry were the best
opportunity ever for God’s people to fulfill the purpose He had for them. In that sense Hosea 11:1 was being fulfilled.
The idea of Jesus fully identifying with those He came to save is an important Bible doctrine. We see it in Philippians 2:5-11 in Jesus’ humbling Himself and then being highly exalted by His Father. It is clearly explained in Hebrews 2:9-18 where Jesus, the true Man, is made a little lower than the angels, so that He might suffer death for us. But then He is crowned in glory and honor. It is also underneath 1 Corinthians 15 and Romans 5:12 in the first and last Adam. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22). Oh, what grace! That He became one of us that we might become one with Him and the Father (John 17:23).
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