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Sending a Child Away with Prayer for God's Sovereignty

The act of sending a child away, particularly with prayer for God's sovereignty, is a theme that resonates throughout biblical narratives, often highlighting divine protection and guidance in moments of vulnerability. The concept of prayer itself is understood as direct address to God, an intercourse of the soul with the divine, which can be oral or mental, constant or occasional [3]. It is a commanded practice [4].

One prominent example of a child being sent away under divine instruction is found in the early life of Jesus. After the wise men departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, instructing him to "Arise, take along the child and His mother and pass over into the land of Egypt, and be there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child, to destroy it" [2]. This command necessitated Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus fleeing to Egypt to escape Herod's murderous intent [2, 13]. Later, after Herod's death, an angel again appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rising up, take along the child and His mother and pass over into the land of Israel; for those seeking the soul of the child have expired" [1]. These passages illustrate a divine sending away for protection, guided by God's sovereign will and communicated through angelic messengers.

The Old Testament also contains instances where children are sent away or are the subject of divine intervention. The Exodus itself, the great deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt, is described as God bringing them out with "a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm" [7]. Pharaoh was commanded to "let my son go, that he may serve me" [12], referring to Israel as God's son. This demonstrates God's sovereign claim over His people, even when they are under duress. The blessing of offspring, particularly male, was highly valued in Eastern nations, and the absence of children was considered a severe punishment [6]. Children were seen as a blessing from the Lord [6].

Prayer for children is a recurring theme. The Bible describes prayer in various ways, such as "beseeching the Lord," "pouring out the soul before the Lord," and "drawing near to God" [3]. It is commanded to be offered to God, to Christ, and to the Holy Spirit, and through Christ [4]. God is depicted as hearing and answering prayers [4]. The Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus, serves as a model for prayer, emphasizing simplicity and addressing God as Father [8]. This model prayer includes petitions for God's will to be done, implying a submission to divine sovereignty [8].

The concept of God's sovereignty underpins these narratives. Even in situations of danger and displacement, such as the flight to Egypt, God's plan for the child is maintained. The Lord is said to be with good children [5], and their obedience to parents is pleasing to God [5]. The promises of God are extended to children [5]. The idea of calling on the Lord is associated with those who have pure hearts [9]. Paul's prayers often reflect a consciousness of the Lord Jesus' presence with His people [10], and he invokes the "Lord of peace" to grant peace "always" and "in every way" [11]. This peace is not merely an absence of conflict but an unbroken state, not changing with outward circumstances, which is His to give [11].

Sources

  1. Matthew “Matthew 2:20 (LITV) — saying, Rising up, take along the child and His mother and pass over into the land of Israel; for those seeking the soul of the child have expired.”
  2. Matthew “Matthew 2:13 (Rotherham) — Now, when they had retired, lo! a messenger of the Lord, appeareth by dream unto Joseph, saying, Arise, take unto thee the child and its mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there, until I tell thee,—for Herod is about to seek the child, to destroy it.”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children, Good — The Lord is with -- 1Sa 3:19. Know the Scriptures -- 2Ti 3:15. Observe the law of God -- Pr 28:7. Their obedience to parents is well pleasing to God -- Col 3:20. Partake of the promises of God -- Ac 2:39. Shall be blessed -- Pr 3:1-4; Eph 6:2,3. Show love to parents -- Ge 46:29. Obey parents -- Ge 28:7; 47:30. Attend to parental teaching -- Pr 13:1. Take care of parents -- Ge 45:9,11; 47:12. Make their parents' hearts glad -- Pr 10:1; 29:17. Honour the aged -- Job 32:6,7. Adduced as a motive for submission to God -- Heb 12:9. Spirit of, a requisite f”
  6. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Children — The blessing of offspring, but especially of the male sex, is highly valued among all eastern nations, while a the absence is regarded as one of the severest punishments. (Genesis 16:2; 7:14; 1 Samuel 1:6; 2 Samuel 6:23; 2 Kings 4:14; Isaiah 47:9; Jeremiah 20:15; Psalms 127:3,5) As soon as the child was born it was washed in a bath, rubbed with salt and wrapped in swaddling clothes. (Ezekiel 16:4; Job 38:9; Luke 2:7) On the 8th day the rite of circumcision, in the case of a boy, was performed and a name given. At the end of a certain time (forty days if a s”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Exodus — The great deliverance wrought for the children of Isreal when they were brought out of the land of Egypt with "a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm" (Ex 12:51; Deut. 26:8; Ps 114; 136), about B.C. 1490, and four hundred and eighty years (1 Kings 6:1) before the building of Solomon's temple. The time of their sojourning in Egypt was, according to Ex. 12:40, the space of four hundred and thirty years. In the LXX., the words are, "The sojourning of the children of Israel which they sojourned in Egypt and in the land of Canaan was four hundred and thirty y”
  8. Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
  9. 2 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Timothy 2:22: 2:22 those who call on the Lord: Cp. Ps 99:6; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; 9:14, 21; 22:16; Rom 10:12-13; 1 Cor 1:2. • with pure hearts: Cp. 1 Tim 1:5.”
  10. 2 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Thessalonians 3:16: 3:16 The final prayer echoes Jesus’ blessing in John 14:27 (cp. Num 6:26) and contrasts with the situation these believers faced in Thessalonica (2 Thes 1:4-10; 1 Thes 2:14). Paul was always conscious of the Lord Jesus’ presence with his people (Rom 15:33; Phil 4:9).”
  11. 2 Thessalonians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Thessalonians 3:16: Lord of peace--Jesus Christ. The same title is given to Him as to the Father, "the GOD of peace" (Rom 15:33; Rom 16:20; Co2 13:11). An appropriate title in the prayer here, where the harmony of the Christian community was liable to interruption from the "disorderly." The Greek article requires the translation, "Give you the peace" which it is "His to give." "Peace" outward and inward, here and hereafter (Rom 14:17). always--unbroken, not changing with outward circumstances. by all means--Greek, "in every way." Most of the oldest manuscript”
  12. Exodus (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Exodus 4:23: And I say unto thee, let my son go, that he may serve me,.... Worship God according to his will in the place he had designed for him, and where he might be safe and free; and which service was due from him as a son, and to be performed not in a servile way, but in a filial manner, and therefore as a servant he could demand his dismission, and much more as his son; and this is required in an authoritative way, for saying is here commanding, insisting on it as a point of right to be done: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstbor”
  13. Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 2:13: THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT--THE MASSACRE AT BETHLEHEM--THE RETURN OF JOSEPH AND MARY WITH THE BABE, AFTER HEROD'S DEATH, AND THEIR SETTLEMENT AT NAZARETH. ( = Luk 2:39). (Mat 2:13-23) And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother--Observe this form of expression, repeated in Mat 2:14 --another indirect hint that Joseph was no more than the Child's guardian. Indeed, personally considered, Joseph has no spiritual significance, and very little place at all, in”
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