In Israel’s early history, God’s relationship with the nation was compared to a father relating to his son (Exodus 4:22-23). God gently led His “children” out of Egyptian bondage, down to Sinai, and eventually into the promised Land.
In the New Testament, Matthew invested new meaning into the historical event of the Exodus and Hosea’s description of it as he recorded the flight of the young Christ child to Egypt. In essence, Matthew was closely identifying the Messiah with the nation’s escape from Egypt. Just as Israel’s had done, The Messiah (God’s Son) went to Egypt to avoid danger and emerged to fulfill God’s plan. Israel’s circumstances foreshadowed the life of Christ; Christ’s life fulfilled the words of the prophet.
MATTHEW 2:15 – 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.