Advent Day 21

“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.” (Matthew 2:16 ESV).

Herod was vile. As the wise men were leaving Bethlehem, Jerusalem witnessed the mass movement of Herod’s soldiers, essentially an execution squad. Matthew 2:16 is not pleasant. It is not "Christmassy," uplifting, or something we want to consider. While Bethlehem was a small city with a small population, the pogrom in Bethlehem was still devastating. Jeremiah prophesied this event when he wrote, “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15 ESV). While the number of boys in Bethlehem was small, those little ones had their lives taken from them, and the families were devastated.

This event is not documented anywhere else in the New Testament. Yet there is no reason to doubt Matthew’s words, which indicate scripture was fulfilled. Herod was cruel, with the blood of many on his hands. On the day he died, he decreed that his soldiers would execute a large number of men to ensure Jerusalem mourned.

We could have lingered longer on the earlier parts of Matthew, but if we had, we would be missing a part of Matthew’s message. From the beginning, Matthew tells us that Jesus, the Messiah, is for everyone. Beginning with the family tree of Christ, dotted with gentile women, There are visitors from the East, and his family carries Jesus Himself to Egypt. At the end of the Gospel, Christ sends the Apostles to make believers of all nations. The birth of Christ affected the world and continues to change people daily. As written in Revelation, Jesus has come so that Satan might not deceive the nations any longer. (Revelation 20:2-3).

Throughout the Gospel, we see Jesus tempted by Satan, attempts to divert Him by His disciples, Religious leaders plotting against Him, betrayed by a disciple, and the spiritually blind who crucified the prophesied Messiah. Jesus told us He would build His church, but think about it: He built it in enemy territory, before the prince of the power of the air, before the gates of hell, that he told us, “Shall not prevail.” Jesus was born facing spiritual warfare; Herod fired the first shots in the war by the brutal murder of innocent children. This violent act is how vicious the hatred of Satan is for God, and it has only grown since then. Herod was but one of Satan’s minions used to attempt to derail God’s plan of redemption. We are once again transported back to Genesis 3:15, where the seed of the serpent would oppose, bruise, and eventually attempt to crush the seed of the woman. Imagine the rage of Satan at the birth of Jesus. He started the spiritual war on earth.

This war continues today. Christians are struck down and murdered for faith in the Messiah. Our congress writes laws that suppress Christianity, and society despises all for which Christianity stands. Non-Christians hear the Gospel but remain blinded to God’s message, and Satan continues to tempt you; he wants to take your heart from Christ. Have hope and focus on Jesus’s promise: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 ESV).

Herod had two choices once he realized the threat to him that lay with the newborn king:

1) He could go with the wise men and open his treasures, power, and protection to Jesus.

2) He could resist the newborn king and everything he stood for, including God.

Up until this point, Herod’s ability to be redeemed existed. After he decided to resist, Satan sealed his fate. He was an agent of Satan and would suffer the wrath of God. As Jesus said in John 8:24, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”  If you do not know Christ, ask Christ to be your Savior.  Do not be like Herod, and do not be compliant to the world. Reach to Christ and repent your sins; ask for forgiveness for your rebellion.

Please do not wait; being rejoined in a relationship with God is one of great urgency.

Peace and Grace!

Based on scripture and Sinclair Ferguson, The Dawn of Redeeming Grace”, The Goodbook Company, 2021