The Christmas Story Part 5 Herod's Massacre Of Innocent Children

Matthew 2:11-12  And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12  And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 

We may think of the Christmas story in terms of baby Jesus lying in a manger at Bethlehem, however, there is much more substance to the birth of Christ that we must take note of.

In our last post, we followed the journey of the three wise men from the vicinity of Babylon all the way to Jerusalem, seeking the Christ child.

When they found Jesus and Mary, they worshiped the Christ child. The text says that they "worshiped Him" not Mary.

They gave lavish gifts to Jesus and were warned by God to return to Babylon using a different route.

Remember, that King Herod had devious, murderous intentions when he asked the wise men for directions so that he could worship Messiah.

God knew Herod's deceitful and murderous heart and moved to protect His Son, Jesus Christ.

Matthew 2:13  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, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 

Note the timing of what happened after the wise men departed using an alternate route to their homeland.

The angel of the Lord immediately appeared to Joseph in a dream, just as He did before.

He told Joseph to take his family into Egypt and to remain there until he received word from the angel of the Lord to return to his homeland.

The angel of the Lord gave Joseph the reason for his command. King Herod was going to try to kill Jesus.

Notice that the life and ministry and redemptive work of Christ was planned in eternity past, before God created anything and before man ever fell into sin.

We should be encouraged that nothing ever takes our Father by surprise nor does He ever react to unforeseen circumstances.

God knows the beginning and end of all things and He does not react to anything!

Isaiah 46:9-10  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 

Acts 15:18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 

The scripture makes it clear that all things were planned by God based upon His perfect foreknowledge of knowing the end from the beginning of all things (See Ephesians 1:3-6; 1 Peter 1:19-20; Revelation 13:8).

Therefore, Herod's intent to find and kill Jesus did not take the Father by surprise. He already knew about it and planned the appropriate response at the right time.

Joseph once again demonstrated his faith and obedience by complying with God's command.

Matthew 2:14-15  When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 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. 

What did Joseph do? He woke up and gathered his family and they made the journey to Egypt.

Once again, Joseph is shown to be a God fearing man of humble faith.

He obeyed what the angel of the Lord told him to do.

No hesitation, no complaining about a change of plans or any inconvenience, just simple obedience.

Again, demonstrating that nothing takes God by surprise, Matthew reminds us that this very act of the Christ child fleeing to Egypt was a literal fulfillment of prophecy. 

More prophecies literally fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Numbers 24:8  God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. 

Hosea 11:1  When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. 

The first text is a prophecy of Balaam who was not a good prophet, yet God overrode his evil intent of bringing a curse upon Israel, and turned it into a blessing. 

This applies to Messiah and clearly states that "God brought him forth out of Egypt."

The second text from Hosea is also cited by Matthew as applying to Jesus the Messiah.

It says God loved His Son and called Him out of Egypt.

Wicked Herod commanded innocent young boys be slaughtered without mercy.

Matthew 2:16  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. 

Matthew recorded what happened next, after the wise men traveled home via an alternate route, and after Joseph fled to Egypt with his family.

Herod's pretense of wanting to worship Jesus was exposed as a diabolical plot to kill the Christ child.

Herod's hatred and anger erupted and with a madman's rage, he ordered all male children two years old and younger, to be killed.

Remember, Herod diligently inquired of the wise men how long it had been since they first saw the special star of Messiah's birth.

The wise men must have told him that it had been about two years and this is why Herod gave the command to kill all these innocent baby boys.

God foreknew the wickedness of Herod and great sorrows he caused in Jeremiah's prophecy.

Matthew 2:17-18  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18  In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 

This vile act of killing little children did not catch God off guard. He knew this would happen and His prophets foretold the massacre.

Thus, one more prophecy was literally fulfilled in the life of Jesus.

Jeremiah 31:15  Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. 

The town of Ramah mentioned here was situated in the tribe of Benjamin, about six or seven miles from Jerusalem. 

Near this place Rachel was buried and she is used as a beautiful figure of poetry, represented as coming out of her grave, and lamenting bitterly for the loss of her children as all being slain or gone into exile.

Heartbreak described here as lamentation and bitter weeping signifies great sorrow and distress connected with Herod's massacre of innocent children.

The words "Rachel weeping for her children" are figurative as she is representing Jewish mothers near Bethlehem mourning for their slaughtered infants, some time after the birth of Christ.

Most parents do not expect their children to die before they do and when this tragedy happens, those parents are rightly overcome with deep distress and grief.

Such was the multiplied agony heard in Bethlehem and the surrounding towns after Herod's heartless massacre of innocent children.

This is part of the Christmas story even though it is sad that such an unthinkable crime was committed.

What do we learn from this narrative?

First, Herod's evil heart is reflective of every sinner's heart, for we are all born with a sin nature.

The same terrible things carried out by wicked Herod lurk in our own hearts.

As one missionary said when asked to give a  report of his ministry, "My heart is black."

Isaiah 64:4-8  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. 5  Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved. 6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7  And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. 8  But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. 

Second, God knows our human condition and He provided a Savior for us. 

Isaiah reminds us that God has good things for those who believe His word and accept the provision of salvation offered through His Son, Jesus Christ.

However, the prophet also told us that our righteousness, the very best we can do, is as filthy rags in the sight of God.

This is why we must confess and forsake our sins and why God promises to forgive and cleanse us each time that we do.

This is why Jesus was born, because though our sins be red as scarlet, they can be washed white as snow in the blood of Christ our Savior.

I pray that the aspects of the Christmas story from Matthew's gospel will encourage each one of us.

The Christmas story unfolds God's gracious plan of redemption through repentant faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Bob

Link to an excellent performance of the Coventry Carol.

https://youtu.be/DMFyBZHuXLc?si=6UsY9-unRNW5SZCV

Lyrics to the Coventry Carol written to mourn the innocent children murdered by Herod.

Refrain:
Lully, lulla,
thou little tiny child,
by by, lully lullay.

1. O sisters too,
how may we do
for to preserve this day
this poor youngling,
for whom we do sing
by by, lully lullay?

2. Herod the king,
in his raging,
charged he hath this day
his men of might,
in his own sight,
all young children to slay.

3. That woe is me,
poor child for thee!
and ever morn and day,
for thy parting
neither say nor sing
by by, lully lullay!