Herod

On the Sunday evening before Christmas we thought about the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus as recorded in Matthew's Gospel and this morning we are continuing to follow these events as we think particularly of the role of King Herod. The particular focus is on Matthew 2:13-18 but we need to see this in the wider context of the chapter.

One thing we must continually bear in mind is this. Everything in detail concerning the nativity, life, death, resurrection and exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ was worked out in pursuit of the great salvation plan for you and me. The plan was made before Creation itself in the counsels of the eternal Godhead- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is great truth and a great mystery but we need to continually hold this in our minds as far as we can.

The events before us this morning were fore told by God's prophets in his infallible Word: we read it in what we now call the Old Testament in the words of the prophets Hosea and Jeremiah.

People are often tempted to sentimentalise the Christmas story. But the murder by King Herod of all the boys in Bethlehem and beyond of two years and under surely brings them down to earth.


First, THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS

To set this morning's reading in context King Herod had been greatly disturbed by the visit of Magi or wise men from the east enquiring where the King of the Jews was to be born. Herod had assembled all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law together and they had informed him that God's Word in the scriptures made it clear that the birthplace foretold by the prophet Micah was to be Bethlehem.

It was Herod's desire that once the Magi had found the new- born King that they would report back to him. The Magi found Jesus, worshipped him, acknowledged him as King and presented him with their specially chosen gifts. But God had warned them in a dream not to go back to Herod so they returned to their own country by another route.

The passage tells us that an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. As we read in verse 13 Joseph was told to take Mary and the infant Jesus out of harm's way. They were to go to Egypt to escape the evil intentions of King Herod and to stay there until it was safe to return on the death of King Herod. The fore ordained flight by night to Egypt took place as the prophet Hosea had foretold:

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called Israel' (Hosea 11:1)

or

Out of Egypt have I called my son' (KJV)

When King Herod found out that the wise men were not coming back he was beside himself with fury He set out to kill this new King who he saw as a threat to his position. His evil intent was, of course, to put Jesus to death. If ever we are tempted to doubt the huge gulf between the holiness of God and the gravity of human sin, we see here once more the contrast between the goodness of a Holy God and the wickedness of the human heart. The Lord Jesus, the Word Incarnate, left the glory and the splendour of eternal fellowship within the Godhead and came down from heaven to save sinners like you and me. The Bible tells us that the human heart is naturally inclined to evil and here we see Herod the King seeking to destroy the Lord of Life.

Mary had been warned when the baby Jesus was presented in the Temple in Jerusalem soon after his birth that sorrow would not be far from her life. That wise, godly and righteous man Simeon had said to her,

This child is destined to cause the rising and falling of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too" (Luke 2: 35).

At the birth of Jesus there was no room in the inn. As an infant fleeing the wrath of Herod he and his family become refugees in the land of Egypt. During his ministry Jesus was disowned by his brothers and the chief priests constantly sought ways to destroy him. His saving act of redemption took place on the Cross of Calvary outside the City wall "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3)


Secondly, KING HEROD

Herod committed himself to an unspeakable programme of mass murder. As we read he ordered the killing of all the boys of two and under in Bethlehem and area in a futile attempt to have Jesus done to death. Clearly he thought that Jesus would be a threat to his power and authority. Herod was a man of immense cruelty. Historians record that his life was a catalogue of violence and murder. He was a man of ruthless cruelty and huge insecurity who continually lived in a neurotic fear of the loss of power and influence. The birth of Jesus the King of Kings sent him into uncontrollable hatred and rage.

In all probability it did not take Herod long to work out that he would never see the Magi again. After they had left him he began to realise that his command for them to come back to him was not being obeyed

We read in verse 16

When Herod realised that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi

He flies into a rage. Not having exercised self- control for many years, he is clearly no longer able to control his passions. His order to murder is carried out and his soldiers do their evil work of violence and destruction of young human lives.

How foolish wickedness and sin makes men. Is Herod unable to comprehend that a higher hand is at work in human history?

This appalling slaughter of the many infants in this terrible act of murder often raises a huge question in our minds about free will and the Sovereignty of God. Nevertheless we should remind ourselves of what we know God has revealed to us in His Word. We do know that God has appointed His Son as the Judge of the living and the dead at the time appointed and known only to Him. We do know that at that Judgement God will deal absolutely justly with all wickedness and we look to that, but we must all examine ourselves. We ourselves can only look forward to that day with confidence if before we meet the Lord Jesus as our Judge we have known Him in this life as our Saviour.

The most important question of life is "Am I right with God?" We need to discover that we can only be right with Him if we have recognised that the infant we are thinking about here in this passage, whom Herod vainly tried to destroy, is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God. That infant who grew to be a man has died for us on a cruel Cross of shame at a place called Calvary. He died so that through faith in Him we might live for and with God forever.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:24,25)

Thirdly, THE PROPHECY OF JEREMIAH

This section of the Chapter ends in verses 17 and 18 with these words,

Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more

We need to understand why Mathew has placed this here. We are being brought back to the times of Jeremiah when God's people were under severe judgement for their faithlessness and disobedience to Him. They experience the devastation of the exile. In Old Testament times Ramah was sited on the border between the two kingdoms of Israel and Judah, some five miles to the north of Jerusalem. It was the place where foreign conquerors ordered their defeated people to be deported to far off lands away from home and familiar surroundings. Because of its special situation, it was able to represent both kingdoms.

Rachel, the Bible tells us, was Jacob's most cherished wife. She could also represent both kingdoms. Rachel had given birth to Joseph the father of Ephraim and Manasseh and so could represent Israel- the kingdom of the ten tribes sometimes simply called Ephraim. She had also given birth to Benjamin and so she could also symbolise Judah, the kingdom of the two tribes, Judah and Benjamin. Jeremiah pictures Rachel as being alive again. She is pictured as watching the miserable and weeping multitudes gathering in Ramah to be deported to alien lands. She weeps bitterly because she is being deprived of her children- first the nation of Israel goes into exile and then the nation of Judah. Rachel, who was so keen to have children ("Give me children or I die" Genesis 30:1), sees how some of them are killed and others driven away to foreign soil. She weeps bitterly. Her lamentations are loud and incessant. A worldly power- first Assyria and then Babylon- has robbed her of that which was dearest to her.

Despite all of this there was reason for rejoicing. The thirty- first chapter of Jeremiah, from which Matthew quotes these words, is filled with words of consolation. This comfort concerns both Israel and Judah- that is the entire remnant of those who had remained faithful to God and continued to trust in His promises. The Lord has loved his people with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) He who has scattered them will also re-gather them (Jeremiah 31:10) Rachel must then refrain from weeping (Jeremiah 31; 16) As we read through this Chapter of Jeremiah these questions are presented to us. Is not Ephraim his darling child? (20) Will he not make a new covenant with his people (31) forgiving their iniquity and remembering their sin no more? (34) The remnant will indeed return not to build cities again but to bring forth the Branch of Righteousness, the Lord Jesus who will execute justice and righteousness (Jeremiah 33: 14,15)

Matthew is drawing a very clear parallel. Because of the slaughter of Bethlehem's infants he pictures Rachel weeping once more and essentially for the same reason. These slaughtered children are no more. This time the worldly power that destroys is not Assyria nor Babylon but Edom represented by the evil King Herod. Bethlehem's infants are slaughtered but the one special child of Herod's wrath has been driven in to exile of Egypt. There is also here a full measure of consolation. The comfort this time centres in the same, "Branch of Righteousness" of whom the prophet Jeremiah spoke. This is of course Jesus Christ the King of Kings the only unique and final Saviour. Presently in the fullness of time He will return from Egypt to save all that put their trust in Him. Rachel need be dismayed no longer. Having returned from exile in Egypt the Ruler, the Lord Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem, will one day utter the comforting words,

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew 11: 28-30)

Fourthly, JESUS CHRIST, THE KING OF KINGS

We see, as we consider this passage and Herod's appalling crime, a total contrast between Herod the earthly king and Jesus Christ, the King of King and Lord of Lords, the only ruler of princes. Herod is arrogant, selfish, self- indulgent. He yields completely to the power of Satan and Evil. He is the destroyer of life. He is cruel even to little ones and in the end he, of course, loses all.

Jesus Christ is self-denying and self-sacrificing. He has triumphed over Satan and Evil on the Cross. He has a special tenderness for little ones. He said,

Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Matthew 19:14)

Jesus Christ is King of Kings and one day he will return to judge and to reign in the new heavens and the new earth. At his coming, all will bow the knee- either willingly for those who have known Him as their Lord and Saviour in this life or unwillingly for those who have rejected Him as they face the real prospect of a lost eternity in hell- that place of eternal torment.

It is important at this Christmas time to be reminded that we cannot separate the Jesus of the manger from the Jesus of Calvary. The Jesus of Bethlehem grew in stature and in favour with God and men. He is the Man of Sorrows and the Suffering Servant anticipated by the Prophet Isaiah.


Fifthly, IN WHOM DO WE PLACE OUR TRUST?

This Christmas as we read again of the visit of the Magi to Jesus and of the gross cruelty of King Herod we are challenged by the Word of God to ask "In whom or in what do we place our trust?" Are we trusting in worldly things or are we trusting in eternal things?

We can see Herod as a symbol of worldly power. We need to recognise that passing soon and nothing worth are the things that tempt on earth. Death can and does remove the things and the kings of this world. The rulers of this world have no power to retain life when God decides that the hour of their departure has come. Herod, the murderer of helpless infants, must himself die. Joseph and Mary hear the news that "Herod is dead" and return to the safety of their own land The enemies of Christ do not ultimately triumph

The mirth of the wicked is brief, the joy of the godless lasts but a moment (Job 20:5

Fading is the worldling's pleasure,All his boasted pomp and show,Solid joys and lasting treasureNone but Zion's children know"(John Newton)

Herod tried his hardest to put to death the Lord and Saviour, the King of Kings. He failed and Jesus later demonstrated, once and for all, that He is indestructible. Jesus Christ died for our sins at Calvary and rose again from the dead and sits now at the Father's side-his work of salvation complete. He is indestructible and the everlasting King and Lord.

If we have not trusted in Him, why delay? For only in Him can we know true peace and joy in this life and the hope of eternal life beyond this world of space and time.

If we have trusted in Him, then let us rejoice for He is indeed our Emmanuel-God with us forever and let us more obediently follow Him so that our lives may more fully glorify Him.