16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
Matthew 2:16-18 (NASB)18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
And she refused to be comforted,
Because they were no more.”
Evil Herod
We’ve been pointing to this event the past few blog posts. Herod’s character leads him to unbridled rage that he had been tricked. More than that, his throne would be in jeopardy. He’s a mad-man, right up there with Hitler, Stalin and so many evil men from history.
Herod sends to have all the male children under two years old in Bethlehem and the surrounding area killed! He calculated, based on what the magi told him, that the age of the baby king was under 2.
Evil me
Before we come down too hard on Herod, we have to ask how different, really, is he than me, than you? The saying, “There, but for the grace of God, go I,” comes to mind. Most attribute the quote to, “John Bradford, an English Reformer, who supposedly said it as he watched people led to execution for their crimes. In a sense he was saying, ‘That could have been me but for God’s grace.’” (gotquestions.org)
Prophecy yet again
And again we see prophecy related to the coming of the Messiah. This one is a bit unique, for it foretells not the coming of Christ specifically, but of this evil that will come at the time of his coming. We may ask, “Why does God allow it? How can He even prophecy about it?”
The more we know God and man, the better we can understand. God has to have perfect foreknowledge so knows all the evil that will occur – even by you and I – yet He allows it. Do we blame God? Is He the perpetrator? I think not. Rather, It’s evil in men. It’s rebellion against God that is in mankind. We must keep in mind that His ways are higher than ours and His thoughts than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). As well, we know that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
RЯeflection
- It is good for us to apply Psalm 139:23-24 and ask God to search us and reveal what’s inside us so we can repent before Him. This is the key to not becoming another Herod.
- And again rejoice that God has all things in control and that He is God and we are not!
