By Randy Neal
Many of us have probably been listening to the radio lately and heard songs that take us back to September 11, 2001: “Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning?”, or “Have You Forgotten?” I can’t imagine it has already been ten years, but this moment took a different twist the other day when our son, John, came home from school (upset to say the least) telling us about watching a documentary about the planes flying into the twin towers and a boy in his class (a Muslim – who recently has been observing Ramadan) who laughed when he watched the video.
John and his class were angry, and I am as well. What was I to say to him? How do I explain such hatred to a twelve year old? I don’t know that I can understand it, but this is what I did tell him. The words of Jesus from Matthew 5:44 (the Sermon on the Mount) ring true just as much today as the day in which He spoke them. “But I say unto you, ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” In just one verse, Jesus commands us to do two things to our enemies: love them and pray for them. That’s not always easy to do, but as I tried to explain to our children that people like this kid are doing things (hating others) out of ignorance – they’ve had this ingrained in their minds for some 1400 years. You can’t expect people to change over-night. We remember that at one time the apostle Paul persecuted the church out of ignorance (Acts 8:1ff.). Yet he wrote years later to the young preacher, Timothy, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:12-14).
We must have the same love and compassion for the lost that Jesus did for Paul (Saul) and others. Not that God excuses ignorance (Acts 17:31-31), but we must pray that, some way, that might come to a knowledge of salvation. I hope we will never forget 9-11, but even greater, I pray we will never forget John 3:16 – Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the whole world (even if there are those who do not realize or recognize the saving power of His blood).
The Slaughter of the Innocents (Matthew 2:16-23)
"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceedingly wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and all the costs thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet saying, In Ramah 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."
Herod the Great lived from 73-4 B.C. He was the son of Antipater. Antipater had two sons, Phasael and Herod. Antipater was granted Roman citizenship by Julius Caesar for helping defeat the Ptolemy's in Egypt. As a reward, Antipater and his two sons were made rulers over Judea. After the death of Antipater by poisoning in 43 B.C., Mark Antony made Phasael and Herod tetrarchs over Judea and Idumea. The Parthinians invaded Judea and drove them from power in 40 B.C. (Phasael was killed). Herod flees to Rome and Aristobulus II takes over Judea. Herod was proclaimed King of Judea by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C., but took him three years to defeat his rivals and then ruled Judea from 37-4 B.C.
Herod is known for some of his great building projects. He built a great harbour in Caesarea on the Sea, a great aqueduct, the temple in Jerusalem (see John 2:20), and several summer palaces (such as Herodium near Bethlehem), Masada, and others. He killed two of his sons (by Mariamne), as well as his wife Mariamne and her mother, a high priest, and several court officials. History even records that he left in his will that, upon his death, several men in Judah were to be put to death so that all of Judah would weep at his passing (thankfully this wish was not carried out). Augustus Caesar once quipped that you were better off being Herod's pig rather than his son(a play on words). The mad-man hears about the birth of a king from the magi (Matthew 2:1-2). Herod and all of Judea are troubled. They are told to go find Him, return and tell him, so that he can go and worship the child. God warns the magi in a dream to return to their country another way (Matthew 2:12). The angel of The Lord warns Joseph to flee to Efypt (Matthew 2:12-15), a fulfillment of prophesy.
What can we learn about Herod's slaughter of the innocents?
First, evil has always existed. In Genesis 3, we read where evil began in the Garden of Eden with the sin of Adam and Eve. In Exodus 1:15-22, a pharaoh who is as evil as Herod commands all Hebrew male babies to be cast into the Nile Rivwr. This reminds one of Solomon's question in Ecclesiastes 1:10, 'is there anything new under the sun?' His reply is, no! Evil has been with us since the Fall of man and will be until the return of the Son of Man at the Judgment.
Second, behind every evil person or man is Satan. John records the words of Jesus spoken against his opponents in John 8:44: "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies." Satan stands behind the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden in Genesis 2. He also is the culprit behind the loss of job's family and his possessions in Job 1:6-12. According to Luke 22:3, Satan entered Judas' heart when he betrayed our Lord. Peter says that the devil goes about "like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
Third, weeping can be turned into joy. In Psalm 30:5, the psalmist exclaims of Fod, "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). Matthew tells us that the death of the innocent male babies is a Fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 2:17-18). "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." Rachel died during childbirth (Geneaia 35:15-20). Jeremiah used this analogy (31:15ff.) concerning those of Judah who would weep over the loss of loved ones due to the captivity (and later joy over the return of some from captivity). Matthew teaches us that there is joy in the midst of sorrow, there is hope in the midst of tragedy. There is hope in the world through the atoning death of Jeaus. Through the eye of faith, all sorrow can be turned into joy for the Christian (Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13ff.; 2 Timothy 4:8; Galatians 6:9).
Fourth, God will triumph over evil. For the Christian, we understand that ultimately, righteousness will triumph over unrighteousness, good over evil, love over hatred. God's will cannot be thwarted by evil. Paul argues (1 Corinthians 15:54-58) that Jesus' resurrection dealt a death blow to sin, death, and Satan. Pharaoh did not stop God's will with the death of the male babies, Moses' life was preserved. Herod did not prevent the atoning death of Jesus on the cross as an infant. God can bring about His purpose in spite of and even through the suffering and heartache we encounter in life (Romans 8:28). - Randy Neal -