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herod vs. the child Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship Matthew 2:1-18 December 19th, 2010
INTRODUCTION Jesus is the great dragon-slayer. Genesis 3:16 – The seed of the serpent would be crushed by the seed of the woman. We will see one example of this taking place in duel between a powerful king and a toddler.
SUMMARY OF THE TEXTS Herod the Great – Insecure and Cruel leader - killed wives, children, relatives, anyone who tried to challenge his rule or take his throne. He was also famous for his reconstruction of the Temple. “If you haven’t seen it, you haven’t seen beauty And then there is another person: The baby in Bethlehem Matthew 2:1-18 ESV Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, (2) saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." (3) When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; (4) and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. (5) They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: (6) "'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" (7) Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. (8) And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." (9) After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. (10) When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. (11) And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (12) And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (13) Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." (14) And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt (15) and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son." (16) 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. (17) Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: (18) "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more." MAIN POINTS
God’s plans are much different than ours. His ways are not what we would choose. He is not a painter who uses one color at a time. He makes a mess – but this is only from our perspective. He is perfectly wise. We would not choose to do it this way. Why did God have the king of Israel slaughter the baby boys in the town of Bethlehem? We do not know. Yet he will make all things right. He will show us someday the end from the beginning and we will only marvel and thank Him. Romans 11:33-36 ESV Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (34) "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" (35) "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" (36) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
I want you to step back and see what is happening here. God’s Son comes to earth to the “people of God.” And who is leading God’s people. A wicked, narcissistic king who has rebuilt the temple and also wants to kill the Lord’s anointed. Herod in this story is a picture of the depravity of man in all it’s mire and sin. Herod is of the evil one. He is a lying murdered, just like the old serpent. He is a puppet king of Rome and Jesus has come to crush all kings that do not bow the knee to King Jesus. Psalm 2 Yet, let us also look into the mirror. Herod should actually cause us to see ourselves in the mirror. We are full of sin and depravity and we need this Child to come and save us.
I want you to see who comes and worships and protects the Child – the magi from the East who were most certainly not Jews. These men were pagan idolaters. Of course this passage does not condone idolatry, but it prefigures the reality that all the nations would worship the Lord’s anointed. God plan in this Child was to go beyond just Israel and to the entire world. Psalms 22:27-28 ESV All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. (28) For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
Finally, I want you to see this duel between Herod and the child. King Herod sends his soldiers to Bethlehem, yet He is not there. He has been sent to Egypt by God. He is waiting. He is the true King. Herod is God’s crony. He is long gone but Jesus is ascending and now has ASCENDED. Who won this battle? Who wan the race to lasting dominion? Herod’s temple was destroyed in AD 70—seven years after its completion. Jesus’ reign was just beginning and it is increasing. Bow the new to this King. This King who died for the sins of His people.
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