“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.”
Merry Christmass, death. Thanks for joining the party.
On the Fourth Day of Christmass? You’ve gotta be kidding me. How can there be death in light of such a festival as Christmass? How dare the drudgery of death drag our demonstrative demure of delight to the dreary depths of being dreary!
Let’s point some fingers: Its Herod’s fault for being so gosh darn evil. Its Bethlehem’s fault for not arming its citizens and taking better hold of democracy; its not a new thing, ya know.
Let’s point some more fingers: There is a saying that has been taught to those who abort babies, so they can teach it to others. The Overpopulation scare mongers also use it; even Scrooge used it. It is this: “Why would I want to bring up a child in such a world?” or “Its better if the child is not alive to see this evil” or “Die quickly and decrease the surplus population”.
If you think Herod was bad, look at what you have made of your own society. Over 40 million children aborted, since the Roe v. Wade court decision, and counting! Herod at least understood that he couldn’t allow murder everywhere, else he wouldn’t have a kingdom. IN our modern thinking, we can’t even see past our own bellies.
We legalize murder, of the young and old, and call it choice. We legislate euthanasia and call it mercy. Oh how this destroys a country. Statistically, it takes 2.1 children born to each woman in a generation, to simply REPLACE the previous generation. In 2012, the USA was at 1.88 and has been on a falling trend, most recently coming in at 1.86.
America has become a culture of death and has developed its own religion. It’s a crime for this baby to die, but not the unwanted one. It’s a crime for this person to die, but not the one that wanted to. There are certain things you talk about and certain things you don’t. If you do not obey, you will be hauled in front of the judge.
Everyone understands the Law. They understand that if you break it, your things will get taken away and you will be punished. The government enforces the laws it makes. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.
God gives the Law and it is absolute. It speaks against your sin. Sin can not be allowed to continue, for it is an injustice if it were to go unpunished. There is no sin in God. He did not create it, but He will destroy it.
Repent. It is not simply a matter of obeying the Law, either. God has shown this by giving you lists of what you are to do and not to do. He even shortened it to 10 things; no, TWO things, and yet still a Savior is born.
Here, then, is the indicator of your rebelliousness. You believe that if you just follow the god-rules; obey Him, follow Him, and dedicate your life to Him, that you will be ok. That makes sense, in the civil realm. What you miss, though, is that the Word never changes. You will never open holy Scripture and find, “You shall not murder, except for you, Bob. You’ve completed that assignment.”
God’s Law says “do this” and it is never done. Scripture will always say, “You shall not murder.” The Law is always there to reveal our sin and that’s it. Whether it is the Old Testament or Jesus Himself speaking it. If something in the Bible demands your action, it is Law and no one is justified before God by the Law.
In this sense, the wrath of God against sin, is revealed by Herod murdering those children. They were reaping the wages of their sin, just as Herod would, in dying. The so-called-innocence that society says children have, does not prevent them from dying. A lifetime of works, does not prevent Herod from dying.
So, in another sense, we do not call this the Feast of the Holy Innocents for nothing. In this sense, there is only Christ, for the children were murdered for two reasons: 1) to show the sin of the world (evil Herod) and that we are apart of it; and 2) to show the power and glory of Jesus, come to the world to redeem it.
Upon the cross, Jesus purchases the whole world from the dominion of our sin, death, and the devil. The power that enabled Herod, not only to know his right from wrong against him, but also to take life has been done away with. Jesus, who escaped the sword of Herod, lives to shed His blood for Herod, on Good Friday.
In Christ alone is there any refuge from our evil purposes and the death they bring. It is only in and because of Christ that we have the Gospel. The Good News that we are freed from the guilt and punishment we deserve for our sin. It is in Jesus that death leads to a resurrection.
Jesus has cleansed us of our sin. He has rid the world of evil and the power of death. He has fulfilled God’s Law and taken all of the wrath of God upon Himself. There is no longer any condemnation in Jesus, for it is by Him, by Grace for Christ’s sake, through Faith, that we are justified before God.
In the midst of our own torment and weeping for the dead here; especially at times of joy and cheer, we take comfort in the fact that God has promised His one and only Son to us. For even these children, born in the Promise of God in the Temple, living in Faith by circumcision, held to the forgiveness of sins promised to them in it.
They are innocent solely by virtue of their Redeemer and can rest securely, whether they live or die, that they will live with Jesus. You are innocent, in Jesus. You have been washed in the baptism of the Lamb of God and also have this security.
Herod thinks he has won something, but he has not. He could not take the kingdom away from the Romans or God and he could not prevent Jesus from retrieving the Holy Innocents from death.
We weep for those who suffer during the holidays, even though it might not affect us directly. There will come a time when our happy holiday will be ruined, but we do not weep as those without hope, for the Life Christ comes to give is eternal and can not be taken away.
The same kingdom the Holy Innocents were taken to, is the same kingdom prepared for you. The same Son whisked away to Egypt, dies on the cross for you. The same Body and Blood that died, was buried, and rose again will raise you up from death and whisk you away to be with Him.
Jesus is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Where the Law says, “Do this” and it is never done; the Gospel says, “Believe in this and everything is already done.” Believe in the virgin birth. Believe in the death and resurrection of Christ. Faith believes, and faith receives from God death and resurrection.
For, the Boys of Bethlehem were not abandoned. Their mothers found comfort in the wounds of Jesus who died also for them. Now they have been reunited with their sons. They will never be separated again! And already now, after maybe 50 long years of grief here on earth without their babies, they have enjoyed nearly 2000 years in perfect bliss won by Jesus with their children. So that St. Paul writes,
“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
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