Don’t Be Like Herod (Advent 4, 2023)

To a paranoid political ruler like Herod, nothing could be worse than this visit from the Magi.

Matthew 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

King of the Jews?? Uh, Herod thought he was that. Born king? Someone born to take what was his by political appointment?

The Samaritan “half-breeds” (left behind to intermarry with Gentiles after the northern tribes were hauled off during the Assyrian exile) weren’t big fans of “the Jews,” and like the woman at the well, they had their own expectations about the Messiah. Herod was no better. He was an Idumean (heritage to Edom) and consequently, didn’t think that much about any Messiah, yet through politics, he was appointed king over the Judean territory, over “the Jews”.

King by political appointment! Until that fateful day when his paranoia and hatred of giving up any of his power made Messianic-King predictions worth squashing. Herod undertook to kill Jewish boy babies in the vain attempt to prevent what God was establishing.

Matthew 2:16 When Herod realized 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.

Questions for further thought:

Has society become desensitized to killing babies or has it always been lurking under the surface? Pharaoh did it in Egypt (Exodus 1). Herod did it in Bethlehem (Matthew 2). How does an increasing population look at atrocities like Hamas’ killing of Israeli babies on October 7 and feel it is somehow justified? As if decapitating babies or incinerating them alive in ovens will somehow “Free Palestine.” Make no mistake, these people’s actions document and display their evil root as enemies of God.

Why do enemies go after children? What do children represent to a family, a faith, or a nation?

What would be the advantage in Jesus being King from His birth? How is it more significant than rising to that level or being anointed by any man to be a king?

Prayer:

Lord, help us to see modern events in their historical settings. Help us to hold firmly to Your Word, focus on advancing Your plan of salvation from the Jews for the world, and avoid getting embroiled in hatred for anyone. Give us wisdom not to sacrifice Your truth for expediency of promises of peace in this world. When society screams “Did God really say…?,” or that someone new will save us with a little political savvy, or crying “Peace! Peace!,” help us to stand firm on Your Word. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). In You all things are Yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20-24).

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

“Awaken Remnant” was the devotional topic for 2022. It began November 27, 2022, and highlighted the remnant found throughout Scripture as evident in Jesus’ lineage.
The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.