You have to thank God for our political system. A prime minister might lose his seat, but that’s the extent of his (or her) humiliation.
Sure, elections are expensive. But think of the alternatives: assassinations, violent protests, car bombs denotated and shots fired at political rallies.
Change of government is costly. We saw that with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which crippled the US economy. Regime change is costly. And there always seems to be some ‘co-lateral damage’. One of the unintended consequences of regime change in Iraq has been the emergence of ISIS death cult. Regime change is bloody, messy and costly.
But what if God wanted regime change? What if God wanted to bring his own chosen ruler to power? He could prevent the so called ‘co-lateral damage’, couldn’t he? The death of women, children, babies. He could so order things to avoid babies being killed, couldn’t he?
And we would rightly say, ‘Yes, he could’. God could surgically remove the cancerous leader, the tyrant. And God could thus leave the rest of the people unharmed.
Here we see two responses to Jesus’ birth. From the unexpected outsiders comes worship, and priceless gifts. But from the cynical and the power hungry, jealousy, murder. For just as in the days of Moses, so in the days of Jesus. The infants of Israel will be massacred. They are co-lateral damage in the war of an Old King against God’s new King.
We pick up the story some time after Jesus’ birth. It may be weeks, months, even years after Jesus’ birth.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of The Jews. We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (NIV)
We are used to singing ‘We three kings of orient are…’ But they aren’t three, as far as we know, they aren’t kings, either, and they aren’t from the Orient. I like the song, don’t ditch it, it teaches good things about the gifts. But undertand the poetic licence.
These are Magi, astrologers, magicians. They are occultists, the sort of people who open new age shops and read palms and write columns of star signs. They’ve probably come from the near east, possibly Babylon or Arabia. They have come following a star. In other words, they are not just Gentiles, they are pagans, heathen, worshippers of false gods, strangers to Yahweh, God of Israel. But they have been drawn by the kindness of God to worship the infant king of the Jews, by the unusual star that God sends. Here is the mercy and love of Yahweh, the God of Israel. He draws pagans into relationship with his Son, Jesus. Jesus came first for the Jews, yes. But he has also come for us Gentiles, so that both Jew and Gentile will worship him. Jesus is Immanuel, ‘God with us’. He took on our common human nature, so that any of us, no matter what nationality, can worship Jesus like these Magi 2000 years ago. But not everyone wants to worship the new king. Verses 3 and 4:
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. (NIV)
In Jerusalem, news of the King has caused not joy, but a disturbance. For there is already a King on the throne in Jerusalem, King Herod. And he does not share power.
Herod the Great had been made “king of the Jews” in 40 BC in Rome and had subsequently beseiged and captured Jerusalem by force in 37 BC (Josephus, Jewish Wars, 1.14.4; 1.18.3; J B Green, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 318-319). His hold on power required tyranny, intrigue, and ruthlessness: he had executed many rivals and inconveniences, including a wife and three of his sons. A witticism that endured four hundred years after his death was reputedly that of Caesar Augustus, who on hearing that Herod had ordered the execution of all boys in Syria under the age of two, including his son, quipped “It is better to be Herod’s pig than his son” (Macrobius, Saturnalia, 2.4.11; LCL 510:348-9).
So Herod is disturbed. And his people in Jerusalem are disturbed. For they know the danger of disturbing King Herod. They know that with regime change often comes collateral damage.
Herod sends for the Old Testament experts. He wants to know where the Christ was to be born. It is a strange move. If he believes the Old Testament, why isn’t he rejoicing? If he doesn’t believe the Old Testament, why bother? In doing so, Matthew identifies his interpretation of Micah 5:2 as the commonly accepted interpretation of the passage among Jewish exegetes at the time.
It seems all Herod cares about is doing away with rivals. He is a little man, jealous and insecure. He’s no Son of David, only an Edomite, installed by the Romans. The Roman Senate around 37BC gave Herod the title ‘King of the Jews’. For three years he fought to secure that title for himself. And here now are foreign astrologers, and they ask, ‘Where is the one born King of the Jews’. Where is the real King, the one who doesn’t have to run off to Rome and play power politics; not the one who buys the throne, but the one born to it. So Herod wants the Christ’s address.
So Herod plays the hypocrite in verse 8:
Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him. (NIV)
It appears as an offer of worship. But, we know it’s all a ruse. The Magi go to Bethlehem. The star has reappeared and is leading them. God uses their love of astrology to lead them to the infant king. And they are not disturbed, as Herod and Jerusalem are. No, they are overjoyed. Verse 10:
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. (NIV)
God himself uses this star to lead these men to Christ. Those who did not seek God, would be sought out by God.
What was the star that pointed you to Christ? What was God’s kind direction to you that led you to Jesus in the midst of pursuing your life your way? Perhaps it was simply the faithful witness to Christ of a parent or a friend. Perhaps it was something unusual, something strange, that appeared above your horizon. You weren’t looking, but you saw something that led you to Jesus. Perhaps it was a personal crisis, a family tragedy or gnawing dissatisfaction. Perhaps you experienced an unsettled mind and a guilty conscience before God, perhaps the dissatisfaction that comes with jaming your life full of the ersatz substitute spack-filler gods that will never satisfy.
And the Magi’s long journey at the behest of the star is rewarded. Verse 11:
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they are opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of Myrrh. (NIV)
They come to the house of Mary, Joseph and Jesus, and they see the one born to be King, probably not yet toilet trained, wearing whatever the first century equivalent of nappies was. And these men, having travelled hundreds of miles, bow down, fall head long before this toddler. They submit to him, and pay him the homage due to him. And they give him rich gifts. For Jesus is the Christ. And he made and owns all people and nations. And the wealth of the nations is his. Jesus is King over all the world. And every people and tribe and nation should bow and submit to him. For when he returns, people from every group and tribe and nation will bow and submit to him, and confess him Lord.
Do you? Do you worship Jesus Christ as Lord? Have you joyfully followed God’s leading to the Christ. For that is where God in various ways points every human, to Jesus the Christ.
Do you throw yourself before him, humble yourself in his presence, and lying prostrate on the ground, worship him? Do you submit to Jesus Christ? Do you honour him as God in the flesh, as he is and then do you bring everything that you value, your wealth, your achievements, your riches, the symbols of your honour, and do you throw them at his feet, and say ‘they are yours’, for you made them, and me, and everything else, and you own them all? Do you do this? Have you done this?
You had better, for you will one day. Either from the heights of heaven, or from the pit of hell, you will confess that Jesus is Lord. That is what the bible tells us. So why don’t you do it now, willingly? Why don’t you follow the Magi’s example? Worship him, and bring him gifts. As Psalm 2 says:
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. (Psalm 2:12 NIV)
Well, God warned the Magi. 'Don’t go back to Herod in Jerusalem'. And God warned Joseph. 'Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt'. For Herod was going to hunt this rival down to kill him.
The King will end up in exile in Egypt, the place God had told the people not to go back too. But Jesus’ flight to Egypt is not just to lie low for a while. It is in fulfillment of Hosea’s prophecy. 'Out of Egypt I called my son.' (NIV) For God first called Israel out of Egypt. But Israel failed as God’s son. Israel was a disobedient son. So here is Jesus, the Son, who will obey his Father. And God calls Jesus out of Egypt as the true Israel, what Israel should have been but wasn’t. Jesus is God’s true son.
The slaughter of the infants of Bethlehem is horrible. There is no other word to describe this brutal, jealous, selfish act of an insecure evil little cowardly man. He doesn’t have the guts to kill the babies and infants himself. It’s always easy, isn’t it, when you can just push the button or give the command so that others do the dirty work. But to someone who kills his wife and 3 of his own sons for the sake of the throne, the lives of others have little value.
The story of the massacre of the infants prompts us to ask some tough questions, and not just about man’s inhumanity to man, although we can rightly challenge notions of man’s basic goodness with this story.
But we need to ask tough questions about God and suffering. God clearly allowed this suffering, for he is all powerful. Indeed, God could have saved all the infants. He saved Jesus from the suffering, or to put it more accurately, he postponed Jesus' suffering at the hand of the Herods until he was 33, and then intensified it. But here, God warned Joseph in a dream. Why did he not save the others, as well as Jesus? Because he could have saved all of them, couldn't he? Yes.
What is more, the prophet Jeremiah, speaking by God, foreshadowed these days. So we must not say that God was not in control. God was fully and always in control, predicting this and allowing it to happen.
What we must say is that God is always just and fair. And in allowing this evil massacre, God is working his purposes out. So that as God allowed the Holocaust, allowed WWII, allowed Iraq, allowed the massacres in the Darfur region, and Somalia, and allowed countless other atrocities and sins, so God allowed the slaughter of the infants in Jerusalem at the hands of Herod.
All these murders are evil. The perpetrators of them have sinned greatly, for man is made in God’s image. In murdering precious people made in God’s image, the murderers have firstly assaulted God. Yet, God intends their evil for good, and will bring good out of it, when we look back from the point of view of eternity. Just as in the murder of Jesus Christ, humans meant it for evil, yet God meant it for good, to bring Jesus up from the grave to save us from death.
Don’t you think it strange that we Christians rejoice in an unfair judicial murder of an innocent man who went around doing good? We would be crazy, except that we know that God brought our salvation through that evil event.
Perhaps God in preserving the child Jesus, while allowing other children to be murdered, was showing that Christ is wholly different to those amongst whom he came to live. Just as Moses was no ordinary child, so we see Jesus was no ordinary child. Yet Jesus too will also be murdered. For the murder of Jesus’ was only delayed.
But the death of Herod, even if it meant more suffering for his subjects, meant that Joseph, Mary and the child Jesus can return from exile. But they do not return to Bethlehem, for Herod has a son on the throne in Jerusalem. And that is only a few hours walk away. So Joseph takes his family and goes into the north country, to Galilee, to an out of the way town called Nazareth. And so Jesus is a king on the run: from Galilee to Bethlehem, from Bethlehem to Egypt, from Egypt to Nazareth.
But as Jesus does the Middle East tour, he is fulfilling prophecy. The Christ will be born in Bethlehem, says Micah. God calls his Son out of Egypt, says Hosea. He is called a Nazarene, perhaps a play on the word for branch. And God is through all this sovereignly protecting his Christ. While kings plot against him, he is safe. While infants die around him, Jesus lives.
Responding to the New King: Are you like the Magi, or Herod?
So the issue I want to leave you with today is this. How have you responded to the new King? For there are two responses to Jesus on view here.
There is that of the Magi. They are undeserving occultists, who reads their stars every day, but when confronted with God’s Christ, they do a face plant, and worship Jesus as the Christ, and freely shower him with their best. That is the wise response to God’s new King.
Then there is Herod, who views himself as King, and who has sold himself to become King of all he surveys. And Herod resents Jesus Christ as the one who he can only view as a supplanter. So Herod denies God’s King the worship he deserves. So much wanting to be King, Herod lays siege to Jesus Christ.
Which response characterises you response to the new King? The Magi’s wise worship? Or the desperate acts of a man who will not give that honour to another? For our decision now will govern our attitude into eternity.
Let's pray.
Matthew presents us not with his own interpretation of Micah 5, but the commonly accepted contemporary Jewish understanding. Though in the first instance Micah addresses the divided kingdom facing the Assyrian invasion over seven hundred years before, he prophetically looked beyond the destruction of the northern kingdom, the exile of the south to Babylon (the land of Nimrod: 5:6), the scattering of Israel’s remnant among the nations (5:7-8; cf. Psalm 107), their return to the land (5:3), and the birth of the Messiah (5:2-3). God’s deliverance comes with the woman in labour giving birth to the ancient ruler long promised from Bethlehem (5:2-3). He will shepherd his people, even to the ends of the earth, and be their peace (5:4-5). Matthew has just narrated this having come to pass in chapter 1.
Micah 5:2a And you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, [though] insignificant among the thousands of Judah,
Micah 5:2a We-X-SNC וְאַתָּ֞ה בֵּֽית־לֶ֣חֶם אֶפְרָ֗תָה צָעִיר֙ לִֽהְיֹות֙ בְּאַלְפֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה
Micah 5:2a LXX Καὶ σύ, Βηθλεεμ οἶκος τοῦ Εφραθα, ὀλιγοστὸς εἶ τοῦ εἶναι ἐν χιλιάσιν Ιουδα·
Micah 5:2b From you will go out for me [one who] is a ruler in Israel
Micah 5:2b X-Yiqtol מִמְּךָ֙ לִ֣י יֵצֵ֔א לִֽהְיֹ֥ות מֹושֵׁ֖ל בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
Micah 5:2b LXX ἐκ σοῦ μοι ἐξελεύσεται τοῦ εἶναι εἰς ἄρχοντα ἐν τῷ Ισραηλ,
Micah 5:2c and whose going forth [is] from old, from ancient/eternal days.
Micah 5:2c participial clause וּמֹוצָאֹתָ֥יו מִקֶּ֖דֶם מִימֵ֥י עֹולָֽם׃
Micah 5:2c LXX καὶ αἱ ἔξοδοι αὐτοῦ ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ἐξ ἡμερῶν αἰῶνος.
Micah 5:3a Therefore, he will give them over until the time when the woman in labour has given birth,
Micah 5:3a conj-Yiqtol+X-Qatal לָכֵ֣ן יִתְּנֵ֔ם עַד־עֵ֥ת יֹולֵדָ֖ה יָלָ֑דָה
Micah 5:3a LXX 2διὰ τοῦτο δώσει αὐτοὺς ἕως καιροῦ τικτούσης τέξεται,
Micah 5:3b and the remnant of his brothers will return to the sons of Israel.
Micah 5:3b We-X-Yiqtol וְיֶ֣תֶר אֶחָ֔יו יְשׁוּב֖וּן עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Micah 5:3b LXX 3καὶ στήσεται καὶ ὄψεται καὶ ποιμανεῖ τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἰσχύι κυρίου,
Micah 5:4a And he will stand and he will pasture his flock in the strength of Yahweh,
Micah 5:4a We-Qatal [x2] וְעָמַ֗ד וְרָעָה֙ בְּעֹ֣ז יְהוָ֔ה
Micah 5:4a LXX 3καὶ στήσεται καὶ ὄψεται καὶ ποιμανεῖ τὸ ποίμνιον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἰσχύι κυρίου,
Micah 5:4b in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God.
Micah 5:4b [Qatal-gapping] בִּגְאֹ֕ון שֵׁ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו
Micah 5:4b LXX καὶ τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ ὀνόματος κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ αὐτῶν
Micah 5:4c and they will live securely, because then his greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.
Micah 5:4c We-Qatal וְיָשָׁ֕בוּ כִּֽי־עַתָּ֥ה יִגְדַּ֖ל עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
Micah 5:4c LXX ὑπάρξουσιν·διότι νῦν μεγαλυνθήσεται ἕως ἄκρων τῆς γῆς.
Micah 5:5a And this one will be peace
Micah 5:5a Weqatal וְהָיָ֥ה זֶ֖ה שָׁלֹ֑ום
Micah 5:5a LXX 4καὶ ἔσται αὕτη εἰρήνη·
Micah 5:5b when Assyria comes into our land,
Micah 5:5b Renom-ki-Yiqtol אַשּׁ֣וּר ׀ כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣וא בְאַרְצֵ֗נוּ
Micah 5:5c We-ki-Yiqtol וְכִ֤י יִדְרֹךְ֙ בְּאַרְמְנֹתֵ֔ינוּ
Micah 5:5c and when he marches into our palaces.
Micah 5:5d We-Qatal וַהֲקֵמֹ֤נוּ עָלָיו֙ שִׁבְעָ֣ה רֹעִ֔ים וּשְׁמֹנָ֖ה נְסִיכֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃
Micah 5:5d and we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princely men
Micah 5:6a And they will pasture [feed, shepherd or break, afflict] the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with/at its openings [i.e., the sword's unsheathing or the country's gates: The EVV are divided between the two understandings].
Micah 5:6a We-Qatal וְרָע֞וּ אֶת־אֶ֤רֶץ אַשּׁוּר֙ בַּחֶ֔רֶב וְאֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ נִמְרֹ֖ד בִּפְתָחֶ֑יהָ
Micah 5:6b And he will deliver from Assyria, when he comes into our land, and marches into our territory.
Micah 5:6b We-Qatal וְהִצִּיל֙ מֵֽאַשּׁ֔וּר כִּֽי־יָבֹ֣וא בְאַרְצֵ֔נוּ וְכִ֥י יִדְרֹ֖ךְ בִּגְבוּלֵֽנוּ׃ ס
Micah 5:7a We-Qatal וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֗ב בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים
Micah 5:7b like the mist from Yahweh, like abundant showers upon the herbage,
Micah 5:7b Ki-SNC כְּטַל֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה כִּרְבִיבִ֖ים עֲלֵי־עֵ֑שֶׂב
Micah 5:7c which will not wait for man, which does not delay for the sons of Adam.
Micah 5:7c Rel-lo-Yiqtol אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יְקַוֶּה֙ לְאִ֔ישׁ וְלֹ֥א יְיַחֵ֖ל לִבְנֵ֥י אָדָֽם׃
Micah 5:8a And the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many people,
Micah 5:8a We-Qatal וְהָיָה֩ שְׁאֵרִ֨ית יַעֲקֹ֜ב בַּגֹּויִ֗ם בְּקֶ֙רֶב֙ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים
Micah 5:8b like a lion among [the] beasts of [the] forest, like a young lion among the flock of sheep,
Micah 5:8b Ki-SNC כְּאַרְיֵה֙ בְּבַהֲמֹ֣ות יַ֔עַר כִּכְפִ֖יר בְּעֶדְרֵי־צֹ֑אן
Micah 5:8c which if he passes through, also tramples and devours
Micah 5:8c Rel-Qatal` אֲשֶׁ֧ר אִם עָבַ֛ר וְרָמַ֥ס וְטָרַ֖ף
Micah 5:8d and there is no deliverer.
Micah 5:8d We-SNC וְאֵ֥ין מַצִּֽיל׃
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