A Clash of Kings

by    14th December 2003    0 responses
Part of the series

This article is based on Matthew 2:1-18, and it is suggested you read the passage before commencing.

King Herod may not be the first person you think of when you consider the Christmas story, however he played a very important part, in one of the most important parts of human history.

It had been approximately three hundred years since the last prophet had prophesied in Jerusalem, and it seemed to many that God had gone quiet. The Law and the Prophets spoke clearly of the coming Messiah, they knew He would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) but they knew not when He would come. Perhaps God had been quiet, but inactive? Never! His plan was in motion and His date was chosen, and the reign of Herod would see the birth of our Lord.

King Herod probably couldn’t believe it, for three hundred years there had been no sign of this “Messiah,” but now in his reign, He shows up to ruin everything. So what does Herod do? Does he welcome the new King with open arms? Reading verse 8, you’d think that maybe he would. But God knew his heart, He knew his true intention and warned the Magi accordingly (verse 12).

We get a glimpse of Herod’s true character when he realises that the Magi have outwitted him, and not returned to tell him the whereabouts of the Child. In verse 16 we see his malicious act of murder, as he orders his soldiers to kill all the boys of Bethlehem who were two years old and under.

But what exactly was he thinking? Did Herod believe that he could so easily thwart God’s plans, plans that had been laid since the beginning? Apparently he did. Put yourself in Herod’s shoes for a moment, think about God and everything He had done for Israel, would you really believe that you could stop the King of kings and the God of Creation from achieving the great plan of salvation? Interestingly, and strangely, enough, Herod did.

What did Herod fear in Jesus that would make him want to kill Him? And remember that we’re not talking about the adult, authoritative figure of Jesus, we’re talking about the innocent (not that the adult Jesus wasn’t innocent), helpless baby Jesus. What could a powerful king like Herod have to fear in a tiny baby born in a manger? Herod knew, as we now know, that Jesus was no ordinary baby, and He wouldn’t grow up to be an ordinary man. Jesus was, and is, the true King.

Perhaps Herod was afraid of having to give up his throne to this baby (“a ruler” in verse 6), or perhaps, as I believe, it went much deeper than that. If the Law and the Prophets were true, and if what the teachers of the law were saying was true, then Jesus, the Christ, would not only change Israel forever, but the world too.

If Herod’s act in verse 16 was an accurate approximation of his character, then he had much to worry about. Jesus, Emmanuel (God with us) would probably not be too happy with his behaviour, or rather, the heart behind an act like this. Maybe Herod had thought he could stop, or more accurately, delay the judgement of God which somewhere inside of him, he feared.

It is not easy to face God, because to face God, you have to face yourself. Facing yourself is hard because we often find things in ourselves which we don’t like. Attitudes, thoughts, behaviours and sins which we know should not be there, are there, and are occurring more frequently than we would like.

But isn’t that the point? Isn’t that why Jesus came into the world? He didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save it. He came to save you from those attitudes, behaviours, thoughts and sins that you don’t like in yourself. Jesus’ death on the cross means that you and I can be forgiven and can be made new. He came that we might face God, and ourselves, with confidence, knowing that in Christ we are forgiven and restored, and are being sanctified.

Don’t let your reaction to Jesus’ coming be the same as King Herod’s, don’t be afraid of Jesus because of what He represents, love Him for what He’s done for you. Don’t try to stop God’s plans, rejoice that His plans are created for your good and that if you comply with them, you and many others will be blessed.

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Andy has been a Christian since his teens when he began to develop his relationship with God. He is an Elder in his local church and leads a home group. Andy has a passion for teaching and writing. He lives near Southend, Essex, with his wife. Andy is responsible for writing much of the content on Crossring.

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