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The Cast of Christmas: Herod

The Cast of Christmas

Dec 23, 2012


by: Jack Lash Series: The Cast of Christmas | Category: The Cast of Christmas | Scripture: Matthew 2:1–2:18

I. Introduction
A. John, Joseph, Simeon, today Herod, and, on Christmas Eve, Jesus.
B. Herod, of course, is the villain in the Christmas story. He’s the one who tried to kill the baby Jesus and in doing so spilled the blood of a number of little children in Bethlehem.
C. It’s hard not to think of Herod in the light of the recent shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in CT, and to ask the same question: What would drive a man to murder innocent little children?
II. Herod’s knowledge of Jesus
A. A number of people knew that baby Jesus was a child sent from God.
1. Mary knew from Gabriel's visitation. Joseph knew from an angel in a dream.
2. Elizabeth found out from John's prenatal leap.
3. John found out from the Holy Spirit, as did Simeon and Anna.
4. The shepherds heard about it from the angels on the hills outside Bethlehem.
B. But what about King Herod? Did Herod know that Jesus was from God?
1. I think the Scriptures clearly indicate that he did.
2. When Herod found out from the magi that a baby had been born who was to be the king of the Jews, he was very disturbed. He immediately began making plans to get rid of this newborn Babe.
3. But Herod first had to find out where the Child was.
4. Where did Herod go to find out where this one "born king of the Jews" was?
a. He went to the "chief priests and scribes of the people."
b. In other words, he went to the experts in the Scriptures to find out what the Scriptures taught about where the Messiah was to be born. (Their answer? Bethlehem, as it says in Micah 5:2.)
5. What does this tell us about Herod?
a. It tells us clearly that Herod knew that this was the child that the OT prophets had spoken about. He knew that this child was really from God.
6. And then when Herod was trying to ascertain the exact time that Jesus was born, where did he go to get that info?
a. Matt.2:7 says he "secretly called the magi, and ascertained from them the time the star appeared."
7. Does this not clearly confirm it? Herod believed that this new star had been placed in the sky in order to signal the birth of this holy Child. He knew this Child was from God.
C. And yet did all this knowledge change Herod's determination to kill Jesus? Not at all. Did this make Herod want to join the magi in welcoming this child from God? No way.
1. Herod did not dispute the divine origin of Jesus, he only tried to thwart the divine plan.
2. Did it matter to Herod that he was trying to fight against God Himself? Apparently not.
D. Herod is one fulfillment of what Simeon prophesied about Jesus: “Behold, this child is appointed for ...a sign to be opposed.” (Luke 2:34)
1. Luke 1:51-53 (mild Mary is talking about the consequences of Christ’s coming) “He has scattered {those who were} proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from {their} thrones... He has ... sent away the rich empty-handed.”
E. Hatred and pride are the most powerful forces in human nature. They drives people to do things which are far beyond what is reasonable.
1. When a man tries to fight against God, you know he has abandoned rationality.
2. And yet, it happens all the time, doesn't it?
F. Here’s the point: there are those who know the truth, who deep down inside know who Jesus is and know the Bible is true, who are moved by that knowledge not to worship him but to assault him.
1. I would propose that many of the most outspoken opponents of Christianity today are the ones who deep down know most certainly that Jesus is who He says He is, and that the Bible speaks the truth (though you may have trouble getting them to admit that).
2. Why then do they attack these truths so vehemently? Because they hate these truths.
3. Just like Herod, these truths threaten to dethrone them, and they will have nothing of it.
III. God’s purpose for Herod
A. But one more interesting lesson remains from Herod's part in the story.
B. Why did God lead the magi to Jerusalem and to Herod? Think about it:
1. Apparently they needed none of the information that they received from visiting Herod, for as soon as they departed, they saw the star and it led them right to the house where Jesus was.
2. The fact that "when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" (Matthew 2:10) makes it seem like the star had probably disappeared before they got to Jerusalem.
a. If the star had led them right up to the point where they got to Herod's palace, then why would they have been so overjoyed when they saw it again upon exiting?
b. However, if the star had led them to this area of Judea and then had disappeared, it would make sense that they would stop in the Jewish capital and inquire as to the whereabouts of the newborn king of the Jews.
3. But however it happened, it seems clear that God led the magi to Jerusalem and thus to Herod.
4. The question is why? Why did God lead these men all the way from the east by the star and then send them on a detour to Jerusalem so that they might inform Herod of this significant birth?
a. Their visit produced no good result.
b. In fact, it ended up disastrously. Because of it Herod began making plans to destroy this newborn King, endangering the life of Jesus and his parents and murdering innocent children in Bethlehem.
5. Why then did God lead the magi to Herod?
C. I think that the Scriptures tell us that it was Satan who through Herod and others wanted to destroy Jesus (see Rev.12:4b "And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her Child.").
D. But why would God allow this secret information to be leaked to Satan and his servants?
E. I think the answer as to why God raises up all of His enemies to oppose His people is given to us in the words of God to Pharaoh through Moses in Exodus 9:16, quoted by Paul in Romans 9:17 "For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth."
1. God raised up Pharaoh to oppose His people, even assisting him in his defiance by hardening his heart, in order that He might show the whole world (and especially His people) that no one can stand against the hand of the Almighty.
2. The same thing is true re: the cross: God raised up Christ’s enemies. Acts 4:27–28 — “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”
3. Of course, in this instance it was not His will to rescue Jesus — though Jesus Himself said He ask His Father to call 12 legions of angels to rescue Him (Matt.26:53) — but to allow Him to die — for the salvation of the world.
F. This theme of the peoples — and especially their rulers — plotting against God and His Messiah in vain is captured well in Psalm 2.
1. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’”
2. Is God afraid? I mean they’re conspiring to dethrone Him! If all the most powerful men on earth were engaging in a full assault on your home, wouldn’t you be afraid? What about God? “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.” (V.4)
a. God isn’t hunkered down in the basement shuddering with fear, He’s sitting on the couch in living room with His feet up on the coffee table.
b. This reminds me of when Jesus almost laughed in the face of Pontius Pilate who was trying to intimidate Him: John 19:10–11(ESV) Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.”
3. Back to Ps.2: After a good laugh, God stands up & roars: “Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6 ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’”
4. Then after He introduces His Son the King, His Son steps up to speak: 8-9 “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, & I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”
5. The psalm then warns the rulers of the earth: “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.”
a. God is not concerned about His own safety. He’s concerned about the safety of the attackers.
6. “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”
a. It’s not yourselves you should be worried about. It’s those who set themselves against the Lord. They’re the ones who are in deep trouble.
b. Folks, this psalm isn’t really primarily written for the sake of the rulers of the earth. Most of them are never going to listen to it. You know who it’s written for? Those who are afraid of and intimidated by the peoples and rulers of the earth who set themselves against the Lord, to tell them that they are not cursed, but — if they take refuge in the Lord — they are greatly blessed.
c. God’s people don’t need to be concerned about the oppressors of the world, the tyrants of the earth.
d. And if we don’t have to be concerned about them, we don’t have to fret about anything!
e. If, as it says in Proverbs 21:1, “The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord, He turns it wherever He will.” then there’s nothing we have to fear. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
G. Beloved, why does God allow problems and obstacles to come up in our lives?
1. For the same reason. It gives Him a chance to show His mercy and might in coming to the aid of His beloved and in thwarting the malicious deeds of the destroyer.
2. So, do not panic but trust. God has everything well in hand. The same One who watched over His Son in the days of Herod now watches over those who belong to His Son in the days of new Herods.
3. Things which seem to work against you are actually, somehow, mysteriously working for you.
4. He gave us the most valuable gift, the gift of His Son — and so proved that He would stop at nothing to bless us and provide for us.