THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENT
MATTHEW 2.13-18
I hope you had a nice Christmas together. What were the familiar sounds of Christmas? Presents being opened, children’s excited voices, food being eaten, bells, carols and probably snoring. There are smells and there are sounds which remind us each year of Christmas. There are images, pictures that are also familiar to us and which immediately conjure up the image of Christmas. But let me share with you this morning one part of the Christmas story which tends to be ignored. You never see it on a Christmas card. It is never included in any nativity play, certainly none that I have ever seen. And yet it is one of thee most significant parts of the Christmas story because it helps us to understand the importance of this baby, this Jesus who has come into the world. It is the story which has come to be called ‘The Slaughter of the Innocent’ and we find it in Matthew 2.13-18, turn with me to there now.
Let me set the background to this passage. Jesus has been born in Bethlehem, and wise men (or magi) have come in search of him, guided by a star. They, naturally, looking for a king go to the palace. When Herod, the king, hears of the birth of a king, he sends these wise men away and asks them to return with the location of this king, so that he too ‘may go and worship him.’ Now we know that is not Herod’s intention – but we only know that because of what he does when the magi do not return to tell him of the location of the birth of Jesus. We read in verse 2 of this chapter that Herod was deeply troubled and disturbed by news of the birth of a king.
And so we come to the passage we read this morning – verses 13-18. By the time the magi found Christ – he may well have been 12-18months old. We know that because the magi saw the star when he was born and it would have taken some time to travel from the East to Herod’s palace and then to Bethlehem. Also because Herod orders the death of every boy 2 and under after he has inquired at what time the star first appeared.
We read prior to verse 13 that the magi had been warned to go home via a different route and they obey. Herod’s anger is kindled by this subterfuge. Joseph too is warned in dream – to get up and take Mary and the infant Christ into Egypt and not to return until Herod is dead. I want you to stop there for a moment and I want you to think what Matthew is telling us here. You see it is easy to read this and say that Jesus was taken off to Egypt for his safety but there is much more here. Matthew’s gospel is the most Jewish of the four gospels. He is the only one who includes the story of this slaughter, Luke leaves it out. Matthew pulls in OT quotations from Hosea and Jeremiah in order to support the significance of this flight to Egypt. Let me explain. Egypt and the Exodus are thee most significant moments in the history of Israel. They speak of God’s salvation of his people from bondage and slavery. They speak of freedom from slavery, deliverance, and also of God’s provision for his chosen people. Matthew at the beginning of the life of Christ wants us to understand that this little baby is the Saviour – he is the one who will free God’s people from sin and slavery (Egypt) and lead them (Exodus) to the promised land (heaven). When he quotes Jeremiah about Rachel crying in Ramah – he is reminding his Jewish readers that Rachel who they see as the mother of Israel (as the wife of Jacob who became Israel) was buried at Ramah – and Ramah was the site of the Babylonian exile. So the lament of Rachel was for the children of Israel (her children by lineage) being carried off into slavery and bondage once again. They were taken into exile because of their sin and idolatry. So Matthew with a few literary allusions wants to establish in the hearts and minds of the readers that this baby Jesus will be a new Moses who will come and lead the people of God out of slavery and bondage and into the freedom of the promised land.
Yet this is not and will not be without opposition. So Matthew tells of the horrendous slaughter of the young boys of Bethlehem by the soldiers of Herod. In a small village the number would probably not have been big but that in no way detracts from the horror of what occurred. This morning what are the lessons that we can learn from this incident in the early life of Christ. Here I believe are a few simple lessons:
THE GOOD NEWS ALWAYS HAS OPPOSITION.
You see Herod’s identity, his security and his power were all threatened by the birth of this new king. Herod was so uneasy, insecure and unsure of kingship that killing all the boys 2 and under was the only means he had of securing his position. It mattered not to him that this indiscriminate act would kill many who were not this king. All that mattered was that he remained in power, his position remained secure and his identity remained King of Israel (despite the fact it was as a puppet of the Romans). You may say but what has that got to do with me this morning? I don’t have murder in my heart or on my mind when I think of the baby Jesus.
Well stop and think about this for a moment. Where is your identity this morning? Where is your security this morning? Where is your power this morning? You see there are many of you and your identity is in a job, in an educations, in your roles as a husband, father, etc. Those things are not wrong and they are not bad – but your identity should first and foremost be in Christ. Christ comes this morning and he challenges your identity. He comes and he strips it all away and he leaves you naked before him and I want to humbly ask you – what is left? What is left when your job is gone? What is left when your status is gone? What is left when your roles end?
Jesus comes and he challenges your security this morning. Herod put his security in his throne, and in his army. Yet it was so secure the birth of a little baby in a stable sent shock waves through the very foundations and it toppled. Friends, Christ comes to each of us and he shatters our securities. Christ comes and one by one he removes the security blankets that we all put round ourselves. I have seen Christ take away jobs, status, wealth, health, relationships and even called loved ones home in order to shake the security of some hearts and lives. He never does it out of cruelty but out of deep unconditional love. Herod’s security was in his throne but Christ destroyed that security just by being born. Isn’t it amazing the power of this little baby – to be able by his very birth to shake the thrones of men. How much greater the power of his death and resurrection to shake the foundations of men?
Herod’s power was in his own strength and the ruthlessness of his rule. He sent out the army to kill little baby boys and they did his bidding. Yet his power, strong and all as it was in the eyes of men, never touched a hair on the head of God’s Son, Christ Jesus. Friends listen to me now because this is important. People in this world will have power and they may wield it ruthlessly but they will not be able to harm a hair on the head of God’s people unless God allows it. When satan came against Job he could do nothing without the permission of God. You this morning may think you have power. This morning you may have power because of your position in a job or standing in a community. You may exercise power in your home and in a social setting. But let me say to you this morning you are powerless before God this morning. You are powerless to do anything against his will or his providence in this world.
This slaughter of the innocent also shows us how uncertain life is in this world but that when we are at the centre of God’s will he will lead us through that uncertainty. For Mary and Joseph life was very uncertain. Here they were called by God to leave Bethlehem and to flee into Egypt. Where would they live? How would they survive? Well God had provided for that – the gold as a gift would certainly provide for a home and provisions until Joseph could establish a life as a carpenter again. You see when life seems uncertain God, our God, has already provided what we need in advance. Ever found that? Ever been in a situation, maybe years down the line, and suddenly something you had learnt, a skill you had been taught, or something you had been given is the right tool for that moment in time. Years down the line, when you had long forgotten that word, that piece of advice, that piece of knowledge or experience and suddenly there it is right before the very reason and opportunity to use it. A gift of Gold provided for that family as they fled to Egypt. Jesus would one day say – if Christ clothes the lily of the valley then why would you worry about what to eat, drink, or wear?
Our lives are uncertain also and there are times when we quite literally have to flee and don’t know what the future holds for us. But his we do know – God will not abandon us. God will not leave us nor forsake us. God will lead us, guide us and provide for us through that period of uncertainty. But I want you to note this – Joseph obeyed God and he fled with his family to Egypt. That seems a very obvious thing to say but it is actually of vital importance. Joseph obeyed God. He got up and took his family to the place of safety. This morning maybe someone in here needs to hear that timely word from God – obey and get up and go to the place of safety. Maybe, just maybe there is someone in here this morning and whatever situation you are in, whatever relationship you are involved in or about to become involved in, whatever you are about to embark on – is spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally dangerous – flee. You see Joseph could have said ‘well this is the son of God and God will keep him safe here in Bethlehem.’ My first minister at home use to say this ‘Jesus could walk on water but he used a boat more times to get across the lake.’ Sanctified common sense is what he called it. Joseph was told to flee and flee he did. When God says go – then go. When God says it is wrong then it is wrong. Obedience was the key to the safety of that family. Obedience is the key to the salvation of you and yours.
The slaughter of innocent also speaks of death in this world but Christ came to overcome death. Death reigned that night in Bethlehem and yet one child was saved because he was and is the saviour of the world. Satan used Herod to try and kill the Son of God that night and he failed. Listen to me here – satan is all about death. He comes to steal, to destroy and to kill. He comes to kill life before it has even begun. He uses people to do it. He sometimes uses people in power to do it. They might not even know they are being used of satan but they are. Satan comes to kill life before it has begun. He comes to kill the truth of the gospel before it can bring life. One day Jesus would die – and again satan would use men to do that deed. Once again he thought he had one but in reality, in actual fact it was the moment of his defeat and downfall. Two days after the crucifixion Christ overcame death – that one day we too might overcome death through his resurrection. The slaughter of those children at Christmas vividly tells me that death is real, that the evil one is real, that his opposition to Christ is real. It tells me that God does not take away death but overcame it for me by giving in my place his Son.
We celebrate a birth at Christmas and yet the truth is ‘a baby born to die.’ Jesus was born to die so that death would be defeated. The slaughter of those children reminds us of the cruelty of sin, of the devastation that satan wishes to unleash on this world and yet it calls us to ask why was this little one spared? Matthew wants his readers to understand right at the very beginning of the gospel that this little baby, this Jesus, is here for a purpose – one which the powers of darkness of this world will do all in their power to snuff out. You see those who live in darkness and controlled by darkness hate the light. Those who benefit from the darkness, and the power it gives them always oppose anywhere or anyone who brings the light of hope into those dark places. That is why as Christians we face opposition in this world from those in the world. That is why right now even here in church there are some people who resent what is said from the pulpit, resent the gospel being plainly preached and resent the challenge it brings to them and their loved ones. That I why you find opposition to your faith within your homes, within your work place and within your social circles. You as a Christian bring into those dark places the light of hope of Christ and satan ants to snuff it out before someone can see it and turn to it and be savd. Let me give you a simple example – a friend of mine was ordered to remove a bible from his desk because his superior found it offensive. He stood his ground and is allowed it on his desk so long as it remains closed if anyone comes into the office. The interesting thing is that his superior is a married man who is having an affair with another work colleague. I believe that the light of the gospel exposes his sin to him and so satan tried to snuff it out. That might seem a bit far fetched to you – but you know what – it is in fact the truth and we all need to open up our eyes to that reality this morning.
Finally turn to verse 19 following. We read here that later when Herod had died God through and angel told Joseph it was safe to return and being warned in a dream he settled in Nazareth. Once again Joseph was obedient. Once again we see the care, the provision and the protection of God for this family. Once again we see that the key response on the part of Joseph was obedience. So this morning – this too is part of the Christmas story. It may be one which we have never taken seriously or we have passed over because the very nature of it does not seem to fit with the traditional family around the manger. Yet it is a vital and central part of the Christmas story. It tells of the importance of him who was born in that stable on that first Christmas day. It tells of the onslaught of satan to kill the Christ child before he could fulfil the purpose for which he came. It warns us of the opposition that we can expect to the light of hope which was born in Christ. It reminds us that the shadow of death is upon Christ from the moment of his birth and it proclaims that his death will be a new Exodus, a new deliverance and a bringing to the eternal promised land – for all who put their trust in him and obey.
AMEN.
