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Day 2 Matthew 2 Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. When you hear of babies being born in your family and among your friends, you go visit the mother and baby, bringing gifts with you for the baby. Wise men came from the east, believed to be Persia. They are also expected to be Jews who did not return to their homeland when Israel returned from captivity, so they had a long way to travel, bringing with them their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. From what Herod gleaned from the wise men, the star appeared in the sky two years before they arrived in Jerusalem. They recognized the star from the prophecies in scripture. Numbers 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (KJV) Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (KJV) When the wise men determined where the Christ child was to be born, they went from Jerusalem, with promises to bring Herod word about his whereabouts. They continued to follow the star until they came to his house. You will note Jesus was a young child, not a baby. The wise men didn’t find him in a stable, but in a house in Bethlehem. It has been determined Jesus was at least two years old at the time the wise men found him and worshiped him and gave him their gifts. Then God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod but go back to their country by another way. He also warned Joseph in a dream to flee from Bethlehem and take the Child and his mother into Egypt. Fulfilling another prophecy. Herod, being angry that the wise men didn’t return as he requested with the location of his whereabouts. Had all the children two years old and younger killed in Bethlehem, according to the time the star was seen. Fulfilling another prophecy. Jeremiah 31:15 Thus says the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. (KJV) Herod died the same year Jesus was born, about 4 BCE, making the time Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were in Egypt not very long, before God told them they could return to their homeland, and they returned to Nazareth in Galilee, where Jesus grew up and was known as a Nazarene. Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (KJV) Science, archaeology, and historians, have proven these facts of history. Great studies have been made by many people to prove and disprove the birth of Jesus, the wise men’s existence, and the death of the babies in Bethlehem. Archaeologists have uncovered the burial place of the children. Carbon dating put those children at that precise time in history. Evidence of Herod’s rule in Israel is also part of history. Another interesting note I uncovered in researching Herod the Great, is that he was an Edomite, of the lineage of Esau. We know from the biblical record, Esau hated his brother and vowed to kill him. Herod intended to kill Jesus, who is from the lineage of Jacob. So, there was more reason for him to kill the child, than outward appearances would show. Satan wanted to destroy any possible link to the Messiah, and Messiah himself. He had tried to do so throughout the history of the Jews, hoping to make the prophecy God gave in the Garden of Eden null and void. Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (KJV) This prophecy was fulfilled with Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus’ birth was carefully recorded, not only by Matthew and Luke, but other historical documents also record the events found in the Bible. John said these are written that you might believe. John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (KJV) God as a loving Father, kept his Son safe from Herod’s tyranny, so we could know him, and accept him as Savior and Lord. Let’s pray: Father, you are a loving Father, not only protecting your Son, Jesus, when Herod wanted to kill him, but protecting your children from Satan’s tyranny. Help me see your hand of protection every day of my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Facts regarding Herod the Great verified by Wikipedia Copyright © 20 April 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay