Matthew 2-3

(April 15, 2015)

                There are thoughts that, when they strike you, change your entire view of the world.  This chapter had one of them.  Herod, when told of the Christ, consults with those with knowledge of the Messiah to find out where He was to be born.  He then, later, seeks to kill all of those children.  We know this, but it is the inevitable truth that it tells about Herod that is shocking.

                Herod knew that He was the Christ, and yet Herod sought to kill Him anyway.

                If Herod had not believed that this was the Christ, why would he have consulted to find out where the Christ would be born?  That only makes sense if Herod genuinely believed that the Christ was being born, and if his actions were deliberately designed to slaughter the infant that he knew to be the Messiah.

                Sometimes I think we like to pacify ourselves with the belief that there is no evil in the world and if everyone knew what we knew they would believe what we believe and do what we do.  But that is not the truth – some people, knowing the truth, still choose the direct opposite.