This week I'm thinking about some aspects of Jesus' life...
Matthew wrote: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
For King Herod, a disaster had come, and he was going to stop it. He asked the Maji (wise men) to lead him to Jesus, but God told them not to and to leave secretly.
Then Mathew wrote: When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Disaster (dis = bad; aster = star). In the ancient world, unexpected changes in stars meant great change was coming. Those in charge often got replaced and maybe worse. Herod was bent on stopping that change by killing Jesus. When he couldn't get directly to Jesus, he decided to kill any kid that might be Jesus.
This mass death of children was predicted by Jeremiah 600 years earlier.
So was this God’s plan? If He wasn't willing to tolerate it, he had a long time to head it off.
Did He want the murder to happen? I don’t believe so. He says not to kill each other.
So God has no power to stop this madness? There are cases in the Bible where He did stop mass killing. There are also other cases where He commanded it to happen. There are cases where he had people do the killing, then killed them for doing it.
So what do I do with all of this? I’m really trying to understand God, but sometimes I come up empty.
He loves us
He uses the good that happens
He uses the evil that happens
He sees it all coming
He will do anything to connect with us
He is often beyond understanding
He is God, I am not
God, I don't understand why so much death and chaos is wrapped into your plan for us, including you being on the cross. Help me to always do good and comfort those who need it in the midst of all this.
Bless my family and forgive their sins. I hope they connect with you.
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