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35. A Slaughter of Innocence


Matthew 2:13-18; Hosea 11:1, and Jeremiah 31:15. 
Key verses:  "And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: Out of Egypt I call My Son."  (Matthew 2:15)
“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.’"   (Matthew 2:17-18)

The slaughter of innocents and of innocence; that’s just what satan did when he spoiled the beauty of the Garden of Eden.  Now, the beautiful story of Christ's birth, the beginning of the New Creation is also marred by the slaughter of innocence, innocent children.  The gospel cannot be told without paying tribute to those who lost their lives when he was born.  Boys under the age of two, a picture of innocence, are slain at the edges of soldiers’ swords. 

This also reminds us of the boys thrown Into the River Nile long before, when the people of Israel were slaves in Egypt.  Back then satan was trying to wipe out the family through whom Messiah would be born.  Also, he knew his time was nearly up and he tried to make sure he would take the life of the coming deliverer.  Now he is doing it again, trying to make sure he would take the life of the ultimate deliverer, our Messiah.  And in an ironic turn of the tables, Egypt will now be considered the safe haven to protect Jesus from the massacre that is to come, but there is no protection for those innocent boys left behind in Bethlehem. 

Why does sin have to spoil things?  Why did the innocent have to die?  Where was God when all this happened?  Why didn't He stop this senseless slaughter?  From Job until now, that is the ageless question that baffles us all. 

Yet, as we can see, somehow, this was all a part of God's plan.  He saw this tragedy and grieved for it, just as He grieves for all of our sufferings.  If any further proof was needed that we live in a sin sick world in need of a savior, we can see it here, in the middle of the Christmas story: a wicked king ordering the wholesale slaughter of innocence.  All the brightly colored pageantry and feelings of peace and good will are ruined as the snake raises its head again to spoil it with blackness and tears. 

This begs us to ask the question, "Is God really in control?"  The amazing answer is, "yes," though we cannot see it.  Suppose an artist were painting a great masterpiece and an enemy came and scribbled all over it.  If the artist declares the work ruined, scraps it and starts over with a new canvas, then the evil scribbler has won and sees that he can keep on making the master start over and never get anything done.  But if the great artist incorporates the scribbling into the masterpiece and makes it contribute to the finished product, then the artist has won and makes the scribbler see that he cannot frustrate the master.

Though the question, "why," is never answered for those parents bereft of their children, God is still in control.  His plan is still redemption.  His goal is still to conquer death and sin, to set us free from the consequences of our depravity so that we can rise and walk with Him in eternity. 

These truths are hard for our human, finite minds to grasp.  How could a loving God allow evil?  Yet, what is more amazing is that despite our evil, God still wants us for Himself and is actively working to make everything come out right one day.  That may be the only comfort for those who endure tragedy.  It does not remove the pain.  It does not answer the question "Why."  But we can still cling to God’s promise in Isaiah 25: 8, “He will swallow up death forever.  The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.  The Lord has spoken.”

Hymn:  “Jesus Came, the Heavens Adoring”  The words to this hymn are most fitting.  So this is the best we could do on this one today.  Also, we prefer it sung to the tune of "Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah"

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