Page 23 - October 2026 - Truth & Tidings

What apathy! What laxity! And yet, the wise men arrived, as history tells us he
same indifference afflicts so many today. died in 4 B.C. Night after night passed
There are those who might excel at Bible with him wondering in paranoia who
trivia but have no desire to be with Christ. would come to steal his crown. And
People may fill church buildings but have now he heard about one born “king of
no interest in bowing to Christ and His the Jews.” We might think that being on
claims. They already have a king – King the brink of eternity would shake him to
Self – and they are not about to do what his senses to seek the Lord. But rather
anyone else tells them. But apathy in rela- than being humble, Herod was hostile.
tion to Christ is not the only response in Instead of seeking this King, he sought to
our world or in our story. slaughter Him.
Again, many in our world have shown
The Hostility of Herod hostility to Jesus Christ. For them, it is not
“Then Herod, when he had privily enough to simply ignore His claims. They
called the wise men, enquired of them feel they must be antagonistic, belligerent,
diligently what time the star appeared. and even violent towards those aligned
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, with Christ. Even in the throes of death,
Go and search diligently for the young there are those who still raise their fists
child; and when ye have found him, bring in opposition to One who is full of mercy
me word again, that I may come and wor- and willing to save them if they are willing
ship him also” (vv7-8). The later narrative to be saved. God “does not want anyone
reveals Herod’s deceit as he was actually to perish, but wants everyone to repent”
planning to destroy the Christ. Eliminat- (2Pe 3:9 ISV). And so, our story includes
ing threats to his rule was nothing new for those indifferent and hostile to the Savior.
Herod the Great. As stated earlier, he was But we need to focus on the last group,
a half-Jew and was even named “King of one with which I hope we can all identify.
the Jews” by the Roman Senate. He as-
cended the throne in 37 B.C. and began by The Worship of the Wise Men
“annihilating the Sanhedrin, the supreme “When they had heard the king, they
court of the Jews … he slaughtered three departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw
hundred court officers … he murdered in the east, went before them, till it came
his wife Mariamne, and her mother Alex- and stood over where the young child
andra, his eldest son Antipater, and two was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced
other sons, Alexander and Aristobulus.” with exceeding great joy” (Mat 2:9-10).
6
So destroying a child was certainly not The birth of the new King struck fear and
beneath him. And all his attempts to win anxiety into the hearts of Israel’s leaders
back approval from the Jews after killing but flooded the hearts of these Gentiles
so many of them had failed. Herod the from the east with “exceeding great joy.”
Great would never be a beloved leader. Those nearby rejected their true King
Thus, he lived (and died) unfulfilled. while those from far away embraced Him.
Herod was in his final days when the Notice two things about these wise men.
First, notice their guides. They had been led
6 William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew: Volume
One (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, by an unusual star; attempts to identify
1958), 28. it as Halley’s Comet or a spectacular
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