By F. D. Adkins
To me, if I look at the word, “Christmas”, it is obvious that it is all about “Christ”. Yet, as I was at the store the other day, looking for gift wrap or bags, I could find nothing that had the nativity or anything to do with the real meaning of Christmas… “Jesus”. I found wrapping paper with Santa, snowmen, stripes, trucks, and even popular movie and cartoon characters… but nothing about the birth of our Savior.
And then yesterday, as I began studying the Christmas story in the book of Matthew, I paused at the horrid scene where Herod has the children two years and under killed. Why? In Matthew 2:13, the angel appears to Joseph in a dream warning him that Herod wants to destroy Jesus.
- “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth 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.” Matthew 2:13 KJV
So, why would Herod want to get rid of Jesus? Herod has heard the wise men calling Jesus, “the King of the Jews”. Matthew 2: 1-2 (KJV) says, “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, 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.” From the scripture, it seems to me Herod’s lifestyle is threatened by Jesus. He thinks that if he can get rid of Jesus, he can protect his status, throne, and power.
John 3:19 states, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” In this verse, people did not want to receive the light because they preferred the sinful life they were living. Accepting the light meant repenting and changing their lifestyle.
Herod failed because that was not God’s plan. God’s plan was to give us a Savior. Herod could not destroy the light. He could choose not to follow the light, but He could not get rid of the light.
Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, God’s Word speaks of the coming Savior.
- “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 KJV
- “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 KJV
The Bible tells us that Jesus will return. Just as Herod failed, ignoring the light, or rejecting the light will not change the outcome.
God’s plan always prevails… and His plan is clearly stated.
- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18 KJV
- “And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:6-8 KJV
Jesus loves us so much that He suffered and died for us. Holy and blameless, he endured death so we could spend forever with Him. What could possibly be worth giving up a relationship with someone who loves us that much?
