Church Sermon - December 28, 2003

Rev. Bernt P. Tweit

Epistle Lesson; 1 Peter 4:12-19
Old Testament Lesson; Jeremiah 31:15-17
Sermon Text, Matthew 2:13-18

To understand our text in its entirety, we really need to go back into the first book of the Old Testament, the book of Genesis, and the account of twin boys, Jacob and Esau. Their mother’s name was Rebecca. She wasn’t able to have children. Because she was barren, her husband Isaac went to the Lord and prayed to Him that his wife, Rebecca, could have children. She then became pregnant.

The Bible tells us that those two twin boys were jostling inside of her. Rebecca asked, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went and inquired of the Lord, and this is what God told her. God said,

"Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger."

Genesis 25:23

The older was Esau, and the younger was Jacob. Jesus was a descendant of the nation of Jacob. And Herod, in our text for today, was a descendant of the nation of Esau.

Now, in keeping with what God had told Rebecca, it came true that Esau and Jacob were separated from one another. During their lifetime, they had acquired many, many possessions, including cattle and sheep. So, Esau took everything he owned and moved to a land some distance away from Jacob, because "their possessions were too great for them to remain together; the land where they were staying could not support them both because of their livestock." Genesis 36:7

Also in keeping with what God had told Rebecca, "one will be stronger than the other". It was prophesied, by Moses in the book of Numbers, "A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out Israel (that is another name for Jacob)…Esau will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong." Numbers 24:17-18

That found its fulfillment in Jesus and Herod.

This now helps to set the stage for our text for today, as we ask the question: Who is going to be king? Is the king going to be Jesus (the descendent of Jacob), or is the king going to be Herod (the descendent of Esau)?

So, let’s look, just for a moment, at who Herod was. Herod is known as Herod the Great. He was known as Herod the Great, because everything that he did was ‘great’, whether it was good or evil. At 25 years old, he was named the governor of Galilee, a high position for such a young man. The Romans were hoping that Herod could control the Jews, who lived in that area. In 40 BC the Roman Senate named him, "King of the Jews". Herod loved power. He was addicted to it.

And, he was really paranoid, not trusting anyone who might take over or usurp his throne. That is why Herod the Great killed many people, during his lifetime. Herod killed probably hundreds of people, during his lifetime, including his brother in-law, his mother in-law, two of his own sons (because he thought that they might take over his throne), and he even put his own wife to death. With all of the murdering that Herod did, it is no wonder then, that Josephus, who is a church historian from the first century, does not even mention the slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem. To Herod, it was insignificant to put those baby boys to death, in light of all those other people he had put to death.

Again, he was known as Herod the Great. He wanted it all. He built seven palaces, and seven theaters. One of those theaters could seat 9,500 people! He built great sporting complexes. One stadium could seat 300,000 fans! Compare Camp Randal, which can hold about 77,000 to 78,000 people, to his facility that could hold 300,000 people! He even constructed a new and better temple for the Jews in Jerusalem. He wanted it all!

Herod the Great’s rule was for more than forty years, until he clashed with another King who was born, another King who is also known as "The King of the Jews".

It is no wonder then, that when the Wise Men came to Jerusalem, and inquired, "Where is the one who is born King of the Jews?" Herod was disturbed, and all of Jerusalem, with him. Herod was disturbed, because somebody was opposing him, coming to take over his throne. And the residents of Jerusalem were disturbed, because they were wondering who Herod would kill next?

Is Herod, a descendent of Esau, going to be king? Or, is Jesus, a descendent of Jacob, going to be King? We all know the answer to that, this morning. We all know that the answer is Jesus.

Scripture is very clear about the contrast between Jesus and Herod. Jesus was the promised King, and Herod tried to kill Him because he believed his throne to be threatened. We can see the greatness and the power of Herod, and we can see the "weakness" of Jesus, as He is born in the manger. But there is much more to this contrast, than meets the eye. To understand this part of the setting of Jesus’ life is to be struck by several truths.

First of all, God often uses those who appear weak, not famous and powerful. He often uses that which is weak, which lacks status, which lacks power, which lacks authority, to show that He is in control. Take, for example, David and Goliath. Goliath appears to have all the strength and power. He was nine feet tall, with armor of a sword and shield. David appeared to be weak. And yet, with God in control, with God in authority, David was able to overcome Goliath.

Secondly, believing in Jesus takes great faith, because He often asks of us actions and attitudes that do not make sense in our world.

Let us go back and look at Herod and Jesus. The contrast between Herod and Jesus is clearest in the contrast between the fortress-palace, The Herodion, and Jesus’ birthplace, the stable. Again, Herod is known for his greatness. One of the places that Herod built was named after himself. It was called the Herodion. The Herodion was a structure built on a high hill, right on the outskirts of Jerusalem. And from any point in Bethlehem, you could see this magnificent structure. Jesus may have been born in the shadow of the Herodian. I want you to envision a structure that covered forty-five acres. Holy Cross sits on 1.4 acres. This is a massive, massive structure. Originally, it was seven stories high, with an eastern tower that stood more than 40 feet higher! The upper fortress was round and more than 200 feet in diameter. Packed dirt covered the first four stories, giving the upper fortress a cone shape. The bottom levels were underground. The structure rose forty feet above that, to catch the cool breezes, from the Mediterranean Sea.

Inside of the Herodion were a reception hall, a garden, countless apartments, Roman baths, and hot and cold running water. The lower palace had an enormous swimming pool, a colonnaded garden, a terrace 600 feet long, and a building more than four hundred feet long. The center isle, I have been told, was 55 feet long. Think of a building that is four times longer than our center isle. It was a very massive structure, the third largest palace in the ancient world, and this was just a vacation place for Herod! It was just a safe haven for him.

Now, think about where Jesus was born. Jesus was born in a barn. Jesus was laid in a feed trough. It is important to see this contrast, because it gives us strength, as we try to live so that the world may know that Jesus is King. It appeared to the world that Herod was the King of the Jews. And yet, God used that which was weak, that which lacked status, and that which was humble, to be our King. If the Messiah had come from Herod’s family, we may be tempted to give credit to Herod and say, "Look what Herod has done." Or, "look at what has come from Herod". But, God chose the Savior, the King Jesus, to come from a lowly woman, Mary, to show that He (not we) get the credit. It reminds us that God uses weakness, lack of status, and even things that appear foolish to show that it is His strength that accomplished His purpose.

The contrast between Jesus and Herod also reminds us that even though evil may be strong, God has the ultimate authority. God uses the contrast of that which is weak, to show that it is He, which is strong. Herod appeared to be powerful, but the real power lies in a manger. The real power grew up to live a perfect life for us. The real power, the authority, Jesus, went to the cross and there He stretched out His arms, as He laid down His life as a sacrifice for our sins. Sometimes the worldly forces seem so strong. But it is Jesus, born in a stable, who has "all authority and power".

Why was Herod never accepted as King over the people that he ruled over? Again, it goes back to whom he came from. Herod was a Gentile, a descendent of Esau. God’s Word made clear that no Gentile could ever be king over His people. "…be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite." Deuteronomy 17:15

Moses, in the Old Testament said, "Do not set up for yourselves someone that is not from your own race, someone who is not an Israelite, not a Jew."

So the people never accepted Herod, because he was a descendent of Esau. God didn’t select Herod to be ‘King of the Jews’. Rather, it was the Roman Senate who appointed him. To the follower of God’s Word, Herod could not be God’s King.

God’s Word frequently predicted that the descendants of twin brothers Jacob and Esau would be in conflict. Ultimately, a ruler would emerge from Jacob, who would overpower Esau and be God’s King. The Old Testament says, "The house of Jacob will be fire…the house of Esau will be stubble." Obadiah 18

Whose is going to be King? Could Jesus be King? How could He be King if He (Jacob’s descendant) was in a manger, while Herod (Esau’s descendant) sat in power, in a fortress? This helps us understand why it was so difficult for people to accept Jesus as King, for every appearance said otherwise. Jesus is going to be King. But how could that little baby, in the manger, a descendent of Jacob grow up to be King? Well, that was God’s plan for our salvation.

This part of God’s Word, really helps us understand the Christmas Gospel, even more fully. This helps us understand the tremendous faith the Christmas story demands of us today. We are asked to accept, by faith, contrary to appearance, it was not Herod who was in control, but the boy Jesus in the manger! The world at the time could have looked at Herod and said, "This is the king that God has established." And yet, God used that which was weak, the baby Jesus, born in a barn, laid in a feed trough to bring salvation for us.

Today it may sometimes appear as if Jesus is not at the right hand of God and the Lord of Heaven and earth. Look around you and it may seem as if the evil descendants of Herod (the followers of the devil) are the dominant power. In times like these, just as in Jesus’ day, God asks us to live by faith that Jesus is King. Be encouraged. Evil may appear strong, but God is stronger. Herod appeared all-powerful, but his power ended and all that is left are ruins that attest to his former glory. If we were to go over to the Land of Israel, and look at all of the works of King Herod, we would see in ruins, that which he built. We would see his greatness, from former years that no longer are there, because he has died, and was buried.

The baby in the manger may have appeared weak, but Jesus went on to live a perfect life. He became the ultimate sacrifice to appease Almighty God’s wrath and then rose again, thus conquering sin, death and the devil. As we look at that baby who was in the manger, we see the true King. He grew up and lived a perfect life for us. He went to the cross and there laid down His life as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, going to death, and the grave to conquer sin, death and the devil. And, He was raised to life, and is at the right hand of God, in true power, in true authority. Jesus is our King!

I know that it is unfortunate, but I think that we all have to admit, even myself, that as we look at Jesus and Herod, we often "worship Herod". No, not Herod himself, but we often times look to that which appears "great" in this world, and follow after that "greatness". And so today, we should pray that God would forgive us of our sins, when we follow that which appears "great", instead of looking to what He has established for us, that which appears to be "weak", Jesus in the manger.

Who is going to be King? Jesus, a descendent of Jacob, deliverer to us of the forgiveness of our sins, and eternal life in Heaven.

Amen.

Top of Page || Church Sermons || Return to Home Page