Characters at the Cradle: The Wise Men, Herod’s Demonic Wrath

by David Chadwick

Herod came to the realization that he had been tricked by the Wise Men. He found out that they had departed and gone home instead of coming back to tell him where the new baby king was located. Now, Herod did not know fully who this baby was, but he knew enough to make him afraid. His paranoia heightened as he knew his throne was threatened. Fear makes people do crazy things!

The most devastating part of this biblical account is that Herod, in his fury, sent out an edict to kill all male children in Bethlehem who were two years old or under. Herod’s genocide fulfilled the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:15 about the groaning of Rahab. Imagine the tears, sadness, laments, and broken hearts of parents.

The horror of Herod’s actions is incomprehensible. He calculated from the Wise Men’s arrival to the time of the child’s birth and landed at the age of two years. This was a Satanic act. Demonic to the core! Again, Herod’s actions were an attempt to destroy the seed of the woman who would crush Satan’s head, as prophesied in Genesis 3:15 after the Fall of humanity.

All evil in this world finds its ultimate source in Satan. Every child that dies, every genocide that occurs—especially against the Jews—but ALL EVIL, is caused by Satan. He tempts our fallen, selfish hearts by filling us with things like envy, jealousy, and selfish ambition. When we obey his temptations, anyone can be vulnerable to sinning in the worst possible ways.

These are the kinds of terrible situations that cause many people to step back and wonder how a “good God” could ever let such bad things to happen. Especially to innocent children! I fully empathize with this question.

We must go back to the reality of sin in these moments of questioning. When sin entered the world, brokenness became normal. Evil was unleashed on all of us. Outside of the grace and mercy of Jesus, there would be no hope for any of us. The moment sin came on the scene, destruction became everyone’s destiny, and nothing could be worked for good.

But God, rich in mercy, created a hope through Jesus (Ephesians 2:4). Now, for those who love Jesus, everything works together for good (Romans 8:28). Yes, even bad, horrific, catastrophic things. As you’ve heard me say many times, I looked up “all” in the dictionary, and guess what it means? It means ALL!

And always remember this as well: Jesus came as a baby to grow up, die on a cross, be raised from the dead to defeat the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). In you. In the world. Forever.

This baby born at a cradle would carry a message and live a life that would permanently alter Satan’s previously existing narrative that destruction is the end of the story! While we live in a broken world, believe that Jesus is coming back to permanently make all things new! Hallelujah!

The Wise Men, The Dream That Followed

by David Chadwick

Yesterday, we looked at the part in the story where the Wise Men found Jesus. Did you know that the three gifts from the Wise Men do NOT mean there were only three wise men? The Magi most likely traveled with a large number of attendants. There could have been numerous Magi who followed the star and found themselves with the Christ child.

Today, let’s look at Matthew 2:13-15.

After the Magi departed to their home, an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream. While described as an angel of the Lord, could it have been Gabriel again? Biblically, Gabriel is always sent from God to give messages about the Messiah. This dream that followed the Wise Men’s visit came with a message that was very clear and intended to protect the Messiah.

Notice how God uses dreams throughout the Bible as a powerful tool to warn, encourage, and share insights that a human mind, in its awake state, might otherwise miss.

The angel warned Joseph to “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him” (Matthew 2:13).

Herod was motivated by Satan, who wanted the “seed” of Genesis 3:15 completely destroyed. Throughout biblical history, this has been Satan's consistent attempt to thwart God’s plan of sending his Son, the “seed” into the world. But it never works. It always backfires. Anything he kills ALWAYS rises up stronger.

Joseph obeyed. Immediately. Fully. Completely. There is really no other way to obey! By night, he took Mary and Jesus, departed, and went to Egypt. Egypt was a part of the Roman Empire. There were no borders. They were no immigrants. They remained there until the death of Herod.

This part of the story fulfills the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 that says, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Israel was called out of Egypt with Moses to go to the Promised Land. And this time, God called his Savior back into Egypt to be protected for two years.

Egypt provided safety for them because it was outside Herod’s jurisdiction. Don’t you wonder where they stayed? Who did they meet? How did God provide for them in Egypt? Was there something that happened there to help sow seeds for the gospel to come to Egypt years later? So many questions!

In everything, Mary and Joseph experienced the protection of their Father in heaven. God is our safe place. He is our shelter. He is our protector from life’s storms. And an ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1-3).

Characters at the Cradle: The Wise Men, Bearing Gifts

by David Chadwick

Matthew 2:7-12 is where the story of the Wise Men continues.

After Herod heard of this Christ child they came to worship, Herod was troubled. While not exactly described with these words, one can assume that he grew in anger and jealousy at the thought of someone coming after his throne… especially a baby!

Herod’s desires were nefarious to the core. Verse 7 says that “Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.” He pretended to be an ally and told the Wise Men that he wanted to know exactly where in Bethlehem this child was born so that he could go and worship him as well. What a deceptive liar!

The Wise Men listened to Herod and then went on their way. They followed the star with great joy until it rested over the place where they would find the child. Seeing the star, “they rejoiced exceedingly and with great joy” (Matthew 2:10).

Verse 11 says they went “into the house.” Don’t you wonder whose house this was? Maybe some of Joseph's relatives? This verse implies that they were no longer in the manger. So, again, while not technically at the physical cradle, their lives had a divine intersection with the arrival of the Savior by way of a cradle in Bethlehem.

The Wise Men saw the child with Mary, and Scripture says they fell down and worshiped him. Even as a young child! They just knew! The profound reality of Jesus as Lord is seen all over this story. Traveling from Babylon, most likely from pagan backgrounds, they recognized whispers of the one, true God revealed in the stars and in this small child.

These Magi opened up their treasures and gave them to Mary. Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. Precious commodities. Imagine Mary pondering all of this in her heart: Gabriel’s appearance, Elizabeth’s story, the birth of John, the shepherds’ visit, the words from Simeon and Anna, and now these Magi. Remember that in their purification ceremony all they had to offer were turtledoves and not a lamb? A symbol of poverty? Now they have boundless riches!

Thankfully, as we see in Matthew 2:17, the Wise Men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. They had enough discernment to know Herod’s evil intent. So after finding the Christ child in Bethlehem, they did not do as Herod had asked and instead, protected the location of the Messiah and went home another way.

Let’s be like the Magi in these two ways. May we always recognize the presence of Jesus when we see it. And may we always steward and protect what God reveals to us, even in the face of intimidation, evil plots, and fear to do otherwise. And once we have discovered the Christ child, to go home a different way. Never again to walk in sin, but righteousness for He is righteous!