Matthew 2:13-23 - Who Will Deliver Us?

Introduction

A couple of weeks ago we had our Christmas celebration here at Bethel, and one of the highlights was hearing the kids sing their Christmas songs. They did a good job—but the highlight for the kids was the fact that the Nativity scene was set up on the piano! (I’m pleased to report that there was only one minor casualty—one of the camels suffered two broken forelegs after falling down behind the piano, but the prognosis is good, and the epoxy will set in plenty of time for him to transport the third wise man back to Orient-land!)

Actually, some people have a quibble with the presence of the Wise Men in Nativity sets—if you read the Scriptures carefully (which we should all do at all times!), you’ll discover that the visit of the Magi from the East took place weeks (if not months) after Jesus’ birth in the manger. So, the objection goes, if the Magi were not present in Luke 2 (where the night of Jesus’ birth is found), why are they in a Nativity set?

Part of the answer is found in the reason that the kids were so drawn to playing with those figures the other night—it is a teaching tool to tell the story of Jesus’ birth. And you can’t tell the story of Jesus birth without including the wise men from the East along with the shepherds and angels and Mary and Joseph and the manger.

But if you’re going to take issue with the setup of a Nativity scene, the bigger objection is not that it includes the Wise Men, but that it leaves out the soldiers. King Herod’s slaughter of the innocents is as much a part of the Christmas story as the angels’ announcement to the shepherds, and when we focus only on the peace and joy and gold frankincense and myrrh and “thank you God for Baby Jesus”, we are ignoring the very reason Jesus Christ came to earth. We are leaving out the depravity and misery of this world. We are leaving out the fact that this world is a place where bloodthirsty kings will mercilessly oppress innocent people, who will spill innocent blood in order to hold on to power, will lash out in horrific violence when they are disrespected.

We can’t tell the Christmas story without telling the story of the violent, wicked tyranny of this world. And just as we saw last week that Jesus was born in shame in order to deliver us from our shame, so we see here that

Jesus was born under tyranny in order to deliver us from tyranny.

Now, at first glance it might seem a little over-dramatic for us to say that we need to be rescued from “tyranny” in our day (the screeching hyperbole of some political commentators notwithstanding)—we don’t have a Herod over us, crowning himself king and dispatching his soldiers into the countryside to visit death and destruction on his innocent subjects.

But when we read these verses carefully, I believe that we come to see some very profound similarities between our day and the horrible violence and hatred and bloodshed that Herod inflicted on the people of Judea. King Herod himself may be gone, but his kind of bloodthirsty, violent pride echoes today—not only in our halls of power, but in our own hearts as well.

Look with me at what these verses tell us about

I. The Reigning Tyrants

of this world. Look at verse 13:

Matthew 2:13 ESV

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “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.”

Now, remember the context of this passage—the wise men from the East had come to Jerusalem

Matthew 2:2–3 ESV

saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;

Now, to say that Herod was “troubled” by the arrival of the wise men was a dangerous understatement in his case. Herod the Great had been appointed the governor of the Roman province of Judea by Marc Antony in 41 B.C. A few years later on a trip to Rome, the Roman Senate actually voted to grant Herod the title “King of the Jews”—even though he was an Edomite (not Jewish) by heritage. So when he came back to Judea, he took that title to heart, crowning himself king and gathering a standing army—even though his actual power was limited to the governance of the Roman province.

And Herod went out of his way to show himself to be a good “King of the Jews”—he scrupulously followed the Mosaic Law, he started a forty-year building project to erect a massive Temple in Jerusalem (part of which—the Wailing Wall—still stands today), never served any unclean foods in his palace—anything that would help consolidate his power over his Jewish subjects.

And so you can understand that he would be “troubled” when court astrologers from Babylonia show up at his doorstep asking to see the one who was “born King of the Jews!” All of a sudden out of nowhere all the power Herod had built for himself for the last thirty years as “King of the Jews” was about to collapse like a house of cards!

And that’s why the angel appears to Joseph in a dream in verse 13—because Herod—like all tyrants—was willing to

Shed innocent blood to keep power (v. 13)

This wasn’t the first time Herod was willing to kill innocent people in order to keep his throne—in 29 B.C. he had his wife Mariamne executed because he thought she was plotting against him, and just a few years before Jesus was born he had his two sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, strangled to death because he was afraid that they were becoming more popular with the people of Judea than he was! (In fact, there was a saying at the time that it was safer to be Herod’s pig than his son!)

Herod was a tyrant who was willing to shed innocent blood to keep his power. But that never happens in our day, does it? There are never any whisperings about suspicious suicides of prominent people with connections to high government officials, are there? We don’t live in a culture swimming in a tidal wave of the innocent blood of fifty million babies murdered in the womb so that their mothers don’t have to give up their power in their lives, do we? There’s no tyranny here—that’s all ancient history! You see—Jesus was born under tyranny to rescue us from tyranny!

Tyrants will always shed innocent blood to keep their power, and tyrants will always

Respond to humiliation with violence (v. 16)

Look at verse 16:

Matthew 2:16 ESV

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

The Greek word translated “tricked” here in the ESV (KJV, “mocked”) has the sense of being humiliated. Herod was publicly disrespected by the Magi when they left Judea by the back door and didn’t come back to tell him where they found Jesus. And so he did what tyrants always do—he “became furious” and retaliated with violence and hatred.

Historical archaeologists estimate from the population of Bethlehem and the surrounding region that there would have been anywhere from thirty to sixty boys two years and under at this time—three times the death toll at Sandy Hook Elementary school in 2012. But this wasn’t done at the hands of a deranged and sick loner—this massacre was carried out by the duly appointed government leader acting under authority from the Roman Senate!

Herod had been publicly humiliated by the Magi, and so he had to re-assert his dominance over the people—he had to “prove he was still the boss”. So while he was willing to kill one child in order to protect his throne, now he was willing to kill dozens of innocent children to protect his ego.

Some of you know what it’s like to live under that kind of tyranny firsthand, don’t you? You are constantly walking on eggshells because you don’t want to upset your boyfriend, your spouse, your sibling. Because if you say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing or wear the wrong thing or go the wrong place you’ll disrespect them or embarrass them—and then they will lash out in violence against you to re-assert their power over you. Any perceived humiliation (real or imagined) is met with violence—verbal, emotional or physical.

And a tyrant will always make the violence your fault: If the wise men hadn’t left by another way, I wouldn’t have to kill all the children... If you hadn’t humiliated me by wearing that dress to that party, I wouldn’t have had to burn all your dress clothes… If you hadn’t talked back to me in front of the children, you wouldn’t have those bruised ribs… Tyrants will always respond to humiliation with violence, but Jesus was born under tyranny to rescue us from tyranny.

There is one more thing we learn about this world’s reigning tyrants in this passage: They shed innocent blood to hold on to power, they respond to humiliation with violence, and

They are helpless in the face of death (v. 19)

Matthew 2:19–20 ESV

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”

For all his twisted and maniacal lust for power, for all the terror and oppression he inflicted on his subjects, Herod was helpless to save his own life. Historians tell us that Herod the Great died a slow, agonizing death over a period of several months, possibly some kind of infectious renal failure. The pain was so unendurable that he tried to stab himself to death at one point, but was prevented from succeeding by his cousin—prolonging his agony. Upon his death, he had left instructions to execute dozens of Jewish elders to ensure that there would be mourning in Judea at the news of his demise. He had spent his life spilling innocent blood to keep his power and lashing out in shocking violence at anyone who disrespected him, but in the end was helpless in the face of the last enemy, Death itself.

And so it is with all of this world’s reigning tyrants—shedding innocent blood to keep their power, responding to humiliation with violence, and helpless in the face of death. The Nativity sets are incomplete; we cannot tell the story of Christmas without including soldiers holding swords stained with innocent blood. We live under the tyranny of this world’s reigning tyrants, but Jesus was born under tyranny in order to deliver us from tyranny!

We’ve considered this world’s reigning tyrants, but think for a few moments with me about

II. The Reigning Christ

The tyrants of this world are willing to shed innocent blood to hold on to power, but Jesus Christ

Shed His innocent blood to save us (1 Peter 2:24; Isa. 53:5)

The Apostle Peter writes for us that Jesus

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

In that verse he’s quoting from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 53:5 ESV

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

Jesus was totally, completely innocent of any sin whatsoever—yet He willingly spilled His own innocent blood so that you might be delivered from the penalty and power of sin! And by shedding His own blood on that Cross He gained for Himself everlasting power, glory, majesty and dominion!

The tyrants of this world respond with humiliation by lashing out in violence—but this King, Jesus Christ,

Humiliated Himself under violence (Philippians 2:8-11)

The Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 2:8 that Jesus,

Philippians 2:8 ESV

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus Christ freely chose to die by crucifixion--the most violent, humiliating death ever devised by human depravity! He let those tyrants lash out at Him and torture Him to death, He submitted Himself to humiliation and shame and agony. And as a result

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

King Herod died in agony, because these earthly tyrants are all helpless in the face of death. But Jesus is

Victorious over death itself (1 Corinthians 15:20-22; John 8:51)

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15:20–22 ESV

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Death itself could not hold Jesus Christ—He broke the bonds of death and has made a way out of the grave for everyone who trusts in Him as Savior! He promises in John 8:51

John 8:51 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

Jesus Christ was born under tyranny in order to deliver you from tyranny! So, beloved, look here to God’s Word today, look to the bloody soldiers standing around the manger scene so that you can understand how the birth of this Baby means

III. Your Freedom From Tyranny

If you have come to Jesus Christ for salvation, if you belong to Him by faith and are trusting in Him alone for the forgiveness of your sins and your eternal life in heaven, then you are free from

The dying tyrants that live over you (Luke 21:12-19)

Jesus warns His disciples in Luke 21 that the day will come when they will be “brought before kings and governors for my sake”—the tyrants of this world will come after you for following Christ, because you are living in such a way as to threaten their power.

Herod understood what Jesus’ birth meant—better than we do as Christians sometimes. Herod did not want to kill Jesus because Jesus came to set up a kingdom “way down deep in our hearts”—that kind of imaginary kingdom is no threat at all to him! We want to tell Herod, “No, no, no—you misunderstand us! We just want to follow Jesus way down deep in our hearts—we have our personal beliefs, you see, but we don’t let them affect the way we make daily decisions in the “secular” world!”

No—that’s not the kind of kingdom Jesus came to establish, and Herod knew it! The tyrants of this world cannot afford to let the Kingdom of Jesus Christ have any foothold, because they know that Jesus’ kingdom means their downfall. That is why Christianity is being shoved further and further out of the public square, and into the private recesses of a little corner of your brain—don’t let your “religion” influence your “real” life!

So, Christian, make it your aim to live the kind of Christian life that terrifies Herod! Speak boldly about the righteousness of God revealed in His Word, stand up and declare that “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our LORD and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Rev. 11:15) Declare that there is forgiveness from sin and salvation from the wrath of God found in the innocent blood of Jesus Christ, and welcome everyone you meet to come to Him!

And when you do that, you will earn the wrath of the petty, dying tyrants of this world! But take heart, Christian, because Jesus says to you that

Luke 21:16–18 ESV

You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish.

The worst these tyrants can do is put you to death—but your king has already promised that He has conquered death, and you will never even see it! Even if they kill you for your stand for Christ, not a hair on your head will perish!

And there is something else remarkable here in this story—look at how many times you see Matthew tell us that this story fulfilled prophecy:

Matthew 2:15 ESV

and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Matthew 2:18–19 ESV

“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

And

Matthew 2:23 ESV

And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

What does this tell you, Christian? That you serve a King who is sovereign over everything the dying tyrants of this world do to you! There wasn’t anything that Herod did (or tried) to do to Joseph and Mary and Jesus that God did not already know about, and was not utterly in control of!

Christian, you have freedom in this world from the petty, dying tyrants you live under. But more than that, Jesus was born under tyranny to rescue you from

The dying tyrant that lives inside you (Romans 6:20-22)

Because as often as you have suffered at the hands of someone who lashes out at you to protect their ego, you have lashed out at others as well. You’ve been the one so full of hatred in your own heart that you were willing to kill. You’ve deliberately humiliated others for your own ends. You’ve administered those bruised ribs, you’ve crushed their spirits, you’ve indulged your own lusts and greed and bitterness, setting yourself up as a tyrant in your own family.

The Scriptures make it plain that every last one of us are born with that capacity for tyranny in our own hearts—the tyranny of our sin nature has us by the throat from the time we are born. The Bible calls it “slavery to sin. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:20-21

Romans 6:20–21 ESV

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

That tyrant inside you, that tyrant of sin, will lead you to nothing but a slow, agonizing death—and after that, eternal punishment under the wrath of God in Hell.

But Jesus was born under tyranny to deliver you from the tyranny of your sin!

Romans 6:22 ESV

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

When you turn from your sin and embrace Jesus Christ through faith, when you call on Him to save you through His innocent blood shed on the Cross, He sets you free from that tyrant of sin that lives in you! And instead of that petty tyrant of sin, you become the servant of God Himself, with His life living through you to make you holy and to give you eternal life with Him in glory!

And every day, that old petty tyrant of sin dies just a little bit more, and every day the fruits of holiness and sanctification and purity and joy and peace and patience and kindness and gentleness and self-control grow just a little bit more in your life, making you more and more like Jesus Christ until that day when you awake in His presence without spot, blemish or wrinkle, full of great and eternal joy in Him!

Do you have this joy today? Do you want this joy today? I’ll be down front here after the service along with others who can talk with you, pray with you and show you how you can have freedom from the dying tyrants you live under and the petty tyrant of sin living inside you. That little baby in the Nativity scene was born under tyranny so that you might be delivered from tyranny—so come to Him today! Come—and welcome!—to Jesus Christ!

BENEDICTION

Jude 24–25 ESV

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

Why do you suppose we tend to leave out this passage when we tell the Christmas story about Jesus’ birth? How does this passage help you understand Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth?

What are some of the marks of tyranny you see in the world around you? How does Jesus’ reign as King differ from the ways the rulers of this world behave? Why is Jesus a better King?

What are some of the consequences Christians may suffer as a result of standing boldly for Jesus Christ in our society? Read Luke 21:12-19 again. What encouragement do you find there to help you live boldly for Him?

How have you seen God at work in your life to kill off the dying tyrant of sin in you? Read Romans 8:13-14. How can you “put to death the deeds of the body” in your life this week?