The Story of Two Kings (Matthew 2:1-18)

Welcome to God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in Morningston, Iowa. Check us out online at www.sharonrpc.org. We pray that this message will be a blessing to you and that the Lord will use it to transform your faith and your life. Well, please turn over and your Bible is with me to Matthew chapter 2. Matthew chapter 2, and this morning we'll be looking at the first 18 verses. You can find Matthew chapter 2 on page 849 of your Pew Bibles. Matthew chapter 2 beginning at verse 1. This is God's holy, perfect, and pure word. Pay attention.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, in Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet, but you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least among the rulers of Judah. For out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel. Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, go and search carefully for the young child.

And when you have found him, bring word back to me that I may come and worship him also. When they heard the king, they departed. And behold, the star which they had seen in the east went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother, and fell down and worshipped him. And when they had opened their treasure, they presented gifts to him, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now, when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word.

For Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry. And he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem, and in all its districts, from two years old and younger, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then he fulfilled, then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah saying, a voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great bitterness. Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more.

Ascends this portion of the reading of God's word. Well, there was a man who came to church every Christmas. Every year, faithfully, he came to church every single Christmas. And one day, the pastor asked him, just in the middle of the week, he said, why don't you come to church any other weeks other than on Christmas? He said, well, I come every year, and you tell me the same story every single Sunday I come, so I figure I don't need to hear it every single day of the year.

And the reality is, is that often when people come to Christmas, they come to a service right before Christmas, or after Christmas, or on Christmas, and they expect a certain story. And that certain story they hear every single year. It's our cultural custom. It's what people do in churches. But rarely do people tell the whole story.

It stops at Jesus in the manger. It stops with all the angels in heaven worshiping. It stops with the Magi and doesn't go on past that. Well, this morning we're going to see how God's kingdom cannot be stopped. And we're going to see how the story continues on after the Magi leave. And as we look at that, I'm going to warn you, you're going to need to buckle up a little bit. You might want to hold on to your pews because you might get uncomfortable here. And that's okay. So what actually happens in the Christmas story? What actually happens with the Magi?

Now, remember the Magi are those wise men, those men who are coming most likely from Babylon. And they come into Jerusalem. Because they've seen a star. And that star somehow shows them that there is a new leader. There is a new king of the Jews. And they take this long journey. They ride into Jerusalem on their Arabian steeds. They come in with all the pomp and all the vigor and all the circumstance of being royal officials. And they come into Jerusalem, and we know that they have this type of authority.

We know they're not beggarly people, because what do they do? They ascend the grand staircase of Harris Palace that's built into the western wall of Jerusalem. And they aren't just allowed to knock at the door of the palace, but when they are brought into Herod's palace, the doors are opened into a cavernous room with vaulted cathedral ceilings, with windows high up upon the roof. And down along the long hall, they are taken down the corridor into the very throne room of Herod. And here they stand before the King of the Jews. That's what the text calls it here. Herod is the king of the Jews. But when they come, when the Magi, these wise men come, and they stand before Herod, he's a shadow of a man that he once was.

The Jewish historian Josephus tells us about what Herod was like in his last days. And they would have walked into that throne room and they would have found a man who was swollen with water retention. A man who had an ailment of his stomach with ulcers in his belly so bad and in his intestines so bad that he had to constantly eat. And Josephus tells us that people didn't even want to be near Herod because his stench was so bad. And they walk in front of this king who God has brought to this disgusting state where his breath is so bad people don't even want to talk to him.

And the Magi ask him a question that's outlandish. Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? Now that might not have that much impact on you. Because we don't typically know who Herod is. We don't know how he became king. We don't understand the type of man he is.

But in our American culture, if I just mentioned a few names, George Washington, your mind would be filled with all sorts of stories and pictures that you have of George Washington crossing the Delaware, or fighting battles, or being inaugurated as the first president. You would know these things.

Well, the second Matthew mentions Herod, And I'm asking, where is he who has been born king of the Jews? The Jewish mind would have been filled with, how dare they ask this question? Don't they know how Herod became king? See, Herod was a power-hungry and bloodthirsty man. Herod is a child of an Edomite father and a Jewish mother, and he became king by slaughtering Jews not too far away from where Nazareth is. When the Jews were self-governing for a while between the Old Testament and between the New Testament, when the Hasmonean rulers ruled over Jerusalem, it was Herod who destroyed the Jewish leadership so that the Romans could actually have control of Jerusalem. It was Herod who had slaughtered hundreds of Jewish people. His crown was placed upon his head at the cost of the slaughtering of Jewish people.

And he was a paranoid, power-hungry ruler. See, he was a statesman and he would play people and Herod would try to figure out what was the best way to keep his kingdom, to keep his crown, to keep his rule over the people. And so he intermarried in with the Hasmonean rulers. And so he tried to ingratiate himself, tried to buy favor with the Jews.

And so he has one wife who's the princess of the former kingdom. But the second he finds out a rumor that she might be trying to take over the throne, he has his own wife and two of his own sons murdered. He has this woman's brother drowned to death. And even Herod, right around this same time of Jesus' birth, finds out that even one of his own sons from another marriage might be plotting to take over the throne. Herod has him assassinated by throwing him off the wall in Jerusalem.

Herod is a power-hungry, bloodthirsty man. He bought his crown with blood and he was going to retain it at whatever price and at the end of his life he had become especially paranoid of everything. It's in this culture that the magi walk into the throne room and they say, where's the real king? Where's the king of the Jews? And notice what Herod's response is. Verse three.

And when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Everyone knew that to say this type of statement to Herod, blood was going to flow. History had taught them this was not going to end well. But Herod believes them. Herod doesn't just blow this off. He believes that there is actually somehow that this star is pointing to a promised Messiah. And so what does he do?

Herod gathers together all the chief priests and the scribes. He gathers together the experts in the law, and they open up God's Word, and they read God's Word, and they try to figure out where is the King of the Jews to be born. And so this is what they do in verses five through six.

So they said to him in Bethlehem of Judea for thus it is written by the prophet. But you Bethlehem in the land of Judea are not the least among the rulers of Judah for out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. They tell him he's going to be born in Bethlehem. The scriptures say that the Christ, the anointed one, the Messiah, the one who will sit upon David's throne and be the king of the Jews forever, he'll be born in Bethlehem. So Herod ascertains, he finds out the where, but he needs to figure out also the when.

When did this star appear? How old is this treasonous little kid who's been born? And so he secretly calls in the magi. He secretly calls in the wise men and he finds out, he interrogates them and finds out when exactly did this star appear? And he gets a range. And then he, he's a statesman though. He knows how to be cunning. He knows how to get his way. He's not going to outrightly tell the magi, I want you to go find this king so I can take care of him and end this possible rebellion. But he tricks them. Herod's a liar. What does he say to them? Verse 8, And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and search carefully for the young child. And when you have found him, bring word back to me. that I may come and worship him also." That word worship there probably is a bad translation. Proskuneo there should be translated in this case bow down to him.

Let me ask you, does Herod seem or sound like the type of guy who would bow down to any other king? No. But the Magi don't know this. The Magi seem to be absent-minded and ignorant of the type of man that Herod is. They just assume, oh, the king of the Jews would want to know who this star points to.

And they fall for it. They leave Jerusalem. The Magi leave Jerusalem and they go. And as soon as they go, behold, the star appears to them again, and they follow that star, and it stops upon the house where the child and Mary, his mother, lay. And there they go in, and they do exactly what they said that they were going to do.

There before this child, they get down on their knees. and they humble themselves before a child. They get down on their knees and they pay royal obscenity, they pay royal homage, they humble themselves before the king of the Jews and they offer him princely gifts. They give him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. God's kingdom had come. The signs pointed to it. The scriptures prophesied of it. God had promised it. God's kingdom had finally come. There was a ruler and they had found this king. But what happens next?

That's normally the high point of where around this time of the year the story stops, but that's not where the text ends. The Magi are warned. They're warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. And so they depart to another country. See, it's most likely that the Magi had fallen for Herod's trap. It's most likely that unless God had intervened and given them this dream, they would have gone a reverse route and just gone right back, had gone to Jerusalem and made their way home, and been ignorant of anything that would have happened in Bethlehem. But God Himself intervenes. God gives them a dream and warns them, divinely warns them, don't go back. And they listen to that dream. And they go back a different way. And then the text continues on after that, that it's not just the wise men who get a dream, but who else gets a dream? Look with me at verse 13.

Now, when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, arise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. See, the Magi might have been able to be tricked, but God knew exactly what was on Herod's mind. The Magi might have been ignorant about the type of man that Herod was, but God knew exactly what type of man Herod was. God knew that Herod would be the type of man who would try to destroy the Messiah, destroy God's anointed one. He doesn't allow it. It's worth noting here. Look with me again at the middle part of verse 13.

Arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt. Verse 14, what is Joseph's response? He arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. See, Joseph is a godly man. Joseph believes God. Joseph hears this dream and he humbles himself and flees everything he knows and goes to Jerusalem to find safety for this young king that he knows that he's supposed to care for.

Do you see the picture that God puts side by side here for us? A bloodthirsty, paranoid king who will stop at absolutely nothing to keep his kingdom, who knows God's word but is unwilling to submit to it. versus the wise men and Joseph who hear God's word, humble themselves, and obey it. This is the picture that God does. See, God's kingdom is not going to be stopped. God's kingdom is not going to be thwarted by any human means.

He arose and he took the young child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. And they stayed there until the death of Herod, but it took us forward to Herod's death, but verse 16 brings us back. Herod is furious. See, it's only five miles. It's only about five miles from Jerusalem down to Bethlehem. And so when the wise men, when the Magi take a few days to get back, He's able to see that he's been deceived. At least that's what he thinks.

Verse 16, then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry. Herod had been outmaneuvered and he is furious. Who is Herod furious at? He's furious at the Magi. And this word deceived here, this word deceived actually carries with it the idea not of just, not of just lying to someone or something, but it's of mocking that person. It's as if, it's as if all Jerusalem was laughing at Herod. He had tried to kill God's anointed. Are you crazy? You can't kill God's anointed. You think that somehow you're going to be able to wipe out the Messiah? Are you nuts? You can't wipe out God's Messiah. God's kingdom is going to come.

And that's exactly what we find as a fulfillment in Psalm chapter 2. In Psalm 2, we read it this morning. Psalm chapter 2, God laughs at Herod. Psalm 2, verse 4, he who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in derision. The Lord shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep pleasure. Yet I have set my king on my holy hill in Zion. I will declare the decree. The Lord has said to me, you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance. It is God who mocks Herod. It is God who sits in heaven and laughs at his foolish plans. It is God who thwarts Herod's plans. But that doesn't mean that Herod's going to just say, okay God, whatever, you outwitted me. No. No, what does he do? He does one of the most despicable things that we can imagine.

Imagine being one of those Roman centurions who sent in the company from Jerusalem. Imagine being one of those who is ordered by Herod to strap your sword to your side and take the five-mile march into Bethlehem, a town smaller, most likely, than morning sun. Imagine having that sword on your side and going from house to house in the dead of the night as you rip open doors, as you hear the screams of the mothers, as you dash their children to pieces and drive the sword through their bodies and your sword drips with blood. Do you see the tears of the eyes?

Don't let this go easy on you. We have two-year-olds in our own congregation These are innocent children who Herod, in a bloodthirsty rage, goes and he tries to wipe all of them out. He gives himself buffer. The text tells us it's not just, you know, the young children. It's not just the infants, but two years old and under. And not just in the town of Bethlehem, but in all the surrounding area. He kills all the children. Because he wants his way. He wants his kingdom, he wants his power, and he'll stop at nothing for it. But God has already mocked him.

We find, as just as the prophet Jeremiah prophesied, a voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more. Weeping. Mourning. Refusing to be comforted.

Is that the Christmas story that people are so used to hearing? But this is the real story. See, the gospel, the Christmas story is not some silly Hallmark movie. The gospel is not some silly movie where everything works out perfect at the end, but just a few days after Jesus is born, it's not like everything's hunky-dory and people are holding hands and eating ice cream cones together.

No, sin is real. And it's in that messiness of sin that Jesus Christ steps into it. But I have to ask you, why wasn't Jesus killed that night? Why is it that God spared Jesus on that night? Why is it that Jesus' blood wasn't spilt by the sword of the Roman sword? Because Jesus had work to do. See, Jesus didn't just come to die, but Jesus came to live.

See, we wanna look on Herod. We wanna look at Herod and we wanna see a grotesque man. We wanna look at Herod and we wanna see a man that's abhorrent to us. We wanna look at Herod and we wanna see someone that is so far removed from us that we couldn't imagine ever being like that guy out there.

I'm telling you, every single sin we do is treason against God. Every time we want our way instead of God's way, Every time that the world says, I know that you have set this pattern, God, but I want nothing to do with it, they are committing the same sin, here it is. You know what this is like in your own heart? You know what this is like in your life, don't you? When you know, when you've heard the word, when you know what you should be doing, when you know what God's kingdom is like, And yet you find your heart hard against that thing? Against that way? It is Jesus who came, and as He lived His life, never felt that way. It is Jesus who lived His perfect life. Jesus was born of a Virgin Mary, not to die a few nights later, but to live a perfect life.

To earn perfect righteousness. that when his last day would come, about 31 years later, the Roman sword would be wet with his blood. And he would be called King of the Jews, as that Roman centurion who remembers the tear-filled eyes of those mothers in Bethlehem stood there and beat the crown of thorns into Jesus' brow. He could see the pain in Jesus' eyes. That Roman centurion would see the blood dripping down. It was that Roman centurion who put the purple robe over his shoulders and who would bow his knee mocking Jesus. mocking Jesus as he inscribed above that plaque above Jesus' head, here is Jesus, King of the Jews, writing it in Greek and in Latin and in Hebrew.

And it's also that Roman centurion who in Jesus Christ had lifted up his voice for the last time and said, it is finished. And the temple veil was ripped in two, and the night fell upon the daytime, and there was darkness that covered the land, and the earth shook, and the dead were raised. It was that same Roman soldier who fell on his knees and said, truly, this man was the Son of God. The day of mocking will end.

Because Jesus did not just die on that cross, and the story is over. But when we read Matthew chapter 2, and we hear of the Magi coming, and we hear about the King Herod trying to destroy the Messiah, it was Jesus who would earn a righteous crown. It was Jesus who would die a righteous death. See, Jesus would not allow someone else to take his life. But Romans chapter 5 is clear. Jesus laid down his life willingly for you. Let me say that again. Jesus would not let his life be taken, but he laid down his life willingly for you.

See, there is a king of the Jews. There is a Messiah who demands that we bow down to Him. There is one who sits enthroned in heaven. See, Jesus did not just die, but Jesus has been raised from the dead, and He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, and there the Lamb who was slain sits with all the angels surrounding Him. And can you close your eyes and bask in the light of His glory, and hear the angels now proclaiming, like at His birth? Here is a Lamb who is slain, and worthy of all praise and honor and glory. He has all power and majesty. Here is the One who is the Mighty, Counselor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father.

It is Jesus Christ who came as the King of the Jews announced at His birth and would not give up that throne and will not give up that throne. Are you bowing to Him? His kingdom has come, it has begun, and all nations, all people will bow their knee to Jesus Christ. This is what we looked at in Philippians chapter two.

There will come a day, brothers and sisters, when he will make all things new again. When the weeping will stop. When he will wipe every tear away from your eye. when you will bask in his glory. And all the plans, all the schemes of the rulers, God will laugh at them. And he'll ask, really? Did you really think they could stop my plan? Did you really think that they could stop my anointed one from taking his throne? I gave him that crown. Brothers and sisters, he wears that crown forever. and it will never be taken from him. Let all glory and praise be to him, who can never thwart him, who can never stop his plans.

Closing Prayer

Let us worship that king forever and ever. Amen. Let's pray. Well, Lord, what good news that you give to us, that you laid down your life for unrighteous people like us. Lord, we thank you that you came into this world, the King, and that you left this world, the King, and that you will end this world forever, and you will for always be our King. Lord, let us bask in your glory. Let our hearts be filled with joy at the coming and the reigning of our King forever. In Jesus' name, amen.

Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Work for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith and your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website, SharonRPC.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue, Morning Sun, Iowa 52640. May God richly bless you this week.