Matthew 2:13–18 (ESV) — 13 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.” 14 And he rose
and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 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.”
16 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. 17 Then was fulfilled
what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “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.”
NOTE: I think this
verse brings up an interesting question on God's sovereignty. Cleary God knows
beforehand (what I like to point out as foreknowledge). He does not provoke
Herod, who in his own evil nature kills all the children, two-years old and
below in Bethlehem. God knew way back during the time of Jeremiah that Herod
would commit such an atrocity. God knew during the time of Joseph. God did not
cause it. God did not stop evil. God's involvement, I believe, is limited by
our rebellion in the garden. We wanted freedom from God's rule, and he gave it
to us (for a limited time). God does intervene according to his plan and for
the good as he sees it in the lives of Joseph and Mary. Romans 11:28 tells us
that he works
for good to those who love him. He does not control every event, in the sense
of cause. Evil men choose to do evil. The planet is decaying due to our
original rebellion. People die, even though that was not his original intent
when we were created. This world is not how he intended it. Although the
message of the millennial is that he will restore it to his original intent,
and those who have believed in him will live during the millennial reign of
Christ. Life is not hopeless, the best is still to come, but it will only
happen after Jesus's return.
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