Babies Die, Jesus Lives

Posted by chuck maxwell on December 14th, 2008 filed in Chuck's blog

Have you ever thought about how many babies have had to die in order for God’s redemptive plan to continue? Reflecting on the Christmas story has reminded me that it was not all peace and joy around Jesus’ arrival. We know that the wise men likely came to a house, not a manger, sometime within the first two years of Jesus life. Since they had been warned in a dream not to let Herod know exactly where they had found the newborn King of the Jews, Herod took drastic measures to eliminate his threat. In keeping with his pattern of jealous and unnecessary rage, Herod had all the male toddlers, two years and younger, around Bethlehem killed. Jesus however had been stealed away by Mary and Joseph to Egypt to escape death. A similar thing happened when Moses was born. Pharoah was having all the male Hebrew babies killed. Moses’ mom hid him and he is found by Pharoah’s daughter in a basket in the river and adopted by her. The Israelites were looking for a deliverer like Moses. Alot of little boys lost their lives in Herod’s attempt to kill the Messiah.

I wonder what the young families in Bethlehem thought about Herod’s massacre of their little boys, especially if they knew who he was looking for? Why did they have to pay for Herod’s jealousy? Alot of people have given their lives for Jesus. But it’s hard to understand why God would allow these little one’s to lose their lives for His cause.

I never really think asking why is the right question to ask. Because in my finite understanding, I don’t think I could be satisfied with the answer. All I know is…God uses tragedy for His glory. Look at the cross.