Matthew 2:16–23
16Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
And she refused to be comforted,
Because they were no more.”
19But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20“Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Focused Thinking:
What causes someone to become enraged?
Rage typically comes from fear.
What was Herod afraid of?
Herod was afraid of losing his position as King to a Jewish-born King.
Herod was fearful of a Jewish uprising if there was a Jewish Messiah.
What did Herod do to protect himself and his position as King?
He ordered for all the male children two years and younger in Bethlehem and that vicinity to be killed.
What kind of person can issue such an order?
What happens to people without a prophet for 400 years?
What happens to people without the salt and light of God’s people?
What happens to people without the presence of the church?
What happens to people without the presence of the Holy Spirit?
What was the condition of Herod’s heart?
Herod was had the position, prestige, power and pleasure in the world but he didn’t have peace.
Herod must have been a lonely man. I’m sure he had many servants and soldiers around him but few friends.
What happens to someone’s heart when you cause that much pain for that many families?
How do you live with yourself when you are that evil?
When you create enemies, you have to keep focusing on becoming more powerful in order to stay in power.
Herod’s decree of murder fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah:
A voice was heard in Ramah,
Weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
And she refused to be comforted,
Because they were no more.
Personal Application:
What voices do we hear crying today?
Where is weeping and great mourning occurring today?
We hear the cry of the unborn.
The way of the world is death.
The way of the thief is steal, kill and destroy.
The way of the devil is death; the way of God is life.
Apart from the God’s love, we are people of self-destruction.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, please forgive this country for the death of the unborn. Father, forgive the women who’ve had abortions. Draw those women to Yourself and save them. Heal the wounds of these women and raise them up as an army to fight for the unborn. Give us the ability as a church to be source of healing for women and a source of equipping to help these women minister to others through their forgiveness and healing. Father, show us the best and most effective ways to fight for life. Father, anoint our church and give us the ability to truly make a difference.
Personal Application:
What other cries do we hear?
We hear the cries of the people being murdered by Muslims.
- Show us the best and most effective way to get the message out.
- This is a spiritual war more than it is a political war.
- The church must wake up and speak up.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, these cries are so enormous that I don’t know where to start in order to fight the battle. Give me the ability to lead our church to be soldiers of love instead of consumers of love. Show us how to fight the battle but to fight the battle the way You want the battle fought. Father, the cries are too great for it to be entertained in church every Sunday and act like nothing is wrong. Father, there must be more to our faith than minimizing problems and pain in our own lives. Father, give me the ability to change our paradigm of our thinking. Cause Your Holy Spirit to blow through our church. Give me the courage to be a prophet. Give me the strength to be an uncompromising prophet. I think our church needs prophets today. What will happen if we don’t stand up? Father, do a radical work in me, in our team and in our church to rise up and be difference-makers. The problems of the world are too great for us to focus on problems of not having enough luxury and happiness. We aren’t living in reality. We are so distorted in our understanding of the world. I’m tired of living for success and popularity; I want to be like Jesus. God, make that true of our people. Anoint me in a supernatural way to bring about revival in our people.
Personal Application:
What other cries do we hear?
We hear the cries of divorce.
We hear the cries of single parents and their children.
We hear the cries of the African American community.
We hear the cries of alcohol and drugs.
Interactive Prayer:
Father, it is overwhelming to think about the magnitude of sin and the effects of sin upon people. It is overwhelming to think about the compounding effects of sin in people’s lives and their families. Father, please change me. I need more of You in me to lead our church to penetrate the darkness. Father, kill the selfishness in me that wants everything the world wants. Father, make me a Navy Seal soldier for You. Give me the ability to discipline myself for the purpose of godliness. Father, give me the prayer life, the commitment to the Word and the vision to lead our church to defeat sin and death through the power of the resurrection. Give me the power of the resurrection in my life, in my teaching and in and through Highpoint.
Leave a Reply