Pray the word with David Platt is a resource from radical.net.

Matthew chapter 2 verse 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.

You know, amidst these first couple of chapters in Matthew, there's obviously so much

glorious truth that we are drawn to the

genealogy in chapter one that leads up this recap of the Old Testament that leads up to

Jesus being from the line of Abraham, from the line of David.

And then we hear the story about Mary and Joseph and how God miraculously provided a son for them through Mary in a way that Joseph was at first afraid but then comforted by God and we learned

that his name will be Jesus Emmanuel God with us. Chapter 2, Jesus is born, wise men come and worship him. There's so many great things

we celebrate at Christmas. I think if we're not careful or tempted to miss the horror of verse 16

Herod sins for all the male children in Bethlehem who are under two years old to be killed.

What a evil picture!

What an evil act.

What a horrifying event. Can you imagine?

Is somebody coming through your neighborhood, your city, and all of a sudden every precious child two years

older, younger, is taken and slaughtered killed.

See the picture here from the very first moment Jesus came to the earth, this world of evil has not been a safe place for children.

And we see this today, we look around, we see war, when we see poverty, when we see oppression. Oftentimes it's children that are the most victimized.

And it's into this world of evil that Jesus stepped to bring salvation.

It's into this world of evil that Jesus stepped to promise, coming justice, mercy.

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