“When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.”
Matthew 2:3 NIV
You’ve likely heard the phrase, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” In this case we can say, “If Herod ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” For Herod, Jesus’ birth was not cause for celebration. He was ‘deeply troubled.’ The Greek word here is tarasso, which literally means ‘agitated’ like waves in a storm.
Herod’s disquietude quickly seeped from his throne into the palace, then spread throughout the city. Thus ensued a time of brutish tension, royal rage, and blood-stained streets.
How striking the contrast between Herod, a choleric despot inflicting death, versus Jesus, our Deliverer, come to impart life. The former instilling fear, the later instilling hope. One king greedy for power whereas Jesus relinquished his power to share in our brokenness and suffering. Who, “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Ephesians 2:6-8, ESV).
Follow the star to a place unexpected
Would you believe, after all we’ve projected
A child in a manger?
Lowly and small, the weakest of all
Unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother’s shawl
Just a child
Is this who we’ve waited for?
How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me.
“How many Kings,” Song by Downhere, Songwriters: Jason Ronald William Germain / Marc A. Martel
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for surrendering everything, for coming to our world, not as a powerful leader but as a vulnerable baby. You came, not to condemn us to death, but to die in our place so we would be spared eternal separation from God. One day, you will return, not quietly, not mildly, but as our rightful King and Savior. On that day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that you are LORD. Until then, we offer you our reverence and praise. Amen.