Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Tuesday, December 9, Matthew 2:16

"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."

There are some interesting prophecies concerning the Messiah that have unique fulfillments. This is one of them. The passage is called a "fulfillment" of Jeremiah 31:15, as at that time the children of Judah were to be slaughtered by Babylon. Many think that here Christ is serving as the representative of Israel, and in His birth kind of "reenacting" the suffering and flight from Egypt as well.

As the wicked Pharaoh tried to destroy the Deliverer Moses in Exodus, so Herod tried to destroy the Deliver Jesus. He was "called out of Egypt", spending years away until he encountered the "burning bush". Then he, as the representative of God, called the rest of Israel out of Egypt, as God displayed His power over every "god" and brought them to the Land promised to Abraham many centuries before.

As the representative of Israel years later, He "fulfilled all righteousness" by being "baptized unto repentance" by John. He had no need, and John knew this, but Christ, representing Israel, was to take upon Him the sins of the people. And in that great picture we saw the Trinity before the whole world in one blessed moment: the Spirit descending "like a dove", and the voice of the Father from heaven saying: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." (Mt 4:17)

We have a sad carol representing this awful terror of Herod called "The Coventry Carol". I left a link to one of my favorite versions sung by Maddy Prior from her "Tapestry of Carols" cd. I think she aptly presents the angst and deep sorrow of the message, the way I think it should be sung.

The world has hated Christ and tries to destroy His messengers whenever they can crawl out of their wicked holes and corrupt a government enough to have this awful freedom. There are Christians being arrested in this country even now for simply holding true to the principles of the Bible, and we've seen the wholesale slaughter the world has been ignoring in Nigeria.

In many countries there is a systematic slaughter of Christians. Many of these countries had been once Christian and taken over centuries ago by ruthless invaders who now claim the land they stole as their own.

Herod didn't care who he killed. He figured that if he killed them all, he'd get the One who would be Messiah.

This passage is also titled in many Bibles "the slaughter of the innocents". The bottom line of the devil is always to kill those made in the image of God. We in America may claim to be righteous, but have killed more innocents than nearly every country in the world, by deceiving the foolish to slaughter their very own children before they leave the womb.

I hope you take the time to listen to that link, and pray for those who are being slaughtered by wicked men and women, possessed by the devil to blaspheme God by killing those in His image.

Jesus bore the suffering of His people, and then called a people to Himself "out of Egypt", so to speak. And He may be calling you today!

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

*ESV used unless noted*

Memory Helps:

"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."

Breaking this long verse into four smaller lines is one way to "divide and conquer" it.

You can look at the "actors" within first to get your bearings: Herod/Wise Men/Male Children/Two years old or under/Wise Men.

From there you can use them as "anchors" and fill the verse around them.

There are three "HE's" you can see as well to augment your focus:

"HE HAD BEEN TRICKED"

"HE SENT AND KILLED"

HE HAD ASCERTAINED".

Taking the few minutes needed to do this really helps in memorizing the whole passage.

Now, to link the verses and numbers:

I use a large "wrestling mat" for "MATthew", where all the "memory action" will take place.

This one is brand "NEW" still with its price tag on it, which, if you followed yesterday's helps you would know. Finally, as my "memory character" for verses 16, I always use "DaSH", that speedy little character in "The Incredibles". So, while wicked Herod is chasing all the kids, he has no chance getting little "DaSH", running around and around in breakneck speed, driving the wicked soldiers crazy. That way you can link this verse to Matthew 2:16.