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THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INFANTS
WHILST ungodly men are perpetrating every species of wickedness, the language of their hearts, as interpreted by God himself, is this: “The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth [Note: Eze_8:12; Eze_9:9.].” A similar thought is apt to arise in the heart, when our trials are multiplied, and relief is not speedily afforded us. It was in this way that the Israelites at Massah, when destitute of water, vented their murmurs: this was their atheistical inquiry; “Is the Lord amongst us or not [Note: Exo_7:7.]?” Even godly persons, under violent temptation, are sometimes ready to ask, “Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies [Note: Psa_77:9.]?” But a diligent attention to the Scriptures will fortify us against any such absurd conclusions. From them we shall learn, that however inattentive God may appear to be to the concerns of men, he directs, limits, and overrules all their actions, for the promotion of his own glory. Scarcely on any occasion should we have expected his interposition, more than for the prevention of that murderous edict, whereby all the infants of Bethlehem and the adjacent country were destroyed. Yet God saw fit to permit it; and interfered no further than was necessary for the fulfilling of his own word, and the accomplishing of his own eternal purpose.
Let us contemplate,
I. The fact recorded—
A more strange occurrence can scarcely be conceived. We wonder that any human being should be invested with such power, as to cause, by his own arbitrary mandate, the slaughter of so many innocent persons. We wonder still more, that, supposing this authority to be delegated to any one, there should be found agents to carry such an inhuman edict into execution. But most of all do we wonder, that a creature endued with reason should be capable of issuing such an order as Herod did on this occasion. But let us trace this action to its source: let us inquire into the principle from which this unparalleled barbarity proceeded—
[The murderous purpose originated in jealousy. Herod possibly had heard of the birth of Jesus, previous to the arrival of the Wise Men: but that was the circumstance which put him upon making inquiries into the pretensions of this newborn infant. From them he learned, that a star or meteor had appeared to them in the East, and that they, either from revelation or from the traditionary prophecy of Balaam, had been led to interpret the appearance of that star as an intimation, that He who was to reign over the Jews was now born into the world. He was also informed by them, that they had come on purpose to pay him the homage which was due to such an exalted character. Upon this, Herod summoned all the chief priests and scribes, that he might learn from them what the prophets had declared respecting the place of their Messiah’s nativity: and on understanding that Bethlehem was the place destined to that honour, he sent the Wise Men thither, and ordered them, when they had found the child, to come and give him information respecting him. This order he grounded upon a pretended desire to honour Christ; but with a secret determination to destroy him: for he concluded, that Christ was to have a temporal dominion; and that, if suffered to live, he would wrest the kingdom out of his hands. But such a rival he could not endure: and hence arose the secret purpose to destroy him.
But though jealousy first prompted him to form the murderous purpose, with respect to his supposed rival, it was offended pride that caused it to be extended to all the children around Bethlehem. The Wise Men, being warned by God of Herod’s purpose, returned no more to him: at this Herod was indignant: he conceived himself slighted and despised; but he was determined not to be disappointed of his desire; and therefore, to secure his object, he gave order’s that all infants near the age of Jesus, and within the neighbourhood of the place where he was born, should be massacred without distinction.
What an amazing ascendant must these principles have over the heart of man! Well may it be said, that “jealousy is cruel as the grave [Note: Son_8:6.]:” nor indeed is pride less cruel, when its wounded feelings have scope for exercise. This we see in the two sons of Jacob, who, on account of their sister having been defiled by the Prince of Shechem, slew every male in the city: and, when reproved for their cruelty, they shewed, in their vindication of themselves, from whence that cruelty had proceeded: “Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot [Note: Gen_34:31.]?;”
Happy would it have been for the world, if such dispositions and conduct had been altogether banished by the Gospel of Christ: but the human heart is the same in every age and place: we still see that the love of power is a predominant principle in the mind of man; that where it is suffered to gain an ascendency, it will leave no means untried for the accomplishment of its ends; and that, if the more lenient methods of deceit and treachery will not succeed, it will wade through seas of blood to the attainment of its object: the cries of thousands and tens of thousands will not divert it from its purpose: nor will any thing but the utter extinction of a rival satisfy its blood-thirsty appetite [Note: Written in Feb. 1809, when the British army had been forced to leave Spain under the merciless dominion of Buonaparte.].
We must not however forget, that the same evil principles are in our own hearts: and, if we will only call to mind the irritation which we have felt on some particular occasions, we shall see reason to be thankful to God, who has kept us from carrying into execution all that our offended pride might have prompted us to effect.]
Before we proceed to make any practical remarks upon this fact, it will be proper to notice,
II. The prophecy accomplished by it—
The New Testament writers sometimes appeal to the prophecies of the Old Testament, as direct proofs of what they assert, and sometimes in a more lax way of accommodation only. It is in this latter way, we apprehend, that the prophecy before us is adduced [Note: Jer_31:15-17.]? In its primary meaning, it represented the Jews as collected at Rama, for the purpose of being carried into captivity to Babylon [Note: Jer_40:1.]; and Rachel (who had about eleven hundred years before been buried near that place [Note: Gen_35:19.]) as weeping over the disconsolate state of her posterity. The Evangelist beautifully applies the same figure to the slaughter of the children which took place at Bethlehem, which also was near to Rachel’s tomb; and, in this view, he speaks of the prophecy as again accomplished. This he might well do: for who can conceive the distress which that event occasioned?
[The murderous bands could not stop to see, whether, in every instance, the wounds they had inflicted had actually destroyed life: they must proceed rapidly in their work, lest any of the children should be carried off or concealed: and what anguish must the cries of so many children, (probably some thousands,) writhing in the agonies of death, in agonies protracted by the kind solicitude of their parents, have produced in the bosoms of their bereaved mothers! No language can paint, no imagination conceive, the horrors of that day. We may use the terms, “lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning;” but we cannot affix to them any adequate ideas, or realize, in any just degree, that awful scene — — —]
We cannot but see from hence,
1. How early our Lord’s sufferings began—
[Scarcely was he born, before his life was sought, and he was forced to be carried an exile to the country which of all others had been most hostile to his progenitors. And, after the death of Herod, he was forced, for his security, to take up his abode in a town which fixed a stigma upon him to his latest hour [Note: Joh_1:46; Joh_7:52.]. These were, indeed, only “the beginnings of his sorrows:” but they may well reconcile his followers to any privations or reproaches which they may be called to endure for his sake. If for us he became “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,” let us cheerfully bear our cross for him, and willingly “suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together” — — —]
2. How vain are any attempts of man to counteract the designs of God—
[Herod foolishly thought to defeat the purposes of heaven; but “God held him in derision, and laughed him to scorn [Note: Psa_2:1-6.].” God knew his murderous plans, and warned the parents of our Lord to escape his fury; yea, and provided too for their journey and support in Egypt, by the offerings which the Wise Men had just before presented to the new-born King. Herod, to secure his purpose, ordered, not the children of Bethlehem only, but of all the neighbouring country; and not of one year old only, but all under two years old, to be massacred: but his attempts were vain; and instead of frustrating the designs of Heaven, he unwittingly fulfilled them; occasioning, by this very act, no less than three prophecies to be accomplished [Note: ver. 15, 17, 23. He still further confirmed the Messiahship of Jesus, by leading all the Jewish Sanhedrim to declare, that Bethlehem was to be the place of his nativity, ver. 4–6.]. Thus it is with all who set themselves against God: they may shew their malignity, but they cannot counteract his gracious designs. “Many are the devices in men’s hearts; nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand [Note: Pro_19:21.].” “The wrath of man ‘as far as it is permitted to be exercised’ shall praise him; and the remainder of that wrath shall he restrain [Note: Psa_76:10.].” We never need, therefore, to be afraid of man; for, if we commit our way unto the Lord, “he will be our shield and buckler;” and, “if He be for us,” we may triumphantly ask, “Who can be against us [Note: Rom_8:31.]?”]
3. How certainly will there be a day of future retribution—
[Can it be, that such an inhuman monster should never meet with any just recompence for his deeds? The mind revolts at the idea. If there be a God that governs the world, there must be a period when the present inequalities of his government shall be done away, and the equity of his dispensations be made apparent. Hence the day of judgment is in Scripture called, “The day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God [Note: Rom_2:5.]:” and we are told, that “it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble us: and to us who are troubled, rest [Note: 2Th_1:6-7.].” Let us then act in reference to that day: whether exalted and at ease, or depressed and persecuted, let us look to that day, when our happiness or misery shall be for ever fixed. Let us dread prosperity, if it divert our attention from a future state; and let us welcome adversity, if it be the means of bringing us nearer unto God. The infants now have no cause to regret that they were called to such early martyrdom: and it is highly probable, that many of their parents have since found reason to give thanks to God for the weight of sorrow that then oppressed them. But the proud oppressor,— who can reflect on his state without shuddering? how will he feel, when he shall stand at the tribunal of that very Jesus, whom, with such hypocrisy and cruelty, he laboured to destroy? O that, whenever tempted to sin, we may think of the account which we must one day give; and, whenever called to suffer, may “look with Moses to the recompence of the reward!”]