Infants Slaughtered—Again

The entire nation is struggling with the news of the murder of 20 little children and several adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. This was the 18th mass murder event in 2012.  See Joel C. Rosenberg's blog for more disturbing statistics.

In eleven days from this posting the Christian church will celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents, December 28. This bitter-sweet feast remembers King Herod's order to slaughter all the male children in Bethlehem two years old and under (Matt. 2:16-18). Matthew tells us that this was a fulfillment of a prophecy by Jeremiah (Jer. 31:15).

"A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more." - Mat 2:18 ESV

In typical fashion Herod attempted to eliminate yet another threat to his rule as king of the Jews. When the wise men from the East fled the country without telling him where to find the baby born two years earlier according to the prophecy about the coming of the Messiah, he decided to make sure the child did not grow up to challenge him. So he ordered the murder of all male children two years old and under. This is not surprising since Herod put to death several of his own children and some of his wives. Emperor Augustus reportedly said it was better to be Herod's sow than his son, for his sow had a better chance of surviving in a Jewish community that did not eat pork (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 1985).

The Massacre of the Innocents - by Daniele da VOLTERRA - from Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

How many did Herod murder? There were maybe 600 people in this little village five miles or so down the road from Jerusalem. So how many male children two and under would there be in such a town? 15, 20, 30 at most. Regardless of the number, these were little boys who did nothing to deserve death and yet they were killed—by order of the governing authorities. Why? How could God permit such violence? On top of those questions is the note from Matthew that this was prophesied hundreds of years earlier.

How do we Christians make sense of all this violence, evil and blood? There are a couple important points to make at the outset.

• The murder of innocent babies is a common event in the United States. As a nation we have chosen to ignore it and call it by other names. I speak about the legal murder of over 1.2 million innocents through abortion, babies murdered by their own mothers. This is murder approved by the decision of the highest court in our land. 

• Further, the FBI reports more than 15,000 murder or non-negligent manslaughter cases annually in the U.S.A. Aggravated assault cases often reach above 800,000. We live in a violent society. 

• All this suggests that we ought not be surprised at what happened in Connecticut, though we quite naturally are. 

We pray for those grieving families in Connecticut, together with their relatives and friends throughout the United States. We pray that they be helped to work through their grief and loss and ultimately move beyond it. There is much to be done to help them through counseling and spiritual guidance. We must also pray for those who provide such that they have wisdom, understanding and patience. One or the other of us who read these words may be directly involved. 

Beyond this, the church, the body of Christ in this world, recognizes that Christmas is so much more than the mere singing of happy songs, sharing gifts and the spouting of empty greetings. In this happy season the slaughter of innocents reminds us of why the Christ Child came. He came to carry in His own body our sin and the rebellion, violence, grief and pain that flows from it. He came to become one with us and carry the ultimate eternal punishment for our sin in His own violent death on the cross of Calvary. If it seems as if God the Father does not hear our cries of pain and loss, then we do well to remember Jesus' cries for us upon that cross, "My God why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). 

In the midst of the evil, suffering, sorrow and loss we have a God who has not forsaken us. He will not. Instead He has come to be one with us. In Christ we look above and beyond to His return in glory to make all things new. In that Day all will be made whole and peace will finally come to all mankind. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of that day. He invites us to join him in faith.  

"Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.' For the LORD has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more. - Jer 31:10-12 ESV