That Shall Rule My People Israel (Matt 2:1-8)

“And you Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, are not least among the princes of Juda: for out of you shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel (vs6).”

God’s ruler, Jesus Christ the Lord, has been ordained by God and not by men. The people were upset because a King had come. If He had no authority, then His claims are meaningless. But, because He is King with a death sentence attached to His throne, sinners fear. Yet, rather than overthrow the King to YOUR own destruction, why not bow to God’s Son, the Savior of the world, the One that came to redeem?

God’s gospel declares Jesus to be who He is, and if we BELIEVE on Him to be who God declares that He is, then we are saved, which is BETTER than overthrowing Him whom we cannot defeat (Acts 4:27-28). The evil of Herod did nothing but fulfill the scriptures, and the REBELLION of wicked men does nothing but GLORIFY God in using evil for good, showing off His wrath, and making His power known (Rom 9:22-26). He raises up and puts down kings, and how you and I respond to Jesus Christ REVEALS where we are with God, now.

First, wise men still seek the Lord (Matt 2:1). If you want to be saved, then seek after Him who has come. They sought because they were instructed, and they, like ALL who seek the Lord, found Him (Matt 7:7-8).

God reveals Himself in due time, as He has promised, so these men believed what they knew until light showed them more. And, believing the truth of the gospel is seeking the Lord and waiting on evidences of faith. God says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord”, shall put their confidence in Christ as why God will save, “shall be saved” (Rom 10:9). Seek Him & find out for yourself that He is faithful.

Secondly, those who are drawn by God come to worship the Lord Jesus (vs2). They seek Him in His glory, as revealed. They seek Him by the revelation of God in the scripture. Someone says, “God is saving the elect”, and then he inquires if he can be one of these chosen people. He doesn’t inquire to change God’s plan or find a way out of it; he comes for the truth, gets the truth, and by the truth, the VILEST offender is saved (Rom 10:10).

I can’t BELIEVE for you, but BELIEVING is all that you and I must do. We don’t look inwardly and say, “Yes, I see the gospel is real”, but we BELIEVE the gospel independent of ourselves, and by BELIEVING, we have the RICHES the gospel declares.

I don’t believe I’m saved because I live like it, but because He says, “He that believes on the Son has everlasting life”, and then I live like it, BY faith (John 3:36).

Thirdly, we are falsely troubled – “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (vs3). We are troubled because we don’t believe His goodness, but this King SAVES the sinner. It would be trouble if He came to pay us according to what we deserve and to punish us for sins, but He comes saying, “I have drunk God’s wrath away, taking away the sins of my elect”. If we will but BELIEVE on the Son of God, then rather than CONDEMNATION, the Son has BLESSING for us (Luke 9:56). Be blessed by doing nothing to improve yourself, but see how great He is, rely on His love, and then experience the King’s power to DELIVER you, rather than destroy. He will use His power for your good, even revealing that He’s ruled your evil for your salvation, rather than destruction… that He HUMBLED you in love, rather than hate. He REVEALED you’re evil to BLESS you by grace, rather than to pay you your just desserts.

Fourthly, if we will not receive Christ, then Christ will not reveal Himself to us (vs4-5, 12). We cannot believe an unrevealed Christ, and refusing His love, means that we trust a false christ who can never save to our own destruction.

God won’t change to save you. You and I will be saved on His terms, or there is nothing but wrath. Herod could have sought to worship the King, but since he sought evil, God hid the King from him, allowed him to murder and hate, and shall punish him in hell.