WEBVTT 00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:04.959 Matthew chapter 2, verses 1 through 11 is where we'll be this morning. 00:00:05.040 --> 00:00:07.440 Let me read them for us. 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:20.160 Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:25.199 For we saw his star when it rose, and have come to worship him. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:34.880 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him, and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:39.600 And they told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet. 00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:49.439 And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for you shall from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:59.200 When Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared, he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child. 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:04.560 When you have found him, bring me word, so that I too may come and worship him. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:07.920 And after listening to the king, they went on their own way. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:14.319 And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:19.359 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:22.879 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary, his mother. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:24.640 They fell down and worshipped him. 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:31.519 Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:37.200 This Sunday marks our first Sunday of the celebration of Advent. 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:45.359 Advent is the time leading up to Christmas where we structure our worship around the coming person of Jesus Christ. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:02:00.799 His second coming, we look forward to that, but we also look backwards as we go through the story of his first appearance on earth with the anticipation that the early believers had, the anticipation of meeting the Savior who was to be born. 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:09.039 There was so much anticipation wrapped up in Advent because there are so many prophecies in the Old Testament pointing forward to the Savior. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:23.280 A faithful Jew in the Old Testament era would have longed for the Savior, would have longed for the seed of Abraham who would finally crush the head of the serpent, would have longed for the seed of David to reign over the world through Israel. 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:28.719 They would have longed for the suffering servant of Isaiah who would come and take their sins upon himself. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:32.240 That was the hope in every believer's heart. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:37.520 And so there was an eager anticipation in which Christ entered into when he came. 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:40.639 Now, of course, that anticipation was not shared by most of the world. 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:42.879 Most of the world had closed hearts. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:48.800 They were either ignorant of the coming Savior or their hearts were closed to them, as we will see this morning. 00:02:49.199 --> 00:02:59.199 But for those who had faith in God and in his word, their faith was ultimately residing in the advent of a Savior who would take away their sins. 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:03.759 Because this is the overarching and thorough testimony of the Old Testament. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:08.159 So many prophecies in the Old Testament point forward to the Savior. 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:10.479 And Jesus fulfilled all of them. 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:16.960 And so as we read in Matthew chapter 1 from last year at Christmas, we went through many of the prophecies that were fulfilled there. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:18.560 There are even more in chapter 2. 00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:21.199 And I just want to draw your attention to three of them. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:28.479 There's so many we could look at in the passage we just read, but I want to draw your attention to three of them this morning before we make our way through the passage as a whole. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:36.639 There's three particular prophecies in this passage that uh should be drawn out in your minds as we study the words in Matthew chapter two. 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:43.120 The first is a prophecy that was given specifically for the Jews, that the Savior would come and be born in Bethlehem. 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:47.680 This is the prophecy described in Micah chapter 5, verse 2. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:04:03.520 But you, O Bethlehem, of Ephratha, you who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth, from me, one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:05.680 That's Micah chapter 5, verse 2. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:10.639 What Micah 5 is highlighting is that the Savior will be born in Bethlehem. 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:12.800 Bethlehem is not its own tribe. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:15.919 It's, you know, today it's a suburb of Jerusalem. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:19.279 It's a suburb that is under control of the Palestinian Authority. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:24.000 You have to go through a checkpoint and behind the wall, and you're in Palestinian-controlled territory. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:28.959 There's a big warning sign that says no, no Hebrew or no Israeli can go here. 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.120 You risk being shot on site. 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:32.959 This big massive sign you walk through. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:34.639 It's right next to Jerusalem, though. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:41.360 Jerusalem has pretty much grown around Bethlehem, just separated by the big wall there. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:44.240 It is only a few miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:49.680 At the modern, uh, the brand new American embassy in Jerusalem that just opened a few years ago. 00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:57.360 You can stand on the front steps of that, and you can look left and you can see the temple mount, and you can look right and you can see the hills of Bethlehem. 00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:59.360 You could walk it very easily. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:00.480 That's Bethlehem. 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:02.319 It's right outside of Jerusalem. 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:04.480 It is not a substantial city. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:09.519 It's the outskirts, it's a place where in the Old Testament shepherds dwelt. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:17.120 And shepherds dwelt there because there were hills for the sheep and there was water there, but also because you can't bring a flock of sheep into Jerusalem. 00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:20.800 You can't, you know, some of you won't drive a big pickup truck through D.C. 00:05:21.040 --> 00:05:24.399 Imagine trying to navigate a bunch of sheep through the streets of Jerusalem. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:26.720 It is not very manageable. 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:32.560 And so the shepherds and their sheep would stay in Bethlehem, and uh, and that's just what it was known for. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:35.040 David, of course, was born in Bethlehem. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:37.040 King David was from there. 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:41.680 That is its claim to fame, so to speak, is its connection to Bethlehem. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:46.959 Ruth is going to end up settling there, marrying somebody from that area. 00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:49.759 Now, of course, these are in the line of the Savior. 00:05:49.839 --> 00:05:53.759 And so Micah chapter 5, verse 2 tells you the Savior will be born in Bethlehem. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:55.680 It is so small and it is so tiny. 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:58.000 Nevertheless, the Savior's coming there. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:05.360 Now, the prophecy, as Matthew records it in Matthew 2, verse 6, just kind of stops in the middle of Matthew 5, verse 2. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:06.800 But I think it is important. 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:10.720 This just to draw your eyes towards the rest of Micah 5, verse 2. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:11.759 It's on the screen for you. 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:13.279 The Savior will be born in Israel. 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:20.560 He'll be the ruler, he'll be born in Bethlehem, and his coming forth is from of old, from ancient of days. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:28.879 In other words, it's drawing attention to the fact that he will be born, he'll have a beginning in Bethlehem, but that's not his real beginning. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:35.600 Even the Old Testament understood in these prophecies in a veiled way, understood the eternality of the Savior. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:39.120 For you, your story began when you were born. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:41.680 Your story began in your mother's womb. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:44.480 But that's not where Jesus' story began. 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:49.439 His human nature begins in his mother's womb, but his coming forth is of eternity. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:57.680 It says of ancient days in Micah 5, verse 2, perhaps a reference to Daniel's terminology for the Savior, who will be the ancient of days. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:05.519 It's a way of highlighting the eternality of the second person of God, the second person eternity, the eternal Son of God. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:07.759 He is the eternal image of God. 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:13.120 And his coming forth, and in the New Testament, it just uses the word begotten for that. 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.680 His begottenness is from eternity past. 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:19.120 Jesus uses the same phrase to describe himself. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:21.759 In John chapter 3, verse 16. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:26.800 For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:29.519 The begottenness of Jesus is eternal. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:33.360 He is the Son without a beginning, because the Father is eternal. 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:36.240 This is in the very prophecy of the birth of Christ. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:46.399 So understand, when the Old Testament speaks of the birth of the Savior, it does so without compromising or minimizing that the Savior will also be God. 00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:51.279 Now the Old Testament saints, I don't think, understood how those two lined up. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:56.240 How could the Savior be David's descendant and David's Lord? 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:00.240 How could the Savior be born in Bethlehem, but also be from eternity? 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:10.639 Nevertheless, the Old Testament teaches them both, and they're wrapped up here in this very scripture prophecy that is fulfilled in Matthew chapter 2, verse 6, from Micah 5, verse 2. 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:21.360 Well, this is a prophecy given specifically to the Jews who would know about Bethlehem and know how significant it is that he is going to be born, the Savior will be born in the very same place that David was born. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.759 But that's not the only prophecy in Matthew 2. 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:28.399 The second one comes from 2 Samuel chapter 5, 2 Samuel chapter 5. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:31.680 Now I want you to turn all the way over there to 2 Samuel 5. 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:32.720 I'm not going to put on the screen. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:39.120 I'll have you flip back in your Bibles to 2 Samuel 5, going all the way back. 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:45.679 And if you're not familiar with 2 Samuel 5, Saul, who is the king, the first king of Israel, has died. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:51.600 Saul reigned over the 12 tribes, but it was a complicated and convoluted relationship. 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:53.919 Saul has died and has been replaced with David. 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:57.200 But David did not reign over the 12 tribes initially. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:01.360 Initially, David only reigned over Judah and Benjamin. 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:08.720 Judah, which is where Jerusalem and Bethlehem are and Benjamin from that area who sought refuge and protection from the tribe of Judah. 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:13.200 The other ten tribes did not acknowledge David initially. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:16.159 They were looking for an heir from Saul. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:28.799 However, by 2 Samuel 5, those other ten tribes had come to their senses and had recognized the Davidic authority that David would be on the throne over all twelve tribes. 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:31.200 You see this in 2 Samuel 5, verse 1. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:40.240 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and that's where David used to reign before Jerusalem, and said, Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:43.759 So they're highlighting the unity of the twelve tribes, which is unusual. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:47.519 Until this point, they'd been highlighting their diversity, their separateness. 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:52.320 But now in their speech to David, they're recognizing that David will bind them together. 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.200 They are all from his same family. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:56.879 They're all Israelites. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:03.360 In times past, when Saul was king over us, and this is the words of the 12 tribes, they're talking here as one voice. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:06.879 It's the tribes, these other ten specifically, that are talking about this. 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:11.279 When Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:14.799 In other words, David was the main soldier even under Saul's kingship. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:18.799 It was David that protected Israel, not Saul, and they recognized that. 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:29.039 And then Yahweh said to you in the middle of verse 2, you shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:39.279 And when all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before Yahweh, they anointed David king over Israel. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:43.200 You can flip back to Matthew chapter 2 now. 00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:54.799 That prophecy, 2 Samuel 5, verse 2, says that in that day they all united behind David, and David would be a shepherd of Israel. 00:10:55.840 --> 00:11:07.679 Now notice in Matthew 2, verse 6, that the scribes and the Pharisees, the ones who are citing this in verse 6, are saying that this is fulfilled with the birth of the Savior. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:12.879 They treated this as a prophecy of the coming Savior. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:21.519 So they knew from Micah 5, the Savior will be born in Bethlehem, and they explained why that was, because the Savior would be a shepherd. 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:22.240 They knew that. 00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:29.279 It would be a bit embarrassing to explain that your Savior is going to be born in some, you know, remote, insignificant place. 00:11:29.759 --> 00:11:33.759 A lot of the significance where you were in society came from where you were born. 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:40.960 And so for the Jews to explain that their Savior was born in some nowhere place like Bethlehem, it required an explanation. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:44.399 And the explanation is, of course, he would be born in Bethlehem. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:47.440 He is going to be a shepherd. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:49.519 That's why the Savior is born in Bethlehem. 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:52.000 He'll be a shepherd, of course. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:12:05.120 So if Micah 5 was a prophecy to the Jews, 2 Samuel 5, verse 2 is a prophecy in many ways to the church that we recognize that our Savior, Jesus Christ, is the shepherd of our souls. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:06.159 He cares for us. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:08.480 He's not merely a religious figure. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:10.159 He's not merely a teacher. 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:16.080 He's, in a sense, more than all that. 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:18.960 He is all that, but he is also our shepherd. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:20.799 He cares for us. 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:24.000 And this was a prophecy from the Old Testament. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:28.639 The third prophecy that's wrapped up here in Matthew chapter 2 is that of the stars. 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:32.159 And to understand this one, you have to remember who Balaam was. 00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:36.799 Remember Balaam, he was the false prophet back in the wilderness wanderings of Israel. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:39.919 Israel was out wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:42.000 They tangled with the nations around them. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:49.919 Balak, who's one of the kings of the nations around them, wanted to hire a false prophet to prophesy doom against Israel. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:53.279 Just notice the irony of false religion right here. 00:12:53.519 --> 00:13:07.919 You're looking at a group of people that are being led to deliverance because of their God, and you say, their God is too strong for us, so let me hire a false prophet to prophesy doom, and that'll be their downfall. 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:16.559 Balaam goes out to prophesy doom against Israel. 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:25.840 But if you remember the story, he gets up on the hill and he looks at Israel and he feels in his bones and his heart of hearts that God is actually blessing Israel. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:31.440 So instead of cursing Israel, Balaam turns around and blesses them and pockets his money. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:36.960 Well, the people who were paying for this prophecy were not cool with that. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.639 Remember, they said, We paid you to curse them, and you turn around and bless them. 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:44.000 And Balaam says, Well, it's because of the angle I have up here on this hill. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:45.279 They look like a blessed people. 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:50.080 Maybe if I went to a different hill, I would see them in a different light, and then I could curse them. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:52.639 So pay me again and take me to a different hill. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:54.080 And they did. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.039 And he blesses them a second time. 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:00.480 He's like, let's try one more side then. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:03.200 And they pay him three times. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.519 And you think, how in the world did they pay him three times? 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:10.000 And then you remember that's the nature of false religion. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:12.559 False religion is very good at getting your money. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:15.039 And so he goes to a third side. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:23.759 And he stands up on the hill on the third side and he goes to prophesy their doom and destruction, and he opens his mouth, and out comes a prophecy about the Savior. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:25.759 Let me put it on the screen for you. 00:14:26.000 --> 00:14:28.559 It's Numbers 24, verse 17. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:33.519 I see him, Balaam says, speaking of the Savior, but not now. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:39.919 So Balaam's looking at the masses of the Israelites in the wilderness, and he says, I see the Savior, only he's not there yet. 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:42.879 I behold him, but he's not near. 00:14:43.200 --> 00:14:45.519 In other words, we still got time for him. 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:52.960 You'll know he gets there when Balaam says, A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel. 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.840 It shall crush the forehead of Moab. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:58.240 It shall break down all the sons of Shef. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:00.879 Edom shall be dispossessed. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:04.480 This is the prophecy that Balaam gives. 00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:07.279 That you'll know the Savior is near. 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:11.440 You know he's in Israel when the star appears out of Jacob. 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:14.399 That will be the identifying mark that the Savior is there. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:18.639 And then a scepter will come and rule over the people of Israel. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:22.240 And you'll know that will happen when Edom gets dispossessed. 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:27.120 Now we're going to talk about the people we meet in Matthew chapter 2 in a second. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:31.120 But one person that you're familiar with, we read it earlier, is King Herod. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:33.759 The word king being used ironically there, Herod. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:35.679 Herod was an Edomite. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:44.240 He was the ruler of Israel under the Roman Empire, under this era of the Roman Empire, and he was from the nation or the family group of Edom. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:56.720 So Balaam's prophecy was that a star would come to Israel to indicate the arrival of the Savior, and when the star came, the Edomites would lose their power. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:58.960 They would be dispossessed as the word. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:02.639 Whatever power they had in Israel would be taken away from them. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:09.759 And of course, Herod, being an Edomite ruling over Israel, would pay particular attention to that prophecy. 00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:11.759 So here's three prophecies we've looked at. 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:13.200 Three Old Testament prophecies. 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:15.440 There's 400 years between each of these three, by the way. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:26.399 Between the star and Micah and Micah and going back to 2 Samuel's another 400 years, and between 2 Samuel and the wilderness wanderings, another 400 years. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:30.399 So you've got over 1,200 years here in this story. 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:38.159 Three prophecies from three different massive time periods, all fulfilled in one event. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:42.399 This is a powerful argument for the truthfulness of scripture, isn't it? 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:45.519 One person can't fulfill intentionally these events. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:51.679 I've heard people say Jesus, the reason Jesus fulfilled so much scripture is he intentionally set out to fulfill scripture. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:54.080 These prophecies? 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:57.120 He controlled what city he was born in? 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:58.080 How? 00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.600 Unless he's God. 00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:04.160 Or maybe he just found out he was born in Bethlehem, so he chose to claim the mantle of Savior. 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:06.880 Okay, and that made him a shepherd of his people? 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:09.200 Quoted 800 years before that? 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:10.480 I don't think so. 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:14.079 Or even if you can explain those two away, how do you deal with the star? 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:20.799 How do you contrive to have a star illuminate the place where you were born and where you live? 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:30.240 These three things occurred all to fulfill scripture, all simultaneously fulfilling these three prophecies, along with many other prophecies in this passage. 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:35.279 I just want to draw your attention to those three because those three are non-ambiguous. 00:17:35.359 --> 00:17:36.960 You can't argue with these three prophecies. 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:41.359 Nobody argues that Micah was written after Christ's birth. 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:44.799 Nobody argues that 2 Samuel 5 was written after Christ's birth. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.359 I mean, there's written 800 years at least beforehand. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:52.880 Nobody argues that Numbers with Balaam was written after the birth of Christ. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:53.440 Of course not. 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:55.759 That's before Israel even entered the promised land. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:01.759 These prophecies are so old and yet fulfilled by Christ. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:05.920 What do you do when you're confronted with that kind of Advent hope? 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:11.359 What do you do when you're confronted with that kind of fulfilled prophecy which demonstrates the power of Scripture? 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:13.279 Well, people respond in different ways. 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:17.519 And I want to give you, as an outline this morning, some of those different responses. 00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:18.799 We're going to look at four of them. 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:21.759 Four different responses provoked by Advent. 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:25.759 Or four different responses provoked by fulfilled Scripture. 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:30.000 Because when you understand the Advent hope, you see how those two dove together, dovetail together. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:37.359 When you are eagerly expecting the coming Savior, you're expecting him through the lens of prophecy about his arrival. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:42.480 So when you see these kind of prophecies fulfilled, how should one respond? 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:44.000 What do you think? 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:47.119 And there's four different categories of responses. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:49.599 The first response is fear. 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:51.920 And you see this with King Herod. 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:54.079 Let's begin in verse one. 00:18:54.400 --> 00:19:05.279 Now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, now we don't know how long between Jesus' birth and the wise men's arrival. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:11.680 It could be a few days, it could be a few weeks, a few months, could be a few years. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:18.559 We know that Herod, when he goes to put to death the infants in a passage we'll look at later, uh killed all the infants two years and younger. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:22.960 So some people deduce that it was two years between Jesus' birth and their arrival. 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:25.599 I think that gives Herod more credit than he's due. 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:34.880 Others assume that the star appeared at the birth of Jesus, and it would have taken at least a year or so for them to go from Babylon or Persia to Jerusalem. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.000 That seems reasonable. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:43.359 You know, maybe in your major scene at home, if you have it set up, it's, you know, you're supposed to set the major scene up on the Friday after Thanksgiving, right? 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:44.400 That's the federal law. 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:47.119 So you you've done that now and your major scene is set up. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:49.359 Maybe you should move the wise men into the other room. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:53.039 They can start navigating their way like every day. 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:54.559 It can be an advent ritual. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:56.480 You move it like six inches a day. 00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.400 And then you you time it just right. 00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:02.000 So like on January 6th, they arrive. 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:03.440 I don't know. 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:04.480 That could be going too far. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:05.039 It's up to you. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:06.400 There's freedom in that. 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:09.839 But there's some period of time. 00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:17.200 I remember being at one Christmas pageant where the boy Jesus, when the wise men arrived, was you know like a seven or eight year eight-year-old. 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:21.039 And uh Steve Hawley leans over to me and goes, Is that kid seven? 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.559 I don't think so. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:24.880 Maybe it was seven years. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:25.519 Who knows? 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:27.119 But some period of time takes place. 00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:28.640 Jesus is still in Bethlehem. 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:30.559 It wasn't seven years, though. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:35.839 Behold, a wise men from the east came to Jerusalem and they came to Herod the king. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:40.880 Now Herod the King is a villain for the Jewish people. 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:46.640 There's no shortage of villains in Jewish history, but Herod likely outshines them all. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:54.240 He is more evil and more wicked than perhaps anybody else in that era of Jewish history. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.359 He claimed to be the king of Israel. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:59.279 He was not rightfully the king of Israel. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.400 He wasn't even fully Jewish. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.480 As I mentioned earlier, he was an Edomite. 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.480 He was a governor of the area. 00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:07.200 He was made governor by Brome, by Caesar. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:09.920 He was appointed in authority over Jerusalem and Judea. 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:14.079 He extended his authority out to the Dead Sea and down towards Egypt and up towards Galilee. 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:17.279 He began uniting different parcels of Israel. 00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:19.599 He was an incredibly wicked and brutal man. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:22.880 He had been friends with Mark Anthony back in an earlier war. 00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:27.279 When Mark Anthony became Caesar, he put Herod in charge of that area. 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:29.279 He should have been called a governor. 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:33.759 Herod had married a Jordanian princess, though. 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:38.319 And when he married this princess, he announced that he was king of Israel. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:45.839 That's not how somebody becomes king, but that's what Herod declared, and nobody would cross him because he was incredibly brutal. 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:49.359 He enslaved people, he slaughtered people, he abused people. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:53.440 He went on an ornate building spree. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:59.599 He built these massive cities in his own honor and fame, and in the honor and fame of Caesar, Caesarea Maritime, being one of you have been to Israel. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:10.160 This whole city he built on the coast in honor or in homage to Rome, called Caesar's maritime place or the ocean side for Caesar. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:13.359 It was Roman architecture built in Israel. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:16.319 It was a monument towards Roman occupation. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:18.720 So the Jews hated it, of course. 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:22.640 It was like thumbing his nose at the Jews. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:27.519 He also built the temple in Jerusalem, the temple that Jesus would teach in. 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:28.640 Herod built that. 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:30.880 They had a small temple before Herod was there. 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:31.680 It was run down. 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:33.119 Idol had been worshipped in it. 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:35.759 It was dilapidated and in disrepair. 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:42.720 Herod told the Jews that he would rebuild their temple and give them a massive temple, the size of a Roman temple. 00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:44.960 He put Roman architecture on the outside of it. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.519 The thing was massive, incredibly huge. 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:56.319 It appealed to the base side of the Pharisees that wanted something important and significant in Rome, in the Roman Empire. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:59.920 It was a way to testify to the world that our religion is also true. 00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:01.759 You have your own gods and goddesses. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:07.200 We have a temple to Yahweh that is massive, bigger than even some of the Roman temples right here in Jerusalem. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.799 And Herod gave it to him. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:11.680 In exchange, Herod got to appoint the high priests. 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:17.519 So the priesthoods in Israel became a political appointee from Herod. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:25.119 It's hard to tell what parts of Herod's story are true and false because there's so many rumors about him. 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:29.200 The story goes that he was incredibly short and incredibly fat. 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:32.960 So fat that he would get stuck going in and out of doors. 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:40.240 And that's the kind of thing that may or may not be true, but the fact that people would say it just to provoke him indicates that there's some truth behind it. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:46.480 And in some of his palaces that have been excavated, the doors are a little short and they are a little wide. 00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:50.000 So maybe he was incredibly short and incredibly fat. 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:51.920 That's what stories say. 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:57.119 What is true is that he did become benefactor and then president of the Olympic Games. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:59.039 Rome stopped funding the Olympic Games. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:02.880 The games that would have taken place in 12 BC had no money to go on. 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:09.039 So Herod stepped in, funded them, and then appointed himself as the Olympic Games president. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:10.799 So it's even more ironic. 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:16.319 You have an incredibly short, incredibly fat person who becomes the president of the Olympic Games. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:17.759 That's Herod. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:21.920 As I mentioned, he was incredibly brutal as well. 00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:31.599 He built his ultimate man cave, so to speak, in Masada, a palace or a fortress up on the top of a hill that was almost impossible to get up, even today. 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:33.039 It's an incredible hike to get up there. 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:36.240 There's a cable car to go and go through the ruins there. 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:39.680 He stocked it with food and alcohol and slaves. 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:41.680 It was going to be his hideout. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:43.359 He didn't end up dying there. 00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:45.519 He died on the road away from it. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:25:00.079 He built it on the backs of slave laborers, as he brutalized the Israelites who hated the fact that they had this Edomite who was acting as their king and who started calling himself king because he married some Arab princess. 00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:02.559 The Jews hated Herod. 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:10.400 Even this today, if you go to Israel, many Tura guides won't even say Herod's name, although his footprint is all over even modern-day Israel. 00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:12.559 So much of it still goes back to him. 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:17.839 Last time I was there, our Tura guide only referred to him as Herod the butcher of Babylon. 00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:20.640 And we'll look at why that is in the next few weeks. 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:25.599 This is who the wise men go to in his day, in chapter 2, verse 1. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:26.400 They go to Herod. 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:28.960 Notice the word play here in verse 1, the king. 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:34.640 But the wise men arrive there and they ask, where is he who has been born king of the Jews? 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:38.880 Notice Matthew gives in and calls Herod king there. 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:42.400 Herod the king, even though he was no king, he wanted to be called king. 00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:44.960 Matthew plays along only to get to verse 2. 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:49.119 And notice that the wise men were asking, No, where's the one who was born king of the Jews? 00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:53.119 We're not looking for Herod because Herod was not born king of anything. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:57.759 We want to find the person who is born king of the Jews. 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:03.920 This is a provocative question in a powder keg of a political environment. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:07.039 How's Herod going to respond to that question? 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:14.880 Imagine going to the White House right now and ringing the doorbell and saying, hey, I'm looking for the president-elect. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:21.359 What kind of reception do you think you're going to receive? 00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:24.720 How do you think President Trump refers to Joe Biden? 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:27.279 Think he uses the phrase president-elect? 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:28.640 No way. 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:31.039 I just tell you that. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:39.279 So you start to appreciate what happens when the magi roll into Jerusalem looking for the person who was born king of the Jews. 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:43.039 That is a very problematic search that they are on. 00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:50.079 They don't don't even sometimes an outsider can say things or ask things in such a way that an insider could never get away with. 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:51.839 They can play naivete here. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.200 That's what the magi are doing. 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:54.720 They roll into Jerusalem. 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:57.200 There would have been quite an announcement of their coming, by the way. 00:26:57.440 --> 00:27:00.480 It would have taken them several months, if not a year, to get there from Babylon. 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:03.920 They would have crossed the Jordan River around Jericho. 00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:08.880 It would take a full day at least, if not a day and a half or two days, to go from Jericho to Jerusalem. 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:13.119 News of this entourage certainly would have gotten to Jerusalem before they did. 00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:15.519 Word travels faster than people. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:18.799 They would have been expecting them now at this point. 00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:33.200 The entourage, people that are dressed as Persians, with they look different, they speak a different language, they have ornate and elaborate gifts, we find out later on, are now going through the streets of Jerusalem, asking people, where is the one who is born king of the Jews? 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:39.039 You can see why, verse 3, when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled. 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:41.759 Also, verse 3, all of Jerusalem with him. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:45.279 Everybody was losing their minds over this. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:47.279 You can't roam. 00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:48.160 And where do they go? 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:50.480 They go to the Herod's palace. 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:51.279 They're looking for the king. 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:52.880 If you're looking for a king, you go to the capital. 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:54.240 They've done that. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:56.400 And now you would go to the palace. 00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:57.599 That's where the king should be. 00:27:57.759 --> 00:28:01.920 So they don't show up at the White House, they show up at Herod's palace and they ring the doorbell. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:05.759 And they ask, excuse us. 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:07.519 Sorry for the interruption. 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:12.079 Where is the person who is born king of the Jews? 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:15.519 Herod says, Hold on one moment. 00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:16.960 Let me get right back to you. 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:20.000 How's Herod going to respond to this? 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:22.000 How's Herod going to respond? 00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:28.640 Well, in verse 4, he assembles all the chief priests and the scribes, the people, and he asks, where the Savior is supposed to be born. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:34.240 Notice they ask, he asks in verse 4, where is the Christ going to be born? 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:36.160 What was their question? 00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:39.519 Their question was, where is the king born? 00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:46.000 And Herod can't bring himself to say the word king to the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the Sanhedrin. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:49.119