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Here is the Scriptural background for my new hymn, "O God Whose Name Is Holy." This has been set to music using the Jupiter melody from Holst's "The Planets." Click…

Bethlehem from Herodium (© Bible Places) The Shepherds’ Joy in Bethlehem Who has believed our true report? The Lord alone can tell But Doctor Luke wrote down our words About…

The recent terror attacks in Israel highlight an important Biblical emphasis: what will you trust when terror comes? The story is found in Matthew 2:13-18 and it provides timeless reminders that are relevant for what is happening in the news today.

Photo by Gordon Dickson, March 2023

In the Christmas story, the wise men traveled to Jerusalem and Bethlehem. And their arrival caused an uproar. Why? What is it that we are supposed to learn from this passage? This story reveals God’s truth as well as mankind’s tragic terror. Even though this passage speaks of horror, it also speaks of hope. Here the God of hope reveals that He rules in the affairs of men and reveals His truth. In a world of wickedness, we can trust His Word.

Horror: The Tragedy at Bethlehem, 16-18

The anger of heartless Herod

“When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (2:3). What did Herod hear? He heard that the wise men were looking for “The King of the Jews.” Herod was the ruling dictator and it angered him to hear that someone else was “The King of the Jews.” Even though Herod instructed them otherwise, the wise men obeyed God and avoided Herod. And this made the king even more angry (2:16).

The massacre of the young children near Bethlehem

So, Herod, ruling in Jerusalem, ordered the massacre of the young children in Bethlehem, 5 miles away. From our understanding about the size of Bethlehem at the time, this may have included as many as twenty children. Like the first murderer, Cain, Herod spilled innocent blood. How can there be any real hope in this story of Herod’s heartless actions? (more…)