Matthew 2:16-23 KJV
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

One the hardest things is to understand is power and principalities rule by man in high position to have control of what they should and should not have. Herod was a king with power past his common sense of decency. Most powers are like that. A good ruler knows how to be decent, kind, sincere, and tough when needs to be and to lay out the laws by which all can follow and not just a few good honest people. A law is only as good as it is above it own ruler as well. When laws are made to only effect one group of people because of offense made to the government or ruler, the ruler becomes a law unto himself and the head of a kangeroo court. If Judgment is implied to all groups of people it is good not evil unless in violation of human rights. When Christ was born, the King felt mocked because no wise men came back to tell him where he was. How would he know if the babe was found. In reality the king never attended to worship but destroy the baby. By the time the star actually appeared til present it had been about two years. By distance it probably was not that long of a journey, but the wise men would of sat and talk and traded along their route. Perhaps telling the story of the star as the went. King Herod feels mocked and decrees like Pharoah did that all baby's in particular area were to be killed, and because Jesus was to be born in Bethelehem, he was consider to be in this location and killed all the babies up to two years of age. The mothers of Israel were said to be heard weeping for their children in Rama(a hill in norhern part of land of the tribe of Benjamin or Bethelehem, outside Bethel). Jesus had been taken to another land before the event of the killing.

One might ask how one prophesy could not of been a warning alone enough to remove the people from Bethelehem to protect their young. Yet how many knew what had happened. How quiet was the news of the child. God had pronounced the birth himself to the wise men and the shepherds, through the stars and his angels from heaven. By now the whole area would of known, yet did they know he escaped. Down in Egypt Joseph took Mary and baby Jesus and lived there for two years. After those two years God spoke to Joseph to return home, and when he enter the land of Israel he was taken another pathway to his new home where he raise Jesus as his Son in the land of Nazereth to be called a Nazarene. God's warnings and God's direction must be followed to protect not only his Son but our salvation. When we learn to obey God our salvation is intact. God's word does not change so by obeying his salvation and his rules of faith of obedience to his Spirit we no longer have to fear our eternity. Our salvation based on faith alone, our actions part of our faith. Christ would be the only one that could walk as a man and be purified by his life in submission to the will of His Heavenly Father in perfection. Yet despite his perfection, he did not live up to what the world wanted him to be and they crucified him. Faith is not the perfection of our will but the perfection of our Heavenly Father's will. To understand the will of human and that our human will can be in conflict to God is to know the perfection in which his Son lived will never compare to the children of Adam and Eve life. Our will to follow in obedience to God is short lived by our mistakes. Jesus could walk in the perfection, because he was and is the offspring of the Father alone, and Mary was only the vessel used to send him to us. Herod was about his own will, Joseph and Mary was compliant to the will of the Father, because of the warnings in the journey that came only to protect them. God warns us in our journey if we will listen to him. God warned Cain and he refused to listen to God's warning of protection just the same as Adam and Eve was given a warning to obeyed God. Man following the will of God will strive to be obedience to God. There times it is hard to obey him our desires out weighing the voice of God in our heart and mind to the point sin seems easier. Our obedience to God is for our protection in our life. Herod knew not God nor his will. He did what he wanted. He died never knowing that Jesus was to be the king of our hearts. That his killing was in vain. Not knowing God's people were not after his throne, but God was after the hearts of his people.

Are we listening to our own desires more then the will of God in our life. We can be like Herod, we can be like those without faith, but God's salvation comes to those who follow him. God's love is for all people tonight, but not for their sin of disobedience. God wants to purge our hearts and soul this Christmas season to obeying his word and following his will for their life. As our government rejoices over man's laws being invoke over same sex marriage, ask yourself as a believer is that the will of man or the will of God. Moses gave the law of divorce, but the law of divorce was a law of man not God. Is there times when man's law trumps God. Never in million years. but the law of faith means that change can occur in the spouse that has problems. Defining what is the will of God and obeying is not easy, God does allow man to obey the law of man, but one needs to know the difference. Hosea one of the most contraversal prophets to his life style, who to, but a wife of whoredom. Seems in conflict to a wife of faith, but it was example of the whoredom of Israel and their actions against God. Joseph taking a virgin with child in option to God's law or obedience to God? Joseph loving Mary because her heart was first toward God long before it was to his? Are we sold out in our faith despite our spouse, our family and friends. Are we in relationship with a person because man's law says it is okay, despite what God says. The question is not simple in our day and time to ask any not same sex partner to stop their relationship. Yet the question is what would Jesus do in our day and time. Would he speak of the law of Moses to give divorce and the law of our nation that gave the right, despite consulting God's perfect will. Or would Jesus say turn them over to their sin, their desire and do not stop them as in Romans 1. Beware our nation is still intact by a law that does not promote holiness. Yet God will be the judge of our own sin that God allows in our world even if it not known publicly. What do we need to get out of our own life and heart if this is occuring in our land. Be kind, be loving as your Father is despite the sin that is before you. Be loving as you want to be loved. Know your own faults and strive for change in your own life. Are you safe because of your obedience to God?

Dear Heavenly Father, your protection in our life comes on earth in obedience to your perfect will and our eternal salvation is based on our faith in you, not our works of faith. Yet our works of faith is a testimony of our obedience. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Jeremiah 31:15 KJV
15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.

Romans 1:1-6 KJV
1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: