Key Passage
King Herod heard about this new king of the Jews. Herod was troubled about this. And all the people in Jerusalem were worried too. Herod called a meeting of all the leading Jewish priests and teachers of the law. Herod asked them where the Christ would be born. They answered, "In the town of Bethlehem in Judea. The prophet wrote about this {in the Scriptures}: 'Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are important among the rulers of Judah. Yes, a ruler will come from you, and that ruler will lead Israel, my people.'"
— Matthew 2:3-6 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
While God is full of surprises, he has repeatedly given his people help in understanding—even anticipating, his greatest works of salvation. The prophets had seen a new David coming to redeem and lead God's people. Like David of old, this new David would also be a shepherd from the town of Bethlehem. But, like so many in our time, Herod was more interested in using this understanding of God's plan to help himself rather than to be molded into a person of God. We must learn that God's Word in Scripture is given to us to help us know, obey, and worship him, not simply to collect a set of facts to use for our own personal advantage.
Prayer
Dear Father, I want to know your Word so I may more perfectly obey your will. Please help me to find your truth and live it, not just discuss it or use it for my own selfish purposes. I pray this in the name of the Living Word. Amen.
Related Scriptures
The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you feel sorry for Saul? You are feeling sorry for him, even after I told you that I refuse to let Saul be the king of Israel! Fill your horn with oil and go to Bethlehem. I am sending you to a man named Jesse. Jesse lives in Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be the new king." But Samuel said, "If I go, Saul will hear the news. Then he will try to kill me." The Lord said, "Go to Bethlehem. Take a young calf with you. Say, 'I have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.'
— 1 Samuel 16:1-2
Another time, David was in the fortress, and a group of Philistine soldiers was in Bethlehem. David was thirsty {for some water from his home town}. So he said, "I wish someone could give me some water from that well near the city gate in Bethlehem." {David did not really want this, he was only talking.} But the Three fought their way through the Philistine army. These three men got some water from the well near the city gate in Bethlehem. Then the Three Heroes brought the water to David. But David refused to drink the water. He poured it out on the ground as an offering to the Lord. David said, "God, I can't drink this water. It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives to get this water for me." That is why David refused to drink the water. The Three Heroes did many brave things like that.
— 1 Chronicles 11:16-19
Other people said, "He is the Christ. " Other people said, "The Christ will not come from Galilee. The Scriptures say that the Christ will come from the family of David. And the Scriptures say that the Christ will come from Bethlehem, the town where David lived."
— John 7:41-42
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