Jesus is the light of the world. Without him we walk in darkness. If we don't acknowledge our need for him we deceive ourselves. We end up like Herod, willing to commit atrocities in order to keep our own comfort and power safe.
He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
two years old and under,
in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.
Herod probably talked himself out of believing it was sinful to kill the Holy Innocents. He probably thought it was his right as the king over his subjects. But Herod walked in darkness. He honored the newborn king with his words to the Magi, saying that he too wished to worship him, but his actions proved otherwise.
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.
If we say, "We have fellowship with him,"
while we continue to walk in darkness,
we lie and do not act in truth.
The only way to avoid sin is the come to Jesus who is the light. Without Jesus we deceive ourselves. We convince ourselves that bad is good and right is wrong.
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (see Isaiah 5:20)
We may think there is something particularly evil about Herod. Yet Herod is representative of all of us apart from grace. He shows what how we all end up on our own, when we refuse to walk in the light but prefer the darkness instead.
We all stand in need of the grace and mercy of God because we all sin in one way or another. It isn't this sin or that sin that is the root of our problems. If our sins are small but we do not acknowledge how much we need God they will get bigger and we won't stop them. If our sins are as red as scarlet God is still ready and willing to forgive us if we simply turn to him.
My children, I am writing this to you
so that you may not commit sin.
But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous one.
He is expiation for our sins,
and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
We too must learn the truth of today's psalm, that "Had not the LORD been with us" we would have been eaten alive. But the LORD sets us free.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
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