Herod's Slaughter of the Innocents 

What a monster was Herod. What a Sobering thought that he ordered the murder of all the little baby boys. What a Sobering time it is going to be on Herod when he receives the Just Recompense for Every heinous sin he has committed, Hebrews 2: 2 and 3A.

The text says, 16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” "Bethlehem and its vicinity" How far is the "vicinity" that is being referred to? Isn't it AT LEAST as far as Ramah? If not, why did Joseph have to take his wife and newborn all the way to Egypt? Why not only as far as say Bethel or back home to Nazareth (70 miles)? I looked at a map and between Ramah and Bethlehem (11 miles), in the "vicinity"going north only is Beth Hakkaram, Jerusalem, Lashaih, Nob, Gilliam, Anothoth, Gibeah, Beeroth, Gibeon, Geba, Ramah. Now that's only going north. What about East, West, and South and every one of those towns full of people coming and going registering for the census? As well, Bethlehem to Egypt is over 300 miles away. They were sent that far away to escape the danger. Obviously the danger was not just to 2000 people only and even then, only to those who happened to have a toddler. All males 2 years and under were murdered in Israel in and around all towns in the vicinity of Bethlehem. But Yah kept His own Son safe in a land that generations previously attempted the same fate to newborn males only. That's an incredible display of sovereignty! I think the most amazing parallel is that Yehovah can have a plan and in both cases, whether you wait at the feet of a mother giving birth to kill newborns or newborns and all toddlers 2 and under in every house you come to in a 15 mile radius, you cannot thwart the hand of protection of Yehovah. I also think the most important question to ask surrounding the birth of Messiah is why did Yah's hand of protection NOT protect the parents of these sons during the same timing of Purim in 1BC like He did at the original Purim in Susa? Yes, Yehovah is sovereign and in control of all but His hand of wrath is as true and evident as His hand of protection. So what made Him so angry in 1BC when all of Israel saw the star as Paul said and heard the account of the shepherds? I think a case can be made, a truthful case, that since the priests were just burned alive in the weeks before who had challenged Herod, the people were too afraid to come bow at the feet of the Savior just born in Bethlehem. Remember, the Throne Room saw it worthy to come to Earth and make an announcement of this birth. Think about the magnitude of importance of this birth event. The heavens had a clock that from the time of creation 4000 years previously to this particular night, all culminated in the events of this star and the other stars for the previous 2 years. And the Heavenly Hosts made a special visit. That's quite literally a message that should have never been ignored by a single soul on Earth. Yet this is what happened. The shepherds tell their story and the people do not even find it worthy to investigate. No homage paid. No crowds of people to bow at His feet. Mary pondered these things in her heart. What in the world had just taken place for the last 9 months with magi coming from the East knowing their secret yet no one else caring about it when told? Since Israel ignored Yehovah coming in flesh like He had been seen doing in Tanak several times and the prophet Isaiah declared this would happen, since they ignored His Son, He ignored their sons.

Not surprised. There are Christians who believe in the NIV

the massacre of the innocents coincided with the day herod executed antipater, on january 10, 1 bc, when a blood moon lunar eclipse was visible in jerusalem. according to josephus, right after the eclipse, antipater was executed. after antipater, the high priest matthias I was executed. just one or two days after that, the new high priest matthias II was executed. and after that, close to his death on 2 shevat 1 bc, the most prominent jews and influential people were rounded up and detained at the hippodrome in jericho with instructions to executed them all so that people will be in mourning when herod dies, salome however, did not follow herod's orders. according to the gospels, the order herod was to execute all male children below 2 years old in bethlehem and all its districts. if he ordered for the execution of the illustrati in the hippodrome when he dies, do you think he is incapable of killing children? the massacre of the innocents culminated on a particular day that was triggered months before, particularly, july 17, 2 bc, the conjunction of jupiter and venus, the star of bethlehem. this triggered the magi to go to jerusalem, but a caravan from persia, sheba, or babylon would take 3 to 6 months. logistically, it would not be realistic to arrive by the high holy days and a more realistic arrival would be 6 months later near the festival of lights, with herod being in jerusalem or jericho. an audience with king herod would last days and lavished with entertainment and exchange of gifts. of all the messianic prophecies that is most disturbing for herod would be balaams prophecy. if, after the magi found jesus and they suddenly left without informing herod, it would be predictable that herod would erupt into a rage about a conspiracy in his head to replace him. and thus the subsequent psychopathic episodes of relentless killing.

How about kids come from men.

Magi means wizards. Wizards? Miriam let wizards, strangers, in her house to see her baby sitting in her lap ( not in the stable). So, where was she living then?? Come on!