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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
those men have read the dark deed he premeditated? Could they have
understood his design, and purposely avoided him? This he thought
was insult and mockery. His impatience, envy, and hatred, increased.
He was stirred by his father, the devil, to seek the accomplishment of
his purpose by a most cruel act. If he should fail in carrying out his
murderous intent by pretense and subtlety, he would, by power and
authority, strike terror to the hearts of all the Jews. They should have
an example of what their king would meet, should they seek to place
one upon the throne in Jerusalem.
And here was a favorable opportunity to humble the pride of the
Jews, and bring upon them a calamity which should discourage them
in their ambition to have a separate government, and become the
glory of the whole earth, as they had proudly boasted. Herod issued a
proclamation to a large body of soldiers, whose hearts were hardened
by crime, war, and bloodshed, to go throughout Bethlehem and all the
coasts thereof, and massacre all the children from two years old and
under. Herod designed in this cruel act to accomplish a double purpose:
first, to exercise, by this bold act, his power and authority over the
Jews; and, second, to silence their proud boastings in regard to their
king, and also make his own kingdom secure, by murdering the infant
prince whom he envied and feared. This cruel work was accomplished.
The sword of unfeeling soldiers carried destruction everywhere. The
horror and distress of parents were beyond description. The wailing
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cries of bereaved mothers, as they clasped their expiring infants to their
breasts, rose above the coarse jests and imprecations of the soldiers,
while they cried to Heaven for vengeance on the tyrant king.
All this terrible calamity was suffered of God, to humble the pride
of the Jewish nation. Their crimes and wickedness had been so great
that the Lord permitted the wicked Herod to thus punish them. Had
they been less boastful and ambitious, their lives pure, their habits
simple and sincere, God would have preserved them from being thus
humiliated and afflicted by their enemies. God would, in a signal
manner, have made the wrath of the king harmless to his people, had
they been faithful and perfect before him. But he could not especially
work for them, for their works were abhorred by him.
The Jews had excited the envy and hatred of Herod against Christ,
through their false interpretation of the prophets. They taught that
Christ was to reign over an earthly empire, in unsurpassed glory. Their