Then Herod, in
furtherance of the conspiracy, privately consulted with these wise men.
We now see Herod manifesting one of the characteristics of Satan, viz.,
deception, in this, that he pretended to desire himself to find the babe
Jesus, that he might go and worship him; whereas all the facts and
circumstances show that his real purpose was that he might find the babe
in order to destroy him. "Then Herod, when he had privily called the
wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And
he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the
young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may
come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed;
and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it
came and stood over where the young child was."
[154]We cannot for a moment believe that the heavenly Father would use a
wicked one like Herod and aid him in carrying out his wicked purpose by
having a star to direct these three wise men to the place of Jesus'
birth, in view of the fact that the king had demanded that they should
return and report to him, and when it was King Herod's purpose to
destroy the babe. The fact is that the devil and his instruments, Herod
and others, would have succeeded in this wicked conspiracy and have
caused the death of the babe Jesus had not God intervened to save the
child.
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