TheIgnorant

KingMatthew

2:1-8

The Ignorant King

Evil has been in this world a long time. Herod the Great sent men to kill all the male children two &

under in Bethlehem and that vicinity. Matt 2:16-18.

Why would Herod commit such an atrocity? We could give many answers. But, we find a partial answer in this morning’s text: Herod did not

know Scripture.

The Ignorant King

An ignorance of Scripture is so very dangerous. “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able

to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15). ▪ Implication is clear: If I don’t know the Scriptures, I cannot know how to

have salvation. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this

prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Rev 1:3). ▪ If I don’t know the Word, I cannot be “blessed.”

Ignorance of Scriptureleads to disaster.

Matthew 2:1-8

The Ignorant King

Herod had a long history of atrocities. He became enraged with his favorite wife, so he had her

strangled. He executed two sons & had another executed on his deathbed all

because he believed they posed a threat to his power. One of Herod’s brothers-in-law mysteriously drowned in a very

shallow pool. Knowing the Jewish kosher laws, Emperor Augustus supposedly

said that he would rather be one of Herod’s pigs than one of his sons.

Matthew 2:1-8

The Ignorant King

Scripture has great ability to mold our lives. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed

thereto according to thy word” (Ps 119:9). “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through

the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Pet 1:22).

Matthew 2:1-8

The Ignorant King

Ignorance of Scripture leads to disaster in our lives. If we’re ignorant of Scripture, we’ll sin in many ways & face

great heartache: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Ps 119:11).

If we’re ignorant of Scripture, we’ll end up lost: “From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 3:15).

The Ignorant King

Let’s commit to making 2013 a year in which we know Scripture! Congregational Bible study. Bible reading.

If we fullyunderstood that

“Ignorance of Scriptureleads to disaster,”

what type of churchwould we be?