5th Day of Christmas

14,000 dead babies. They are who are commemorated by Orthodox Christians on this, the 5th Day of Christmas. In an effort to protect his throne from Jesus, Herod killed all the boys from two years and under in the area of Bethlehem.

The Holy Prophet Jerhmiah fortold this event, saying "Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not." But Jerehiah did not know one very important thing.

He did not know that the God he served would decree "Whosoever loses his life for my sake shall find it." Therefore, in that vast and glorious assembly of God's Holy Martyrs are 14,000, who not yet even knowing Christ found their life and everlasting joy in him. What Herod intended for evil God turned to good; swords were turned into scythes harvesting souls for Heaven.

In three different places the Gospels record Jesus warning people about harming children, that it would be better for them to kill themselves before harming a child; that if they harm a child it will not go well for them on the Day of Judgment. But in Herod's case, it seems that God hastened judgement. It was not long after the massacre that Herod's rule ended. Though Holy Scripture does not record it, the historian Josephus records that Herod died from a terrifically painful disease.



When the King was born in Bethlehem, the Magi came from the East.
Having been led by a star from on High, they brought Him gifts.
But in exceeding wrath, Herod harvested the infants as sorrowing wheat;
The rule of his kingdom has come to an end.
(Kontokian in Tone 4 for Dec 29)