King Herod wanted to kill Jesus. That is why he brutally ordered the massacre of all the male children of Bethlehem two years of age and younger. Herod's brutality is shocking to us.

History repeats itself.

Our own age is no better. Every day scores of children in our country are killed before they have a chance to be born. This happens under the protection of the laws of our country and with the help of the medical facilities of our society. The mass murders mentioned in the Bible were also the result of the wrong use of earthly governments. The intended purpose of the event in Egypt, when the Pharaoh ordered all the male children killed, was the destruction of God's people. If the plan had succeeded even the Savior could not have been born. The massacre at Bethlehem was ordered for the purpose of killing Jesus.

The present abortion laws in many countries are no longer based on the standards of morality that God has written into every person's conscience and which are clearly stated in the Ten Commandments. They are rather based on man's selfish desire to live as he pleases. But despite all attempts to defend them, acting according to them will mean torturing the conscience and will lead to greater distress.

People are beings destined for eternity. They are directly responsible to God for their actions. Earthly laws at best only reflect the ethics of the Ten Commandements written in everyone's heart. Often they approve of much that God does not approve of. They cannot therefore be a guide for a Christian's conscience. Christians seek God's opinion on matters and try to maintain a good conscience before Him. "In the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self... unloving... brutal... treacherous... lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Tim. 3:1?4). Therefore Christians are given this exhortation: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:2).

God is on the side of the unprotected. Their mistreatment is a sin that cries all the way to heaven. God will avenge those murdered before they were born. If someone has done wrong, let him repent of his sins and flee to the refuge of God's forgiving mercy. The penitent receives forgiveness for the sake of Christ. And to him Christ says: "Sin no more."