There is a part of the Christmas story that is never depicted on Christmas cards or in the art hung in churches. In Christmas sermons and Nativity plays, an essential aspect of the story is overlooked. This neglected scene within the opening act of Matthew’s Gospel reveals a profound reality: The clash of kingdoms plays out prominently in the fate of children.
The Hidden Battle in the Christmas Story
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem during the reign of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem. These Gentile seekers had followed a brilliant star, proclaiming, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.” Although Herod ruled only as a vassal king — with tyrannical methods and little claim to true kingship — the notion of another “King of the Jews” was deeply unsettling to him. The Magi, guided by divine revelation, had come to honor the Messiah.
When Herod heard the news, he convened the chief priests and teachers of the law. He ordered a Bible study, not to know God’s will, but to pinpoint a location where he could locate and ultimately destroy this new “ruler” who threatened his power. Quoting from Micah, the teachers told Herod that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Herod asks the Magi to inform him when they find this new king, feigning reverence for the Messiah. But after the Magi find Jesus, they are warned by God not to return to Herod. Matt. 2:16 is the part of the Christmas story that’s often left untold: "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were 2 years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
Herod’s orders were a horrifying misuse of scripture intended to annihilate the innocent. Here we see the first stark indication of the cosmic struggle at work: a tyrant determined to eliminate the child who would bring righteousness to Israel.
Children as the Ultimate Revelation of Kingdoms
At the heart of the Christmas story is the conflict of kingdoms — the Kingdom of peace and the kingdom of an occupying tyrant who wants to hold people in bondage.
Time and again, the treatment of children reveals the true nature of power. Throughout the Bible — and indeed, across history — the way a people or institution treats its youngest members is a powerful indicator of good or evil. A society that cherishes and protects children reflects the compassionate Kingdom of God, while oppression and cruelty signal allegiance to the kingdom of Satan. Satan hates children.
It’s often difficult to discern good and evil in our current age, with strong polarization regarding what is good and right. That’s true of religious organizations, spiritual leaders, civic leaders or philosophies. Opposing voices are each claiming high moral ground.
In these difficult times, can we suggest a rule for discernment? You can almost always discern whether people, organizations, philosophies or societies are led by God or by Satan based on how they actually treat children, not by what they say about children.
The wisdom of Solomon in 1 Kings provides a compelling illustration. When faced with two women disputing the custody of a child, Solomon did not rely on their words alone; he looked to their natural concern for the child’s well-being. Solomon discerns that the woman who wanted the best for the child was actuated by the spirit of God, and, in contrast, the other woman was actuated by Satan, who callously said, “Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.”
In the Christmas story, God demonstrates His special regard for children. After warning Joseph in a dream, an angel directed him to take Mary and the infant Jesus to Egypt, safeguarding them from Herod’s deadly decree. This divine protection in the face of Satan’s murderous intent toward Jesus reminds us of God’s original Edenic promise of salvation and prediction of enmity between the seed of the woman and Satan (Gen. 3:15).
We understand that “seed” to be Jesus, born a baby in Bethlehem. But, in a sense, the Serpent’s enmity toward the seed of Eve is played out in his hatred of every child ever born, not just the Christ child.
C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia captures this motif through the image of a relentless adversary — a witch who seeks to destroy the "sons of Adam" and "daughters of Eve". Such imagery powerfully symbolizes the enduring enmity between Satan and the “seed of the woman,” in contrast to Aslan’s willingness to give his life to save children. In most epic stories, evil seeks to destroy the guileless beauty of children and childhood.
Jesus Himself affirmed this truth. In John 10:10, He contrasted the destructive intentions of “the thief” with His mission to grant life in abundance. In Isa. 40:11, He is depicted as a loving shepherd who gathers the lambs in His arms. And in Mark 10:13–16, despite initial rebukes from His disciples, He welcomed little children, declaring that “the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” By healing them, teaching them and bestowing His blessing, Jesus demonstrated God’s tender regard and care for children.
Jesus hinted at a deeper, mysterious protection: the idea that each child has an angel watching over them, faithfully conveying their needs before God. This imagery powerfully reinforces how much God cares about each child.
A Cosmic Conflict with Timeless Implications
Rev. 12 paints a dramatic word picture of a battle between two kingdoms. Amidst this conflict between God and Satan, a seemingly helpless baby takes on a monumental role that unmasks the murderous hatred of Satan toward children. That’s the Christmas story in Revelation.
"The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who 'will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.' And her child was snatched up to God and to His throne" (Rev. 12:4–5).
The Christmas narrative is far more than a serene story of a miraculous birth. It is a dynamic, ongoing confrontation between two radically different kingdoms. This narrative forces us to confront a stark reality that scripture, history and our own lived experience reveal the kingdom of evil most clearly through the mistreatment of children.
From the human sacrifices described in Jer. 7:31 — where altars were erected to burn sons and daughters — to Pharaoh’s notorious edicts in Exodus to kill all Hebrew newborn boys, the message is unmistakable. Throughout history, allegiance to Satan’s kingdom has been revealed in the cruelty and oppression of children — and, ultimately, their sacrifice.
And, throughout history, the Hebrew midwives and Gentile Magi aligned with the Kingdom of God have engaged in civil disobedience to protect children. This struggle is revealed today in the exploitation of children — over a quarter of slaves worldwide are children. It is revealed in the challenges to healthy child development presented by our modern society. One in four children in this country has a chronic illness. Childhood is literally the valley of the shadow of death.
In the story of Job, too, we witness how Satan’s first assault on Job was to kill his children. It serves as a reminder of the continual assault against young life — a battle that began well before Bethlehem and continues through every generation.
Choosing a Kingdom: A Call to Discernment
Ultimately, the Christmas story is a call to choose sides in the conflict between two kingdoms — the kingdom that inflicts suffering on children and the Kingdom that heals and nurtures children. Jesus’s invitation in Matt. 19:14 is clear: “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Each act of kindness toward children, every effort to protect and every stand against cruelty is a decisive advance in this cosmic struggle. The messenger of the Lord, Malachi, foresees that in the last days God will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.” As we celebrate Christ’s birth again, we invite you to consider two insights from this familiar story. First, God entered humanity as a baby to fully unmask Satan’s hatred for new life. Second, the conflict of kingdoms can be seen most clearly in how children are treated.
A Prayer
Lord, we thank You for entering our world in human form, Immanuel, “God with us.” Open our eyes to the reality of the fierce spiritual conflict hidden within the nativity narrative. Grant us the discernment to join the Kingdom of heaven — a kingdom that cherishes, protects and empowers every child. Amen.
