King Herod (The Great) had several traits. He was cruel and ambitious and would stop at nothing to secure his position as king. History tells us he killed a brother-in-law, a mother-in-law, two sons, and a wife. He loved possessions and prestige. His father was poisoned, and Herod was paranoid at any threat to his life or kingship. He ruled for 40 years, but then another King came along - Jesus.
When the Wise Men showed up asking about the location of the King of the Jews, Herod was dying of a disease and in much pain. In view of his character, you can imagine the effect their question had on him.
He calls the Jewish leaders and questions them about where the Messiah is supposed to be born. The information is old, and the Wise Men never go to Bethlehem. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are now back in their hometown. Scripture records that when the Wise Men arrived (after following the star) they visited him in a house - not a stable. The word used for young child in the Bible applies to a toddler rather than a newborn.
Herod is so enraged when the Wise Men don't return with information that he calculates Jesus' possible age. He sends out an order that all the male children under two years of age in Bethlehem and the nearby area be killed. Many people question this account because it's only mentioned in the Bible and in the works of Josephus. When you take into consideration that Bethlehem was a small town, the massacre probably didn't cause much of a stir in the rest of the country.
The Wise Men brought many gifts to Jesus. They no doubt financed the years in Egypt and His ministry later in life.
Herod dies, and his kingdom is split between three sons and his daughter, Salome. When Joseph hears which son is reigning in Judea, he decides to settle in Nazareth of Galilee.
What king reigns over you? We are born under a king (our flesh) until we give ourselves to the one born king, Jesus. Are we just going through the motions of religion or are we allowing Jesus to be Lord of our lives?
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If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Service at 10 AM. Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. We'd love to meet you!
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