Bobservations Column
By Pastor Bob Lawrenz
By Pastor Bob Lawrenz
History and the Bible tell us much about King Herod’s reign. Placed on Israel’s Throne by the Roman occupiers of the Land, Herod was a cruel, domineering King. Last week, we talked about the threat that Jesus (the newborn King) posed to Herod. With “King Makers” (The Wise men of the East) poised within Judea, Herod was likely outraged that a military coup could well take place, and he would lose the Throne of Palestine.
Herod’s family, AKA the Herodians, were filled with conspiracy, petty jealousies, murders, and intermarriages between brothers and their sisters-in-law; they were a rather distasteful lot! Distrust seemed to rule their lives.
But there’s more: King Herod was an Idumaean, from the region of Idumaea, south and east of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. The Idumaeans were descended from the Edomites, and Edom is a name in Scripture designating a bloodline that goes back to Esau. So Herod’s family goes back to Esau, meaning that Herod’s family line had a blood-feud against the people over whom he ruled as King. Esau and his brother Jacob (sons of Isaac) were at odds with one another from the time their father was near death. They still are today.
The Book of Malachi begins with God’s statement of loving Jacob, but hating Esau. It is also cross references to Romans 9:13. A study of Jacob’s life may cause us to wonder why He loved Jacob, but Jacob’s lineage was to bring forth a Branch out of Jesse that was to be the Son Given, the Child Born, the Prince of Peace, and mankind’s Savior. Simply put, Jacob’s family was highly favored, in spite of Jacob!
As we saw last week in Matthew 2, Herod plotted against this Child King to have Him destroyed. Hence, Herod’s zeal to kill every male child age 2 and under. Not wanting to be dethroned, and much less by an infant Jewish King, Herod’s plan moved forward, fulfilling even more prophecies surrounding the Newborn King.
"Better is the end of a thing, than the beginning thereof : and the
patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." ~ Ecclessiastes 7:8
God will not be mocked. Not even an earthly King can thwart His plans for us.
