Herod the Great was a tyrant and false king of the Jews. When Jesus was born he was at the end of his life, still paranoid, old and sick.

Why Herod the Great

He later became known as Herod the Great, simply to distinguish him from his sons and grandsons. Four sons and two grandsons carried the name Herod. Did they enjoy carrying the name of a cruel despot?

Josephus was the first to use this phrase, but it didn’t mean Herod was a ‘great man’, for he was an undisputed despot. He was paranoid and vengeful of anyone who threatened him. Herod used imprisonment, torture and execution regularly. He could not tolerate criticism or any form of resistance.

Parents

Herod’s mother, Cypros, was a Nabatean Arab princess from Petra. His father Antipater, was Idumaean, descendants of Esau. His family converted to Judaism in the 2^nd century BCE and Herod was raised in the Jewish religion.

Herod’s parents were a powerful couple, with high-ranking political connections to Rome and Antipater was appointed procurator of Judea. This led to their sons launching into leadership roles at a young age.

King of the Jews

Herod was appointed King of the Jews by the Roman senate in 40 BCE and ruled over Judea for 37 years. The Romans equipped him with an army and 2000 soldiers as his personal bodyguard.

All this was much to the distaste of the Jews, despite Herod generally raising the prosperity of the land. Herod was always considered as a foreigner. He married ten times and had fifteen sons and at least five daughters.

Puppet of Rome

Like his father before him, Herod was merely a Roman puppet. Politically he was prepared to lead the Jewish people, but his ethnic background was Arab on both sides of his family.

Even with Rome’s backing, Herod’s hold over the far-flung Judean province was very weak. Rome was a long way away and even Cleopatra of Egypt, took much of Herod’s best land, though it was later restored to him by Octavian.

Wealth

Augustus gave Herod the oversight of the Cyprus copper mines, with a half share in profits. This didn’t stop Herod severely taxing his people. 

Despite struggling to hold his position, Herod single-handedly established the Herodian royal dynasty. It ruled in Palestine and neighbouring areas from around 55 BC to 93 AD.

Ambitious Builder

Herod was known for his ambitious and ingenious building projects. These included Masada, on top of the plateau near the Dead Sea. He built Caesarea Maritima which was the first self-cleaning seaport. In his Herodium Palace he lived in obscene luxury, while his people lived in poverty.

Herod hoped to gain favour with the Jewish people. In a calculated move he rebuilt the Second Temple in Jerusalem. The Western Wall was part of the retaining perimeter wall of the Temple. However, he disregarded many of the demands of the Pharisees, regarding the temple.

Herod built the city of Haifa, which later became the capital of Roman Palestine. He also built temples to other gods and embellished foreign cities, such as Beirut, Damascus, Antioch, Rhodes. He became the president and patron of the Olympic Games for life, having rescued the games from financial ruin.

Intense Distrust

The Jews harboured an intense dislike of this ‘King’, for he imposed outrages taxes on the people, besides the taxes Rome demanded. He also consolidated Rome’s rule over Judea.

He looked on while Roman soldiers crucified peasants simply as a means of public intimidation.

Incurable Illness

At the time of Christ’s birth, Herod was suffering from the incurable physical ailment arteriosclerosis, abnormal thickening and hardening of the walls of the arteries. He also had mental deterioration.

Plus, the abnormal paranoia against anything that threatened his position, fed by the intrigue and deception within his own family. He was an old man immersed in pain and bitterness and making funeral arrangements.

His paranoia reached dramatic heights as he continued to root out heirs apparent, just as he had done before. He had killed one of his wives, her two sons, her grandfather, his mother-in-law, his brother-in-law, three of his sons, plus 46 priests. Into this background came the news of a new King of the Jews.

Deadly Threat

Jerusalem had been abuzz with the news of weird happenings in Bethlehem. Angels singing in the heavens, shepherds sent to visit a baby lying in a manger. Herod missed nothing, because of his extensive spy network, but baby Jesus was kept safe.

Just when things were beginning to die down and time had elapsed, three sages, or wise men arrived from the east, They were asking where was the King of the Jews.

Despite his attempts to manipulate the wise men they did not lead him to this so called ‘King of the Jews’. Being warned in a dream, the wise men returned to their home a different way, bypassing King Herod.

Enraged King Herod

This totally enraged the sick and ailing king into a blind, hot fury. Knowing he had been outwitted by the wise men, He ordered the death of every two-year old male and under, Matthew 2:16. In a dream, Joseph was told to take baby Jesus and his mother to Egypt and stay there until Herod died.

How did John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, not get killed in the massacre? Had his parents taken him out of the country, which is unlikely, or was he over two years old? John was six months older than Jesus, Luke 1:39-45.

Herod the Great’s Death

Herod died a bitter and painful death at the age of 73 in 4 BC, following an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Marking years with AD was not introduced until 525.

Those who buried Herod were killed to keep his grave a secret. In 2008 his tomb was discovered at the Herodian palace.

Herod disappeared onto the pages of history, but Christ made history. The King of Kings died on a cruel wooden cross and was laid in a cold tomb. But death could not hold Him, Acts 2:24. His death and resurrection made the way for fallen man to be redeemed and enter into a covenantal relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Two Kings

The false King of the Jews lived in an elaborate palace. The true King was born in a stable and laid in an animal’s feeding trough.

Herod had a legacy of death and oppression. The true King of the Jews brought life and freedom for all who accept the free gift of salvation, Romans 6:23.

Herod, the false king reigned over a very limited area, for a limited time, with his position always in jeopardy. The true King’s influence is global, with an everlasting throne and an unending reign, 2 Samuel 7:16.

First the Natural

First the natural then the spiritual, 1 Corinthians 15:46. Herod was the King of the Jews in earthly terms. However, the true King not only fulfilled prophecy spoken hundreds of years before, He is the only true spiritual King of the Jews.

The irony is that Pilate demanded a sign be placed over the head of Jesus on the cross, proclaiming Him to be King of the Jews, Matthew 27:37. It was written in all the common languages, so none could mistake what was written.

The true King suffered at the hands of the Romans and the religious Jews. He gave his life blood as a sacrificial lamb, Revelation 13:8. The false king murdered hundreds of innocent people with no reprisal.

Herod’s life disappears into antiquity with barely another thought. King Jesus has a name that is above every other name, Philippians 2:9, and will be praised into eternity.

Satan Loses

No matter what Satan and evil men devise, God turns it to good, Genesis 50:20. God alone rules and reigns supreme, Psalm 103:19. Angry and frustrated Herod the Great was a tyrant and injustice was the centre of his kingdom. He tried to rule a people whose God is the great I Am that I Am, Exodus 3:3.

The sceptre of God’s eternal kingdom is justice, Hebrews 1:8. God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Satan loses. There are things ahead for all believers and followers of Christ that has not entered the heart of man, 1 Corinthians 2:9.

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Dr. Wendy Stenberg-Tendys is a freelance writer who enjoys researching a topic and sharing words of encouragement from the Word of God.

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