So often, the Christmas stories and devotionals focus on Christ as the coming King or something of that nature. But how often do we read about Herod’s response to the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes? There is a little bit of Herod in everyone. Let us not look at Herod’s actions like the Pharisee and say, “I am glad I am not like him.” Instead, let us be like the humble tax collector who could not even look upward and pleaded with God, “Have mercy on me.”
Christmas should not only be a time of recognizing that Jesus came to the earth, but Christmas should also be a time of examining oneself. As a result, Christmas should be a time of repentance and true worship unto the Lord.
The Bible is filled with both good examples and bad examples. The good examples give us someone to emulate, while the bad examples teach us to steer clear to avoid danger.
With that being said, why don’t we analyze the bad behaviors, motives, and attitudes of Herod the Great?
The troubled king
Herod the Great was the first king in the Herodian Dynasty. Matthew chapter two starts by telling us of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem during the days of Herod, the king. We are then told that wise men enter Jerusalem looking for the One Who had been born King of the Jews. Then we read, “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (KJV, Matt. 2:3). The response of Herod was telling.
The Bible says that Herod was troubled when He heard of Jesus’ birth. Herod would have known about the Jewish prophecies concerning their coming King. However, Herod did not want to give up his throne. At this point, we can see that there is a little bit of Herod in everyone.
The Christian is in an ongoing struggle to let Christ sit upon the throne of his heart. The major battle that the Christian will face is a battle between who will reign as king. Will the Christian submit to Christ the King or seek to set up his own kingdom?
Christ will not allow the Christian to rule over his own life. Either the Christian will humble himself or will be humbled by the true King of the earth. But when Herod heard that the King had come, he was troubled. So often, the Christian is also troubled when he sees Christ seeking to invade his life. The Christian does not want change; “Things are going well,” he may say. However, Christ has come, and the Christian must learn to submit to the King.
The seeking king
Not only was Herod troubled, but Herod began to ask questions. The Bible goes on to say, “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born” (Matt. 2:4). So not only did Herod want to keep his throne, but Herod also sought Jesus for the wrong reasons.
Herod did not want to meet Jesus in the same manner as the magi. Herod did not have gifts to give the Messiah king. However, Herod sought the Lord. Thus, he sought the Lord for the wrong reasons. Many would not dare to do what Herod did. Nevertheless, many are seeking the Lord for the wrong reasons.
When Herod asked the scribes where the Child would be born, the scribes knew the answer. The scribes knew the Old Testament. The scribes were the Jewish lawyers, and many of them were Pharisees. If anyone could give an answer, it would have been a scribe. Nonetheless, when the scribes heard that the Child had been born and received the question concerning His birthplace, they did not desire to see Christ. The Scribes answered correctly, which is an astonishing fact when linked to their response of lingering in Jerusalem.
Likely the chief priests and scribes listed in Matthew 2:3 would have been a part of the group that was troubled with Herod in Matthew 2:3.
The fearful king
After Herod heard of the whereabouts of the coming King, Herod encountered the magi. Likely, by this time, the city was in an uproar. When the magi came to Jerusalem, they were “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?…” (Matt. 2:2). In the original Greek, the word that is translated as “saying” is a present participle that stresses the magi as continuously saying, “…Where is he that is born King of the Jews?…” (Matt. 2:2). The imagery is that of the magi entering Jerusalem and asking random people as they travel through the town. They would have likely encountered people at the gate, temple, shops, etc., and asked them all about the One Who had been born King of the Jews.
As a result, Herod was fearful. It was no secret what these men were saying. Scripture tells us, “The Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared” (Matt. 2:7). Here we can see that Herod was afraid of the people.
Herod did not want others to know about the Messiah and his questions. So he called the magi secretly since he did not want to be exposed.
Herod did not want the people to know about Jesus. He desired to stop the message from proceeding any further. He tried to keep the message muted and the people left in the dark.
Here we can see the demonic influence of Satan as well. Satan worked through Herod in an attempt to fulfill his wicked plan. Scripture says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon them” (2 Cor. 4:3-4). Satan blinded the mind of Herod, and Herod sought to blind the mind of the masses.
Herod did not want the message to get out. However, the Bible tells us that when Christ would come, those who dwelled in darkness would see a great light. Therefore, Herod could not keep the Gospel message from shining into the dark world in which man finds himself.
The lying king
In fear, the king lied. Fear and lying are closely connected in the Bible. In this manner, many Christians can identify with Herod. There is a little Herod in everyone, even the Christian. This does not make lying okay. The Christian must respond with confession of sin and forsaking sin. However, let us learn through the bad examples of Scripture while not considering ourselves more highly than we ought.
After Herod the Great heard of the whereabouts of Jesus, we read, “And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also” (Matt. 2:8). So here we see that the king sent the magi to Bethlehem.
Why did Herod not go himself? It is possible that he did not want to be seen leaving Jerusalem with the magi as the people would have known why the magi had come. To see the king going with the magi would have drawn more attention to the message of the magi. However, it is hard to know for sure.
One thing that is certain is that Herod lied to the magi. While Herod did not want the men to know why he wanted to see Jesus, the lie of Herod was rooted much deeper than simply his attempt to cover up a secret. Herod feared what it would mean if the Jewish King had truly come. Herod desired his throne more than life itself.
Out of his sinful fear, he lied to the men who had come to worship the One Who had been born the King of the Jews.
Final prayer
Father, will You please guard my heart this day? I pray that You would help me to step down and let Jesus sit upon the throne of my heart. Jesus is worthy to be King. In Jesus’ name, Amen.