Herod Got It

 

We all remember the Christmas story of the wise men who sought Jesus.  Their journey included a visit to Herod, in Jerusalem, seeking the One God had said would be “a ruler who will shepherd my people.”  (Matthew 2:6)  Where was the newly born King of the Jews?  Herod, of course, was quite interested and consulted his advisors as to where this child/Ruler was. When he learned of the prophesy, that evil man murdered all the boys in Bethlehem under 2 years old.

Recently, someone told me of a radio teacher lamenting that Herod simply misunderstood Jesus and the reason for His coming.  He taught that if Herod had fully understood Jesus’ earthly purpose that he would not have killed the children. He would have realized that Jesus was no threat to his throne wanting only to come for the salvation of individuals.

No!  Herod got it.  He understood that if Jesus was permitted to live and fulfill the prophecy that He would be the ruler of God’s people. Herod was not only going to lose the throne but be seen for the evil man he was. When people in a nation come to Christ, they change, and with their changes come changes in the culture – always for the better.

Exposing Evil

Herod was known for his cruelty – even to his own children.  One website described his “weaknesses” this way, “He was a brutal man who killed his father-in-law, several of his ten wives, and two of his sons. He ignored the laws of God to suit himself and chose the favor of Rome over his own people. Herod’s heavy taxes to pay for lavish projects forced an unfair burden on the Jewish citizens.” http://christianity.about.com/od/newtestamentpeople/a/JZ-Herod-The-Great.htm

Herod knew that once Jesus was King, the Jewish people he ruled over would have a standard to weigh him against. His evil would be evident when men understood God’s Law.  Herod knew that when Jesus ruled, he could not. All of his ambitious work to gain his position would be futile against the perfect rule of King Jesus, the shepherd King. He ordered that the boys under two were to be killed to prevent Jesus from ever becoming King — a futile effort, as God protected His Shepherd by telling Joseph to take the child and His mother and go to Egypt. They returned when Herod died.

Herod got it, do we get it?

Christ is King

Today Jesus Christ is still King. His rule is over all nations in spite of the fact that He is denied, profaned and blasphemed by the way people live.  All of those people and every one of us will be judged according to God’s Law as we live and when we die. We are held to the same standard that Herod was afraid to face in this life.

The question most would expect to hear now is,  “Is Jesus King of your life?” But it’s not a question and should never be a question.  It’s a statement of fact.  I want this to be a message that says  “Jesus is King over all of every area of every  life,  whether we choose to see it or not.”

He is King of your marriage. He is King over your stance on education, work, faith, abortion, homosexuality, and His own law.

If we don’t recognize the reality of Christ’s Kingship, then we, like Herod, should fear because King Jesus will judge based on His standard, not ours.