Herod and the Bible

"Rachel weeping for her children, because they are not", was prophesied long before, then fulfilled as Herod sent his cruel minions to slaughter all the babies, trying to prevent Jesus from dethroning him and his sons..

But an angel spoke to Joseph in a vision and told him to flee to Egypt. There again we see the strange combination of the natural with the supernatural. God generally wants us to make every effort to carry out His will. He often allows us to strive on the last mile before He steps in to complete the miracle and the task. The fishermen have to go out, once again unto the deep, though weary with a fruitless night of toil, before they finally make the great catch. Israel must plod on foot leaving Egypt, keep going night and day, then reach the sea's edge. Then and only then do the waters roll back.

Jesus does not command the multitude to "Be fed", or give supernatural strength without using food. Jesus asks the disciples what they have, then, using that miraculously, enlarges it as needed.

All through the Old Testament we see God planning and supervising the development of a people and a Book using thousands of years rather than snapping creative fingers and doing it all suddenly. He began His creative work in the infinity of bygone eons creating the distant heavens, stars and galaxies, "the work of His fingers" and then finally our own sun, moon and the earth in His appropriate time. The man, then centuries of the history of fallen man, but then finally "in the fullness of time" sending His own Son as Redeemer.

We should both work as though all depended upon us, and also wait upon the Lord as though all depended upon Him. Does that seem somewhat illogical? Yes, by man's natural way of thinking it is. But if we have been born again we walk by the Spirit.

Was Jesus really a man, or was He God? Un-redeemed men philosophize that a "babe in a manger" could not be God. We believers cannot prove it to a prejudiced believer, but we KNOW Jesus was a man tempted in all ways even as ourselves, yet He was so "one with God", that St. John could also add, "and He was God", or is God.

When we are ill it is a temptation to be "logical", depend on doctors with their medicine, or upon God alone, but that does not please the Lord, either extreme. We should first bring it to the Lord, then call the elders to pray, confessing and repenting, and then seek His guidance also about which doctors. Not witch doctors, of course, but which doctors to visit. Always praying, "Not my will, but Thine be done."

When the old king, Herod the Great, died, the Lord called His Son out of Egypt, also according to prophecy. The new young Herod was not an enthroned king as was his father. Rome had sent Pilate to Jerusalem, leaving Herod with the less important Galilee. Before this latter could have his coronation, he must await official permission from Rome. But for some strange reason he did not understand, that permission never came. We, of course, know why. The prophecy foretelling a son of David would always reign was now fulfilled in Jesus. There was no need for any more Herods.

When Pilate sent Jesus in chains to Herod, this little puppet was not aware that he himself was a nobody and the King was standing before him. The other Herod had sought Jesus, but to kill Him. Now here was the real King but the straw-king turned away completely unaware that this Figure before him in bloody rags and bonds was not only the King, but the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and our Savior also, yours and mine.