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Herod’s Palace · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can't
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  Speaker 1: inherit God's kingdom. Neither does the perishable inherit imperishable. 1
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  Speaker 1: Corinthians 15.50 Dear Lord, your kingdom is eternal, everlasting, and imperishable.
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  Speaker 1: We recognize that we are unable to obtain heaven on
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  Speaker 1: our own. It is only through faith in you, Lord Jesus,
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  Speaker 1: that we can access eternal life. In light of these things,
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  Speaker 1: we pray that you would set our mind on your kingdom.
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  Speaker 1: Since we have inherited eternal life in you, may we
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  Speaker 1: set our minds solely on eternal things. May the kingdom, glory,
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  Speaker 1: and righteous word be ever present in our thoughts. May
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  Speaker 1: your throne rest on the forefront of our minds, guiding
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  Speaker 1: us in all we do. When we stumble, and dwell
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  Speaker 1: on the carnal things of this world. Would you redirect
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  Speaker 1: our thoughts and illuminate our paths? We trust you to
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  Speaker 1: do all these things and more. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 2: The shepherds stood and bowed their heads to Mary and Joseph.
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  Speaker 2: They exited the stable. Stealing one final glance at the
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  Speaker 2: child before they left, the sun began to rise over
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  Speaker 2: the hills, painting the sky with hues of gold and pink.
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  Speaker 2: Their hearts were filled with an overflowing well of joy.
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  Speaker 2: Their contemplative walk slowly turned into a dance of praise
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  Speaker 2: and worship. Soon enough, the shepherds were shouting through the streets,
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  Speaker 2: their voices raised in worship and faces glowing with a
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  Speaker 2: light that drew curious onlookers. Some shook their heads, thinking
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  Speaker 2: the shepherds were crazy, drunk, or both. But the shepherds,
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  Speaker 2: undeterred by scorn, proclaimed that the Messiah had been born,
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  Speaker 2: and they had been privileged to see him. Word began
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  Speaker 2: to spread like ripples in a pond, the whispers growing
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  Speaker 2: in strength and conviction. The shepherds' testimony, although unlikely, rekindled
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  Speaker 2: hope in a few who heard it. If the Messiah
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  Speaker 2: had truly been born, then hope for Israel was alive.
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  Speaker 2: The testimony reached the ears of some of the servants
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  Speaker 2: of Herod, the land's ruler. Their faces paled, their hearts
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  Speaker 2: pounding with fear and hope. They did not tell Herod,
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  Speaker 2: choosing instead to hold silent, their minds filled with dreams
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  Speaker 2: of redemption from the oppression of Rome. Once weighed down
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  Speaker 2: by sorrow and suffering, the land seemed to awaken to
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  Speaker 2: a new possibility. The whispers grew into a chorus of voices,
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  Speaker 2: a community united by faith and longing. In that humble stable,
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  Speaker 2: a child had been born, a king who would change
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  Speaker 2: the world.
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  Speaker 3: I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would absolutely love
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: to send you my daily devotional that will give you
• 3:12
  Speaker 3: fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment
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  Speaker 3: we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
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  Speaker 3: the pillow, there are thousands of things demanding our attention.
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  Speaker 3: But it's in the midst of all this crush and
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  Speaker 3: hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
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  Speaker 3: truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
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  Speaker 3: you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing
• 3:38
  Speaker 3: Word by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.
• 3:44
  Speaker 3: So visit JackGraham.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.
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  Speaker 3: That's JackGraham.org. Today, we meet a new character, Herod. King
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  Speaker 3: Herod maintained a continuous vigilance to ward off any dangers
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  Speaker 3: to his throne, with his fears often extending to those
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  Speaker 3: within his own family. He was responsible for the deaths
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  Speaker 3: of numerous relatives, fearing their betrayal. Though Herod sought to
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  Speaker 3: gain the favor of the Jewish population over whom he ruled,
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  Speaker 3: He himself was not a Jew, but an Edomite. Rome
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  Speaker 3: acknowledged him as a subservient king in charge of Judea.
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  Speaker 3: Despite their intense dislike for him, the Jews also respected Herod,
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  Speaker 3: primarily due to his architectural achievements, including the significant enhancements
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  Speaker 3: he made to the second temple. Herod's reign was marked
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  Speaker 3: by brutal and aggressive actions. Immediately upon ascending to the throne,
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  Speaker 3: He eradicated the Sanhedrin. He executed 300 court officials. He
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  Speaker 3: also killed his wife, Maryam, and her mother, Alexandra. He
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  Speaker 3: killed his eldest son, Antipater, and two other sons, Alexander
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  Speaker 3: and Aristobulus. His rule was a chilling era of violence
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  Speaker 3: and fear, reflecting the dark aspects of his own character.
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  Speaker 3: The Magi are about to enter Herod's palace. If you've
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  Speaker 3: read the Gospel of Matthew, you'll know that the news
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  Speaker 3: of Jesus' birth will cause Herod to commit unimaginable cruelties.
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  Speaker 3: Let's dive into the story. Afterward, we'll unpack the themes
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  Speaker 3: of what it truly means to be a king and
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  Speaker 3: how Herod is contrasted with the true king of the Jews, Jesus.
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  Speaker 2: The caravan moved through the desert like a river cutting
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  Speaker 2: through canyons. Caspar, Melchior, and Belshazzar were at the head
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  Speaker 2: of the caravan, guided by the star. They moved from
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  Speaker 2: endless sand dunes to rugged mountains and dense forests. The
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  Speaker 2: path was arduous, and the journey taxed even the most
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  Speaker 2: robust of their company. As they journeyed west... they began
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  Speaker 2: to witness the heavy hand of the Roman Empire. Once
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  Speaker 2: teeming with vibrant and simple life, remote villages lay in ruin,
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  Speaker 2: their inhabitants either subjugated or fleeing from Roman wrath. Caesar
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  Speaker 2: had no need for poor villages that couldn't contribute to
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  Speaker 2: the empire. As the Magi walked through the broken-down villages,
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  Speaker 2: they realized just how heavy the iron grip of Rome was.
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  Speaker 2: Caspar was a man of riches and nobility. Some even
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  Speaker 2: referred to him as Solomon Reborn. But as he looked
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  Speaker 2: upon a begging family on the side of the road,
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  Speaker 2: his heart broke.' Stop!' Casper said with a raspy voice.
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  Speaker 2: His camel knelt down, and he dismounted. He approached the
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  Speaker 2: family with a quivering lip.' It will not replace what
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  Speaker 2: you have lost, but I hope it blesses you.' He
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  Speaker 2: handed them a leather bag of expensive spices to sell
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  Speaker 2: and and a cloth wrapped around a large piece of silver.
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  Speaker 2: The father received it and held it for a while
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  Speaker 2: in his hand. Hope, he said with a jaded and
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  Speaker 2: weathered tone. Hope is a distant memory. Behind Casper's long
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  Speaker 2: white beard, there was a compassionate smile. He walked back
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  Speaker 2: to his camel and mounted it. Before proceeding, he glanced
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  Speaker 2: back at him and said, Perhaps hope is closer than
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  Speaker 2: you think. With those words, the caravan continued through the
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  Speaker 2: winding Judean countryside. Nature was alive with new life. The
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  Speaker 2: wind carried the scent of freshly budding wildflowers, and fawns
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  Speaker 2: pranced through the grassy valleys. As they neared Judea, the
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  Speaker 2: anticipation grew. They felt a pull, a magnetic force that
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  Speaker 2: guided their every step. The star had led them to Judea,
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  Speaker 2: but the exact location of the Messiah was still unknown
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  Speaker 2: to them. Tell me, Melchior. Caspar said. Where would a
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  Speaker 2: Judean king be born? Melchior pointed to a city glimmering
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  Speaker 2: in the distance. Jerusalem, he said. The city of David
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  Speaker 2: and home to the temple. No doubt the city will
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  Speaker 2: be alive with celebration. The caravan entered the city with pomp.
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  Speaker 2: They were hardly inconspicuous, with their camels adorned with purple
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  Speaker 2: and chests of gold following them on carts. The rest
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  Speaker 2: of their caravan waited outside the city gates to replenish
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  Speaker 2: camels and restock on supplies. But the three wise men
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  Speaker 2: pressed forward, seeking out the palace of Herod, the Tetrarch
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  Speaker 2: of Judea. His palace loomed over the bustling marketplace, imposing
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  Speaker 2: and cold. symbolizing power and dominance. Herod was indeed a
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  Speaker 2: master of deceit, cunning as a desert fox. His mind
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  Speaker 2: was a labyrinth of political intrigue and deception, honed sharp
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  Speaker 2: enough to cut through the Gordian knot of political power
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  Speaker 2: that entrapped many rulers. He had an insatiable thirst for dominance,
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  Speaker 2: a desire that drove him to impose crippling taxes upon
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  Speaker 2: the very people he ruled. Even Caesar Augustus, the master
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  Speaker 2: of Rome, Quipped that it was safer to be Herod's
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  Speaker 2: swine than his offspring, for Herod was notorious for slaying
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  Speaker 2: any of his children that proved to threaten his power.
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  Speaker 2: Word of the Magi's arrival, however, presented an opportunity for Herod.
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  Speaker 2: To him, it was a chance to acquire more favor
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  Speaker 2: from rich men. He ordered his servants to prepare a
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  Speaker 2: feast worthy of emperors. He laid a bounty of food
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  Speaker 2: at the table and surrounded them with music, wine, and dancers.
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  Speaker 2: To the Magi, men of refinement and culture, such a
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  Speaker 2: reception was not uncommon. However, something was disquieting about the feast. Belshazzar,
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  Speaker 2: in particular, had his guard up. Herod entered the great
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  Speaker 2: halls and stretched out his arm. My lords, to what
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  Speaker 2: do I owe this pleasure? Herod asked, his voice dripping
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  Speaker 2: with feigned graciousness. We seek the newborn king of the Jews.
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  Speaker 2: They replied with a bow. The Messiah's star has guided
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  Speaker 2: us here, and we intend to honor him with our
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  Speaker 2: tributes and adoration. A shiver ran down Herod's spine at
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  Speaker 2: their words. Rumors had reached his ears, whispers of a
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  Speaker 2: child born to be king. But Herod was king. and
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  Speaker 2: no infant would unravel what he had spent decades making.
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  Speaker 2: Concealing his inner disgust, he took a measured sip of wine. Ah, yes,
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  Speaker 2: he said with a false grin. I have heard rumors
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  Speaker 2: of such a child being born. My servants think I
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  Speaker 2: do not hear their whispers in the halls. But such
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  Speaker 2: news is worth celebrating, is it not? Harrod's servants stepped
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  Speaker 2: back in fear. The proclamations of the shepherds had reached
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  Speaker 2: some of them, but they had purposely hidden it from Herod.
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  Speaker 2: Belshazzar steadied Herod carefully. Do you know where he is?
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  Speaker 2: Although I have heard rumors, no news has reached my throne.
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  Speaker 2: But if it is the prophesied Messiah you are looking for,
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  Speaker 2: the priests and scribes may be able to be of
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  Speaker 2: some aid. Harrod summoned some of the temple priests and scribes.
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  Speaker 2: They too were disturbed to hear the news. Tell us, priests,
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  Speaker 2: Harrod said, where is the prophesied child to be found?
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  Speaker 2: The priests spoke among themselves for a moment, then replied.
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  Speaker 4: Bethlehem, my lord, the birthplace of David, for the prophecies
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  Speaker 4: declare thus. And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
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  Speaker 4: are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.
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  Speaker 4: For from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd
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  Speaker 4: my people Israel. Herod's smile was a serpent's grin as
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  Speaker 4: he raised his glass to the wise men.
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  Speaker 2: Then perhaps the rumors hold true, my lords. A new
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  Speaker 2: king may indeed grace our land. Glory to God. But
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  Speaker 2: his eyes were stormy seas, churning with rage and fear.
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  Speaker 2: Should you find the child, do return and tell me,
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  Speaker 2: so that I too may pay my respects. The magi
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  Speaker 2: thanked Herod and departed. Harrod watched them leave, his smile
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  Speaker 2: changing into a snarl as the door closed behind them.
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  Speaker 2: Messiah or not, he hissed in a venomous whisper. No
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  Speaker 2: one will dethrone me. His eyes blazed with malevolence that
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  Speaker 2: recalled the cruelty of Pharaoh long ago. With a cry
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  Speaker 2: of fury, he hurled his cup against the wall and
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  Speaker 2: summoned his guards. Slay every boy under two. Show no
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  Speaker 2: mercy to those who defy me. He slumped back into
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  Speaker 2: his throne, his thoughts a whirlwind of paranoia. An infant
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  Speaker 2: shall not undo me. He vowed the words a dark oath.
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  Speaker 2: The palace seemed to shudder at his command, a foreboding
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  Speaker 2: silence descending as Herod's madness spiraled further into the darkness,
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  Speaker 2: a void of which there could be no return.
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  Speaker 3: This story, inspired by Matthew chapter 2, is a tale
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  Speaker 3: that paints a picture of the bleak circumstances into which
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  Speaker 3: Jesus was born. The boot of Rome was heavy on Israel,
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  Speaker 3: and those who weren't contributing to the empire were cast
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  Speaker 3: aside and forgotten. The appearance of the wise men from
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  Speaker 3: the east heralded a fresh sense of hope that transcended
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  Speaker 3: the earthly suffering seen in the poverty-stricken villages. The sight
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  Speaker 3: of Caspar's compassion for the broken family by the roadside
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  Speaker 3: provides a vivid example of this newfound hope. Illustrating how
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  Speaker 3: the birth of Jesus inspires us to reach out to
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  Speaker 3: those in need, Indeed, Jesus' coming is a sign that
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  Speaker 3: hope is closer than it seems. In our lives, we
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  Speaker 3: may face hopeless situations. Yet, the story of Jesus' birth
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  Speaker 3: reminds us that even in the darkest circumstances, hope is
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  Speaker 3: alive and can be found in him. The story of
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  Speaker 3: the Magi paints a grim picture of the Roman Empire's
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  Speaker 3: cruel dominion. Villages lay in ruins. and the impoverished were
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  Speaker 3: subjected to the empire's iron grip. But in this devastation,
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  Speaker 3: the Magi were led by a star to the place
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  Speaker 3: where the true king was born. The kingdom of God
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  Speaker 3: is unlike any earthly kingdom. While Caesar's rule brought destruction
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  Speaker 3: and subjugation, Jesus' kingdom brought restoration, peace, and justice. The
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  Speaker 3: birth of Christ inaugurated a new era where the marginalized
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  Speaker 3: and oppressed could find refuge and dignity. The kingdom of
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  Speaker 3: God is not built on power and domination, but on love, mercy,
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  Speaker 3: and grace. Herod is a personification of the greed, corruption,
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  Speaker 3: and evil Israel was oppressed by during that time. Under
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  Speaker 3: that politician's smile was a man consumed with bitterness and jealousy.
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  Speaker 3: Herod's response to the birth of Jesus reveals the depths
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  Speaker 3: to which jealousy and fear can drive a person. Though
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  Speaker 3: he initially feigned interest in worshipping the newborn king, his
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  Speaker 3: true intentions were soon laid bare. Driven by a relentless
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  Speaker 3: desire to protect his own power, he issued a horrifying
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  Speaker 3: command to slay every boy under two in Bethlehem. This
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  Speaker 3: sobering account reminds us of the destructive nature of jealousy.
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  Speaker 3: Like Herod, jealousy can blind us to reason and lead
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  Speaker 3: us to unspeakable cruelty. It's a stark warning to guard
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  Speaker 3: our hearts against envy and to seek contentment in what
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  Speaker 3: God has given to us. Herod's rule was marked by
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  Speaker 3: betrayal and violence, founded on fear and oppression. But the
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  Speaker 3: birth of Jesus heralded a new kind of king who
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  Speaker 3: rules with love, compassion, and righteousness. Unlike Herod, whose rule
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  Speaker 3: was threatened by a mere infant, Jesus' kingship is unshakable.
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  Speaker 3: In our present age, it's tempting to put our trust
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  Speaker 3: in political leaders or ideologies, hoping they will bring about
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  Speaker 3: the change we desire. But the story of Herod reminds
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  Speaker 3: us that earthly rulers are fallible and often driven by self-interest. Jesus,
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  Speaker 3: on the other hand, is a king who reigns with
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  Speaker 3: perfect justice and love. In him alone we find solid
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  Speaker 3: and eternal hope. Above all, This passage underscores the incomparable
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  Speaker 3: kingship of Jesus. In a world fraught with uncertainty, he
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  Speaker 3: remains the unchanging and faithful star to follow. May this
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  Speaker 3: Christmas season rekindle in us a fresh sense of wonder
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  Speaker 3: at the birth of our Savior and renew our commitment
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  Speaker 3: to live as citizens of his kingdom. Join us for
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  Speaker 3: our next episode. The Magi will finally behold the king
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  Speaker 3: they've been waiting for. The gifts they give will provide
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  Speaker 3: us with deep theological insight into the nature of Jesus.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. And before we go,
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  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would love to
• 17:29
  Speaker 3: send you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement
• 17:33
  Speaker 3: every single day. So visit jackgraham.org to sign up for
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's jackgraham.org.