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Herod's, the Great, Profile
The Bible records history. It
has proven itself an accurate and reliable record of people, events, and places.
Independent historical accounts verify the Bible's descriptions and details of
many famous lives. One of these was the father of the Herodian family, Herod the
Great.
Herod is remembered as a builder of cities and the lavish
rebuilder of the temple in Jerusalem. But he also destroyed people. He showed
little greatness in either his personal actions or his character. He was
ruthless in ruling his territory. His suspicions and jealousy led to the murder
of several of his children and the death of his wife Mariamne.
Herod's title, king of the Jews, was granted by Rome but
never accepted by the Jewish people. He was not part of the Davidic family line,
and he was only partly Jewish. Although Israel benefited from Herod's lavish
efforts to repair the temple in Jerusalem, he won little admiration because he
also rebuilt various pagan temples. Herod's costly attempt to gain the loyalty
of the people failed because it was superficial. His only loyalty was to
himself.
Because his royal title was not genuine, Herod was constantly
worried about losing his position. His actions when hearing from the Magi about
their search for the new king are consistent with all that we know about Herod.
He planned to locate and kill the child before he could become a threat. The
murder of innocent children that followed is a tragic lesson in what can happen
when actions are motivated by selfishness. Herod's suspicions did not spare even
his own family. His life was self-destructive.
Herod's Strengths and Accomplishments
1. Was given the title king of the Jews by the
Romans
2. Held on to his power for more than 30 years
3. Was an effective, though ruthless, ruler
4. Sponsored a great variety of large building projects
Herod's Weaknesses and Mistakes
1. Tended to treat those around him with fear,
suspicion, and jealousy
2. Had several of his own children and at least one wife killed
3. Ordered the killing of the infants in Bethlehem
4. Although claiming to be a God-worshiper, he was still involved in many forms
of pagan religion
Lessons from Herod's Life
1. Great power brings neither peace nor security
2. No one can prevent God's plans from being carried out
3. Superficial loyalty does not impress people or God
Herod's Vital Statistics
1. Occupation: King of Judea from 37 to 4 B.C.
2. Relatives: Father: Antipater. Sons: Archelaus, Antipater, Antipas, Philip,
and others. Wives: Doris, Mariamne, and others
3. Contemporaries: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, Mark Antony, Augustus
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