Prophecy: King Herod was the antichrist of Jesus' day - equally as crazy.
08 CRAZY HEROD
Herod the Great is one of the most fascinating characters in the Bible, partially because his story plays out against the backdrop of world events. In 63 BC, the expanding reach of Rome was displayed when Pompey the Great captured Jerusalem. A war of rebellion by the Israelites loomed, so in stepped the peacekeepers, including Herod the Great. He was appointed governor of Galilee in 47 BC, and helped keep war at bay while still collecting taxes.
Herod was a friend of Mark Antony, but successfully changed sides to Octavian, who would become Emperor Augustus. In 40 BC, Herod was appointed King of Judea, and ruled as a client king. He would keep that title until his death in about 4 BC.
Herod was known as Herod the Great because of his astounding building projects including the renovation of the Temple and Temple Mount, the creation of the deep-water port Caesarea Maritima, and elaborate palaces at Masada and Herodium.
Herod was known for his brutality and his extreme loyalty to Rome. He died in Jericho, but was buried at his fortress south of Jerusalem, Herodium. Due to a putrefying illness known as “Herod’s Evil,” he lived his final years in a pain so extreme that he attempted suicide. According to the historian, Josephus, Herod was so concerned nobody would mourn his death that he commanded a large group of distinguished Jews be killed at his death so there would be large public displays of grief. This command was, fortunately, not carried out.
I’m going to die soon. And nobody will mourn my death. Unless I make them. I’ve locked up Jewish elders from all over Israel inside the Hippodrome at Jericho. Upon my death. They are to be executed. There will be mourning at my death after all. That will be my last mass murder, but far from my first. I am King Herod the Great.
HEROD
My golden coffin is studded with gemstones and draped with purple cloth. I will be buried in my finest clothes with a golden crown on my head. Crowds will line the miles from Jerusalem to my palace at Herodium, where I will be buried in a secret place. Most of the people in the vast crowd of mourners won’t technically be mourning my death…they will celebrate it. (slight crazy smile) It will be just like one of my sons to snatch the crown off of my head before I am buried.
Why should you be interested in the ravings of a dying man who is certifiably crazy? Because my family and I will have great influence over the life of your precious Lord Jesus and his apostles. Even though I will be dead and gone.
I had ten wives and ten children. I murdered several of them, so none of those enter into the story of Jesus. I’ve endowed a quarter of my territory to my sister, Salome, but she doesn’t enter into the story. Another fourth goes to my son, Archelaus, he’s not important. I have endowed a fourth of my kingdom to my son, Philip. He doesn’t really enter into the story either except for the fact that his wife at one time was Herodias. Now she’s a real charmer. Talk about crazy.
Watch the episode “Crazy Herod.”
