Two kings, one kingdom
The story of Christmas is also the story of two kings — one who is born in 70ish BC and the other who has always been King.
In Luke 1:5 we read, “in the days of Herod.” This would be the man the historian Josephus calls Herod the Great. Herod was born into a family tied to the politics of Rome and Judea. His father, himself, and his sons to follow all ruled at various times over the land of the people of God, Judea. While he was governor in Galilee in 40 BC, the Parthians invaded Judea and he fled to Rome, only to soon return with the power of Rome to evict the Parthians and cement his rule. He was appointed and approved by Rome to be the “king of the Jews.”
He was an Idumean (an Edomite, which makes him a descendant of Esau, the historical enemy of the Jews) and worked to curry favor with the Jews. A massive builder of buildings (rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem being one), but always looking out for #1, himself. He was power hungry, paranoid, and murderous in protecting his throne. Some of the building were fortresses, which doubled as palaces to which he could flee for protection in case of civil unrest or invasion. One of the fortresses was Masada, the place where almost 1,000 Jews fled and died at their own hands in 74 AD rather than surrender to the Roman forces.
Another is the Herodium, located seven-and-a-half miles from Jerusalem, making it a close “safe room,” a redoubt to which to flee quickly if needed. Herod built this massive structure (one of the largest palace structures in existence at that time) on top of an existing small hill, raising it to 400 feet over the surrounding plain, thus making it visible for miles around. Herod incorporated his burial place into the construction of the Herodium. At his death, two things were to take place: to make sure there would be mourners, a group of imprisoned Jewish elders were to be executed; and his son, Antipar, was to be executed. Fortunately, these plans were ignored and not carried out.
Herod was known as a great builder, yet all his works have crumbled and fallen into decay, some only known in the pages of history. And though he held the title of “king of the Jews,” he was reviled by most for his despotic, paranoid, murderous ways. At his death, Augustus is quoted as saying, “Better to be a pig in Herod’s palace than one of his sons.” Herod was “great” in his own eyes, yet was buried and remains there.
Meanwhile, near the end of the reign of Herod (remember, in the days of Herod from Luke 1:5) angels appeared in the night to shepherds watching over their flocks of sheep in the plains outside Bethlehem. This town was the home town of King David, and its name means “house of bread.” Bread being the staple of life in those times (remember the Lord’s Prayer which says “give us this day our daily bread”). Many believe these flocks of sheep under the care of their shepherds were the lambs reserved for the sacrifices conducted at Passover. Bethlehem is a scant eight miles from Jerusalem. So the message of the angels to these shepherds outside Bethlehem in the plains was of “peace on earth, good will towards men.”
With the angels in the sky, the backdrop — depending on the direction you are gazing — could easily be this massive palace, the Herodium of Herod, only four miles from Bethlehem. Imagine the juxtaposition in that moment: the reigning “king of the Jews” nestled in comfort in the palace in Jerusalem, hoarding his power to protect his throne; and the forever King of the Jews leaving His throne in heaven to be born a baby, placed in straw in an animal’s feeding trough.
These shepherds have lived under the rule of one king, while pining for the rule and reign of the real King. This baby born in Bethlehem and placed in a manger came with a purpose: to build a Kingdom that would never falter or fail, not of buildings destined to crumble and fade away. Instead a Kingdom that would eliminate all the kingdoms of men, the plans, and devices of men, replacing them with the Kingdom of God. He would rule forever, not by despotic fiat, but through the grace, mercy, forgiveness and peace of God. (Isaiah 9:6-7 tells us “He will be called the Prince of Peace and of the increase of His government there will be no end.”)
His subjects will be those He adopts and who love Him. His setting aside the throne room of heaven to be born as a baby had always been God’s plan. But the plan didn’t stop there. He was to live among sinful, selfish, hateful, hurting people without joining them in their sinful ways. And the plan was that He would willingly die on a cross to pay the price of all our sins. (Sin being not doing the things God says to do, or doing the things God says not to do.) He didn’t need to plan a permanent burial place, He only need borrow one for three days, at the end of which time He rose from the dead never to die again. And one day He will split the sky, returning for all His children and coming in judgment on all those who will not believe (trust) in Him. And on that day, He will not be just the King of the Jews, but the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, forever and ever.
So we have two kings at the same time. One, a pretender who dies and is buried, remaining there to this day just like we will be. His only desire was to rule over people. The other, the True King, came to die and rise again. His desire was to provide the way that you and I could be saved if we will trust in Him and Him alone, rather than in our wayward ways of living.
Today, there are still two kings in your story: either Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords or you, the pretender, who desires to rule your life as you see fit, to please yourself, maybe even determine where you will be buried, prepaid and already planned. I encourage you this Christmas to learn the lesson of the two kings. Stop pretending to be a king and trust and worship the True King who came to set you free and adopt you as His own. Then you will know the real purpose of Christmas (and Easter) forever.
Merry Christmas!!
Pastor Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor
