HEROD THE NOT SO GREAT: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

By Heather Quiroz

My husband has a fear of dying being burned alive. Pretty gruesome to think about, I know. For me, I think the worst way to die would be that no one would care or that people would be happy you were gone.

That’s exactly how Herod the Great’s life ends.

Herod the Great was an extremely powerful man. He was brilliant as well, but he used his brilliance and power to hurt people. His lust for power created within him such a deep fear and insecurity that his health started to mirror his soul.

His last days were spent in physical pain and discomfort. Josephus writes that he had some sort of pain in his colon. A swelling among his feet, a sexually transmitted disease, convulsions and itching of his skin. The diviners who worked closely with Herod concluded his physical health was a result of the fact that he had blasphemed God.  

Wow, what a terrible way to die.

Herod’s response is not to humble himself upon his death, but instead to make one last vile order to have many, many prominent men brought to one of his hippodromes and slaughtered as he was dying. Since he knew no one would mourn for him he wanted to ensure there would be mourning in Bethlehem upon his death. Thankfully after Herod died the order was cancelled and the men were sent back to their homes.

Herod became like this because he lived a life steeped in fear and selfishness. Life truly was all about him. He was deathly afraid someone would take over his throne. He wanted absolute power and control so he did whatever he could to have it and keep it. Even if that meant killing his own wife and children, among many others.

Years ago, I once lived as a person steep in selfishness too. Maybe not to the degree of King Herod, but my image drove me with much greater force and strength than actually loving people. However,  more recently I have made the conscious decision to live not for myself but for loving others like our Master, Yeshua.

Our Master was a different kind of King. Yes, He had power. Yes, He was brilliant, just like King Herod, but instead of being mastered by fear, Yeshua was mastered by love. He embodied everything the Torah instructs a person to do. Love God and love others.

Therefore, when I get to the end of my life, I want to be remembered not for what I accomplished but for my love of others. Not as a person steeped in selfishness, greed and power, but as someone whose priorities are not of this world, but on the Kingdom of God. Truly, when we serve one person at a time, bringing our Lord’s love to them we no longer have to worry if people will miss us when we’re gone.  There’s a teenager in your life today who needs that kind of love and guidance. Won’t you be God’s love to them today?

Shalom,

Heather