How King Herod’s Evil Plot Reveals a Deeper Spiritual Battle

Every good story has a villain—a bad guy out to thwart good and encourage evil. Even though the Christmas story is a true narration of the birth of Jesus from the disciples' perspective, it is no different; a villain exists there, too. 

In scripture, we read the name of the commonly presumed villain in the Christmas story: Herod. We read of him in Luke when we learn of Zechariah and Elizabeth's pregnancy. However, he is also named in Matthew when we read about the visit of the Wise Men in Matthew chapter 2. 

As the wise men approached the place they believed to be where the new baby king would be, they found Herod. In Matthew 2, we read:

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

This deeply disturbed the paranoid king, and he responded,

“Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” 

The Magi did as they were asked and finally found Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem, where they worshiped Him. 

However, while they were with Jesus, giving gifts and worshipping him, they dreamt of going back another way, and so did. Herod had been outwitted and furious, using his authority and power to demand all baby boys under the age of 2 be killed as far as Bethlehem and surrounding areas. 

Herod was not a man of calm, peaceful means. Rather, some believe he was a tyrannical Roman king. He lived from 72 BC to 4 BC, and his reign is known for amazing and colossal buildings throughout Judea, including the building of the second temple. Herod was blessed to have a father who had great relations with Julius Caesar so that he could rise to power. Herod, through insecurity and mental instability, which worsened as he got older, murdered his wife, Mariamne, her two sons, her brother, her grandfather, and her mother. 

Was Herod the True Villain of the Christmas Story?

From Genesis to Revelations, we read of many villains and enemies of the Israelites who come to ruin God's beautiful creation and cause havoc in the lives of those who love God. They even seek to keep those who do not yet know God from discovering who He is and how much they are loved. 

In the Christmas story, we see the evil as Herod. But in Esther's story, we read that it is Haman. Even in the beginning, we see Cain kill Abel. What lies behind this repetitive evil? 

Before humanity was created in the heavens, there was a coo. The chief worshiping angel decided to rebel against God and was thrown out of Heaven along with fallen angels. This angel is now known as Satan or Lucifer. You can read more on this in Isaiah 14 and Ezekial 28. Satan became God's adversary.

If we open our Bibles to Genesis, we see the story of creation, and in Genesis 3, we also read the story of what is commonly known as the fall. It is the moment God's stunning and perfect, sinless creation is thrown into disarray. It is a hinge point of scripture, if you will, a moment when all flips on its head and is changed forever. 

In Genesis, we read of a serpent (or Satan) who meets Eve (the first woman) by a fruit tree in the day. Sadly, this is no ordinary fruit tree, this is the one tree in the garden that Adam and Eve are not to eat off. It is the only boundary God has drawn for them, the only thing they were not to eat from, despite all that was created. This tree was called the Tree of Knowledge. 

God told Eve not to eat from it, but the serpent came along with one question: 

“Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden?”   

This question was the beginning of Satan sowing seeds of doubt into Eve's mind. She reiterated what God said, and he responded, 

“You will not certainly die, for God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Eve does what, no doubt, most of us would do: She looks. There is a funny thing about where we look or gaze. Usually, we let that glance last too long. This is what Eve did, and without even considering the costs, she bites the apple because it looks pleasing. Everything changes. 

But what does this have to do with the Christmas story?

Oh friend, everything. 

This is the moment that God's Holy plan is set in place; war has begun between God and the Devil. Here, God decides to one day send the Messiah to rescue His people. Genesis 3:15 records God saying to Satan,

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” 

This is a foretelling of Jesus' death on the cross; the serpent might strike Jesus' heel, but Jesus will crush his head. 

When Adam and Eve bite the fruit, they hand Satan the keys to this world. They give him authority that is not theirs to give. They give Him prestige that He does not deserve nor fully own. God will right this wrong by sending His son Jesus to die in our place, to be the perfect blameless sacrifice needed to reconnect God and humanity.

Jesus' birth in the Christmas story is not just a fairy tale sweet story of two young lovers betrothed and pregnant, but the beginning of Jesus' life where he teaches us how to live, sets us an example, illuminates Old Testament teachings, and then dies and rises again on the third day to redeem humanity. It is the greatest story ever told, and love was the catalyst of this wild and incredible story. Love for both you and me. 

Ever since the beginning of time, Satan has been attempting to thwart God's plans. To remove the connection between God and mankind, he is still up to his old lying, deceiving, and trickery today. Thankfully, we live on the opposite side of the cross, so we know that believing in Jesus means we are in the family of God, protected by a loving savior, loved by an everlasting Father, and guided by the Holy Spirit. We need not fear the works of Satan and his demons, but rather, we can delight in the love that God has for us and look forward to a glorious day when we are reunited in heaven. 

One day, God will bind Satan forever, but until then, we can rest in the saving and life-changing work of Jesus on the cross. 

The same devil working through Herod could not kill Jesus, and the same devil working through Pontious Pilate could not defeat Jesus. Even the grave could not hold Him. 

Friend, if you are reading this and you do not know Jesus, please get in touch. We would love to tell you more about the loving God who sent His son to die so you could live. The son who died a death so you could know everlasting life! 

Merry Christmas, friend, enjoy celebrating Jesus! 

Photo Credit: SWN Design