Herod Symbolic of the Antichrist

Acts 12:1 "Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also."

I hate to use such a book with promises to be pragmatic, but in being holy there is a danger: persecution! I've written before on Christian persecution and it's the catalyst which makes the germ of Christianity take hold in the world's Petrie dish (See my commentary: Beaten). Truth must be presented because history does repeat itself!

The King at this time was Herod Agrippa I, grandson of Herod the Great.  There were two views of him: 1) Jews honored him and Christians blamed him. Because he was a king who persecuted, he suffered the consequences:

Acts 12:23 "And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied."

History and scripture agree: Jews loved him. Christians feared him; and rightfully so!

Does that sound familiar? Although Herod was a strong Jew, he was very unchristian. Today, America is partitioned into three groups of people: 1) Those who are sincere Christians, 2) those who are heretical and antipathetic to Christians, and 3) those who are indifferent or atheist. Peter and the disciples were the first, Herod was the second and the Romans and the common Jews were the latter. The danger to the apostles, and Jesus for that matter, didn't come from the indifferent and unbelievers, but from those who believed wrongly!

Today persecution is not so much from the indifferent nor atheists, but from those who misapply Christianity because their Jesus is not the one of scripture!

Herod vexed the Christians. (Acts 12:1). He brought physical stress to the Christians by annoyance and provocation! He taunted the Christians! I wonder why. It was to please the Jews, especially the sincere Jews who failed to understand their own scripture. The Messiah of the Old Testament is Jesus the Christ, but the Jews just didn't buy into that because they were blinded by tradition, pride, and power!

Herod killed for pleasure! Not his own pleasure. It was so as to please the Jews. James was sacrificed because the Jews wanted him to pay; pay for differing in belief than themselves!

Guess what! Thereafter, persecution of Christians has always been in vogue. After Herod vented, then it was the Romans under Claudius, Nero, Domitian, Trajian and on and on. Later it was Catholics persecuting Reformers, then Reformers persecuting the various sects. Then it was Genghis Khan killing Christians.  In America it was the Anglican Church persecuting Baptists. The Estates General decapitated Christians in the French Revolution. In modern times it was Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin killing Jews and Christians. Now it's Islamic Zealots who wield the blade to behead!

Each time Christians are persecuted, the sect grows! Christianity is worldwide because of evil people.  Even today evangelical Christians are ridiculed by those enlightened by psychology, science and  socialism. Government officials and judges are mean-spirited toward Christians. Even the President, being a member of a progressive church, does all in his power to see that Christians buy into evil politics. Abortion, euthanasia, and same-sex relationships are propagated by the President's stooges in defiance of those with genuine Bible-based Christian beliefs!

"But" you say, "we are not to the point of killing people to please others as with Herod and the Jews!" Wrong!!! The abortion of babies is to appease radical feminists. Wrong!!! The selling of baby parts is to appease those seeking wealth or miracle cures.  Wrong!!! Progressives are killing our young people who self-destruct because of this age of liberation theology.

Christ was the sacrifice for mankind. Christians are the sacrifice for social justice, an Orwellian fairness concept! Fair to whom? Almost everyone, but Christians!

Herod killed Christians for the pleasure of the Jews. Someday soon, for "surely he comes quickly"

Revelation 22:20 "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

After the Lord comes quickly then the persecution of new Christians will make Herod pale in comparison. To please Mystery Babylon, the corrupt Christian Church, Christians who fail to submit to god-dictator called the Antichrist will again be martyred Christians:

Revelation 20:4 "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands..."

There are two beasts: one from the sea and the other from the earth. The one from the sea is the corrupt government, probably "Sharia Law" under a Communist leader. The second beast is the false prophet. This is a dictator who proclaims himself to be God! I believe "the beast" above is the Herod of a future; ruler of a  Global Empire or Caliphate.

In the end Christians, as was James, will die by this beast of whom Herod is symbolic! That's after Christians are raptured.  Should we worry about that now? As Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman always said "What? Me worry?" Of course worry without action helps little. However, this milieu for divine independence won't happen suddenly. It will grow slowly as citizens become acclimated, just as Nazism and Communism did in the 20th Century!

Herod paved the way for this beast! So did Domitian! Likewise, those paving the way are Hitler, Stalin, and even corrupt government officials we know today. Likewise, so do progressive churches and their liberal pastors. Anything or anyone who is not of Christ is an antichrist, and they are chess pieces for the beasts. The two beasts are emissaries of the devil!

Why is Herod and his persecution important to Christians? It's fair warning! There is a spiritual war right now and in the end it's Christ who wins! Until then it's the Herods who fight the battle against the legions of Christ. Christians beware! The time is eminent!  Indeed we are there and always have been. The final battle is yet to come.