(For those who have read Part 1, Part 2 commences after the picture about midway,)
PART 1:
One of the signs of the end are that truth will be denied. The Bible is the “Book of Truth.” There may be errors in translation, but the Word is Truth: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim 3:16), so if any error is found that makes God out to be a liar. With that, Jesus is diminished, and philosophers are exalted if they can catch God in a lie, and thus prove that God is an imaginary being created by weak men.
The greatest philosophical question of all time was asked by Pilate when he looked Jesus in the face and asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Ever since, everyone makes up their own version of truth, and thusly pervert the truth.
Jesus had yet to reveal the truth to him, but Pilate went unto the crowd and said, “I find in him no fault at all” referring to Jesus. Why was Jesus tried? Because He claimed to be the Son of God. Many had done the same in those days, but only one was taken seriously because of birthright.
If anyone can disprove the miraculous birth of the newborn King, then the very idea of God in the flesh is destroyed. Nobody even tries to deny that Jesus is the Son of Man by Mary but there is no manner of evidence to disprove that He is the Son of God. In fact, all the miracles of the gospels point toward Jesus’s Identity as God in the flesh.
Of all people, Herod seemed to believe the truth that Jesus
would be King of the Jews. Herod believed the gospel account:
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. (Mat 2:1-4)
This is not a Christmas story but the “Mass of Satan.” I contend that not only did Judas have Satan in him, but anyone who would endeavor to physically kill Jesus would have. Did Herod have Satan in him? That is for later, but for now, the commentary is how philosophers to this day still try to kill the Spirit of Jesus.
First note Herod’s thinking: He gathered the religious scholars and those who knew scripture the best to ask them where Christ should be born. Herod was an Arabian whose religion was not truly religious at all but a way to gain favor with the Jews. It would please the priests and scribes that Herod would seek their knowledge!
By this time, Herod was a crazy man. Flavius Josephus in The Antiquity of the Jews (Book 17, chapter 6) revealed how crazy he had become with his flesh eaten up by worms and his mind by court intrigues. Pretenders to the throne throughout his reign had driven Herod crazy and he had them all murdered using the law of Caesar to do his will.
However, somehow Herod understood that Jesus was the most
pretentious to the throne because scripture foretold His coming:
For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:6)
The reign of Herod had finally brought peace to all of Judea, even surrounding areas. Never had there been a time of such tranquility with other nations because of Caesar Octavian. Caesar as emperor was “King of the World” and King Herod merely his governor with the title of “king.” He was indeed “king of the Jews” albeit by blood he was not even a Jew.
Herod himself was a contender for the Throne of God, and he realized that since he was not truly the heir to the throne, and neither were the Hasmoneans, that a descendant of King David would come to claim the throne of Judea.
Herod had already killed his two sons and was about to kill his third son because he had become paranoid that they and everyone surrounding him was after his throne. To his death, Herod remained king of the Jews and his last act with his people was to murder all potential contenders to his throne.
Herod felt loved when the Jews praised him to the extent that he would give to them great wealth. Herod paid dearly for the love of the Jews, Caesar, and even Julia, the wife of Caesar. Of all things, Herod willed much of his riches to those who were already quite wealthy. That the “god” Caesar would be heir to his wealth would be heretical to the Jews because Caesar was just another of the many who claimed to be God in the flesh.
Herod’s death bought off his adversaries, but the true King of the Jews paid for the sins of His people with His own Blood. Who was the true King of the Jews? Certainly not Herod, neither by blood nor the spirit. However, Herod did have another spirit in him to his death!
Herod knew scripture and the priests and scribes were brought in to verify his belief. Herod would always do that. He was known for bringing in witnesses to attest to his thoughts. Whether it was true or not, Herod would always find witnesses against Alexander and Aristobulus, his sons by Mariamne, and usually the best “witness” was Antipater, his son by Doris. In fact, Antipater created the illusion that his half-brothers were after their father’s throne when it was himself. Thusly, Herod was delusional even to his death.
The Christ worried Herod more than his sons who others provided evidence were after his kingship. Without any evidence of any kind other than Holy Scripture, Herod feared the Christ who would be Wonderful, Counselor, and newborn King. Jesus was Herod’s most viable pretender to the throne since he had all rights to the throne through David; that would worry Herod even more, especially when the Jews even called Jesus, the “son of David” — “And all the people were amazed, and said, ‘Is not this the son of David?’” (Mat 12:23).
Herod believed in Jesus but “Herod the Great” was pompous.
His whole attitude was Luciferin in activity:
13 …I (Lucifer) will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Isa 14:13-14)
Herod thought that way! Of course, Herod was modeling himself, not after the Most High God, but Caesar who was both “king” and “god” of all the Roman world. Herod, albeit like the Most High in Jerusalem, was only a servant to Caesar, doing his will for his own gain. Certainly, Herod was more like Octavian than Yahweh! In fact, Herod was called “The Great” because of his pomposity and extravagant spending.
What is truth? The truth is that the Messiah had been born just as the wise men declared. Even the “stars” would point to Jesus as King, not just of the Earth but the universe. Herod never saw Lucifer as a threat because he did the will of Satan with little thought of punishment as he depended on Caesar. However, Caesar would only be able to destroy his kingship or his body, but his legacy would live on. Herod was the negative antitype of Jesus and Caesar the negative antitype of Yahweh. It was neither the Greeks nor Jews who would be heir to Asia but the inglorious Arabian, Herod.
Herod did not have the faith of Abraham and hence was not a rightful heir to Abraham’s Land which, by the way, was both the land of Judea and Paradise in heaven.
Herod was the “son of Satan” much like his ancestor, Cain, who was of the Wicked One (1 John 3:12). As an Idumean Arab, Herod was of the mixed blood of Canaan, Ishmael, Esau, and many Mizraimites and Cushites. He was not all Semitic but mostly Hamitic.
Herod believed scripture but had much distrust. James, the brother of Jesus wrote, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble” (Jas 2:19). Herod trembled! Even when he was dying, the thought that Jesus would have his throne caused him great anxiety. Herod was better called, “The Anxious”! Herod believed in Jesus but not as Christians would believe but how demons do out of truth and fear. Herod believed scripture to the point that he would trade his soul to perish Jesus at any cost.
Jesus was the “Living Will of God,” and Herod was the “dying will of Lucifer.” What would Lucifer desire that Herod, about to die, would will? That the enemies of Yahweh (the Romans) obtain the riches of the Jews and that Lucifer would get the glory due God. With that said, Herod was not only a useful fool to advance the cause of Caesar but a useful idiot that thought of himself as mighty as Lucifer.
How does history see Herod? As “the Great.” How does history see Jesus? As a liar. Scripture reveals the brutishness of Herod, and he did it without the approval of Caesar.
Herod did very few things without taking it to Caesar for
approval, but in this case, he was rash. There are no Roman records of the
“Slaughter of the Innocents” in Roman records, and they recorded everything
because Caesar was judge in all things. He was the “Great Punisher” and never
would Herod punish anyone, even his sons, without Caesar’s prior approval. But this is how the historians view truth:
The story of the massacre is found in no gospel other than Matthew, nor in the surviving works of Nicolaus of Damascus (who was a personal friend of Herod the Great) and the historian Josephus makes no mention of it in his Antiquities of the Jews, despite recording many of Herod's misdeeds including the murder of three of his own sons. A majority of Herod biographers, and "probably a majority of biblical scholars," accordingly hold the event to be myth, legend or folklore inspired by Herod's reputation.
The author appears to have modelled the episode on the biblical story of Pharaoh's attempt to kill the Israelite children in the Book of Exodus, as told in an expanded version that current in the 1st century. In that expanded story, Pharaoh kills the Hebrew children after his scribes warn him of the impending birth of the threat to his crown (i.e., Moses), but Moses' father and mother are warned in a dream that the child's life is in danger and act to save him. (Wikipedia; “Massacre of the Innocents”)
A majority hold the attempted murder of Jesus as a myth, so they say. The world denies the truth only because their knowledge of things does not exist. For ages, historians questioned the veracity of scripture because they did not know that King Sargon even existed. However, as soon discovered, Sargon not only existed, but was the greatest king of his time! So, for those who believe historians over truth, have a worse attitude than Herod, who believed only because God revealed it to the prophets! So, did inspired men lie about Jesus? Why would they suffer their own “crosses” unless it was the truth?
Do historians just misunderstand Josephus?
Even as he was dying, Herod feared for his son, Archelaus, and that also he would not be praised as great, By the way, his will was done, as was the Father’s. He would die with an heir and the world would believe him to be great.
Josephus wrote about Herod:
He contrived the following wicked designs, He commanded that all the principal men of the Jewish nation wheresoever they lived, should be called to him. Accordingly, there were a great number that came, because the whole nation was called, and all men heard of his call, and death was the penalty of such who would despise the epistles that were sent to call them. And now the king was in a wild rage against them all, the innocent as well as those who afforded him ground for accusations… (Josephus; Antiquity of the Jews; Book 17, chapter 7)
Hence, as will be shown, Herod planned it, and there was a “Massacre of the Innocents” just as scripture says.
Josephus was a Jew. Seldom did Jews consider children. All their censuses were about adult males over twenty years of age (1 Chron 23:24). Hence, Josephus would have no reason to mention innocent children, but he did innocent men. His aim was to ensure that all males of any age would be inquired, but to find the child through the parents that were of the House of David. That would be Joseph, the “father” of Jesus. For Herod, it was Joseph who would be planning the coup and to get at Jesus would require the presence of Joseph.
Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt, not to save themselves, but to save two-year-old Jesus. It is not that historians lie, but that they cannot read between the lines. Much of scripture has so much hidden meaning, and it is supposed that Josephus, as a Jew, wrote the truth but concealed its Christian meaning so as not to be persecuted.
What would Caesar Vespasian have done if Josephus had written about Jesus as King? Because Nero had just persecuted Christians and killed many, Josephus would be sure not to offend the new emperor with Christian doctrine. Josephus wrote for Vespasian Herod’s massacre of the innocents without mentioning that the Greatest Innocent remained unscathed and was now King of all Kings, and Vespasian’s “King” as well.
Why do historians fail to mention that Herod did massacre the innocents? Because it would not fit their narrative that Christ is mythological!
Just as censuses never counted children perhaps neither did Josephus. Speaking of censuses, that was the reason that Jesus was born, according to the prophets in Bethlehem, but historians also say that there was no census taken when Jesus was born. However, even Josephus mentions that census, and according to Wikipedia, “The Census of Quirinius was a census of Judea taken by Publius Sulpicius Quirinius, Roman governor of Syria, upon the imposition of direct Roman rule in 6 CE.” However, there were periodic census, and Josephus does mention one prior to 6 C.E.
Some have written that “Josephus (not Luke) Misdated Quirinius's Census” (Compton, Jared M.; ahherald.com) and he gave evidence for that conclusion. Censuses were not immediate and of short duration, but over a period of years. It took David ten months to number Israel, so numbering all of Asia Minor would have taken years. (Note: Quirinius is Cyrenius as written by the apostles).
That taxation of “Syria,” including Judea, commenced in 6 A.D. is ludicrous. Herod was noted for all types of taxation to pay for his extravagances, most notably arenas that matched Rome’s, cities of much grandeur, and gifts to the Romans and Jewish leaders alike. They levied an Egyptian-type of tax, “tributum capitas” which is a head tax that required a head count, or census. The point is that the census of Cyrenius was not the first tax levied on the Jews by censuses. (For the full account of Herodian taxes, consider the section on “Herodian Taxation” from the book, To Caesar What Is Caesar’s: Tribute, Taxes, and Imperial Administration in Early Roman Palestine by Fabian B. Udall.)
On page 165, “Schalit in Konig Herodes, 272-78, argues that “Herod carried out a census in his kingdom, from 20 B.C.E., on a six yearly basis.” That would be 20, 16, 10, and 4 B.C.E. If that is correct, then Cyrenius would perhaps just be completing the 2 A.D. census in 6 A.D.
Based on professional research of Herod’s very few records, it is plausible that there was a Judean census in progress when Jesus was born in 6 B.C.E.
The ancients had not determined the birth year of Jesus, let alone his birth date. Jesus was not born on December 25th of any year! There was an alignment in 2020 as is written, “On December 21, Jupiter and Saturn will come together in a “Great Conjunction” unlike any seen in nearly 800 years. The two planets will appear so close together in Earth’s night sky on winter solstice that they’ll almost look like a single object” (Betz, Eric; Astronomy; “The Star of Bethlehem: Can science explain what it really was?”; Dec 18, 2020).
There are two important events behind that alignment. 1) The age of Pisces — the Christian era — ended and the Age of Aquarius began, and 2) on that date in 6 B.C.E., the Age of Pisces dawned with that same alignment. Added to that event in 6 B.C.E. is that the Sun and Moon aligned as well and pointed to the birth of Christ. Using the Jewish calander and holidays, Messianic Jew, Jonathan Cahn, has calculated the day to be March 20, 6 B.C.E.
So, if a Herodian census ended in 4 B.C.E., coinciding with the death of Herod, then it is plausible that it had commenced as early as 6 B.C.E.
That ends the argument against there being a census ongoing when Jesus was born but what about the Massacre of the Innocents? Indeed, Josephus wrote that there was a massacre of the innocents as recounted in the quote before.
As is the custom, when the next in line to the throne is killed, so is his children because they are next in line. Joseph, the “father” of Jesus was not a contestant for the throne of Herod as the wise men said that Jesus was. Surely Herod was after Jesus and had to get to Joseph to get to Jesus. Why else would Joseph and Mary go to Egypt if they were not two of the many “innocents” that Herod sought? Herod was seeking the pretender to his throne, not His father who, by the way, was unpretentious.
Now back to Herod’s slaughter: Herod had a real coronation for Caesar and another one for the Jews three years apart. Thinking that Antigonus was king, they never realized that Herod had been appointed to that position and held that fiction for years. Herod used that same illusion for his death; he feigned living after death so that his will be done. Ironically, Jesus never feigned his death as the Gnostics and Muslims believed but really died! Now examine Herod’s will be done.
Herod willed that he be “alive” after he died to exterminate his perceived enemies in the Hippodrome. His will be done was that all who had been against him, in reality or perception, be slaughtered as if they were cattle:
He desired, therefore, that as soon as they see he hath given up the ghost, the shall place soldiers around he hippodrome, while they do not know that he; and that they shall not declare his death to the multitude until this is done, but they shall be given orders to have to have those that are in custody shot with their darts; and that this slaughter of them all will cause that he shall not remiss to rejoice on double account; that as he is dying, they all make him secure that his will shall be executed in what he charges them to d; and that he shall have the honor of a memorable mourning at his funeral… he took great care ,when he was departing this life, that the whole nation be put into mourning, and indeed made desolate of their dearest kindred, which he gave order that one of every family should be slain, although they had done nothing that was unjust, or against him, nor were they accused of any other crimes… (Josephus; Antiquity of the Jews; Book 17, chapter 7)
Remember that earlier in this commentary that scholars denied that there was ever a “Massacre of the Innocents,” and that Josephus wrote nothing about that ever happening? Well, those are the very words of Josephus translated into English!
Herod certainly had Satan in him just as Judas would later. It makes sense that Jesus got His revenge against Satan in Herod when Judas died as horrible a death (more on that shortly).
Herod was trained in the Talmud because he expressed that he was a Jew to the Jews. However, Herod had much Egyptian in him and perhaps his model was Pharaoh of long ago.
Because the bad Pharaoh feared the number of the Israelites and that he would be overthrown, he said, “When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live” (Exod 1:16).
Just as Moses was saved from that “Massacre of the Innocents,” so would Jesus be. Just as the Israelites sought refuge in Egypt because of the famine, Jesus would find refuge there for a spell until Herod’s will be done. Herod was a type of “Pharoah” as well. Certainly Pharaoh, who claimed to be a god, had Satan in him as well.
Anytime that there is a major figure in the Bible who would slaughter the innocents, be assured that Satan is in him.
Soon after the massacre and it
was known that Herod was dead, the family of Jesus returned from exile. Why had
they exiled?
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men… 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, “Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.” (Mat 2:16, 19-20)
Unknown until recently, the Hippodrome of Herod for the slaughter was not in Caesarea but in Jericho (New York Times; “Herod’s Hippodrome Reported Unearthed”; Jun 1, 1975). It was a real amphitheater just as Josephus described and was where hundreds of innocents were murdered just because Herod was mocked, or as Josephus said, that “he would die without being lamented.”
There was a period of time between when the order was given to gather the innocents and the act was carried out for in between Herod considered suicide and there was much ado with him appointing his heir to be Archelaus. During that time, the family of Joseph would have had time to go to Egypt, reside there for a while, and return upon hearing of Herod’s death.
In the footnotes of The Antiquity of the Jews, it points to Herod’s death, according to the moon as March 13, 4710 (Julian Calendar) or 4 B.C.E
The eclipse of the dawning of the Age of Pisces when Jesus was born was in 6 B.C.E. on the Julian Calendar, and in March. Therefore, Herod died within a week of two years after Jesus was born. No wonder he pursued those two years and younger and because the wise men mocked him when they came to Judea to see the “King of the Jews” and dissed Herod. Those “wise men” are spoken of as “kings” in sacred literature and King Herod would be mocked because they considered Jesus the real King of the Jews.
Scripture reveals an interval for the return of Jesus from Egypt. In that interim, Herod prepared for his son Archelaus to be king. Herod was a “mad-man” by this time, according to Josephus. He had already murdered his wife Meriamne and three of his sons just because they pretended to his throne, and now, out of nowhere, the rightful heir to the throne appeared. That heir was Jesus as the son of David who had precedence over either the Herodians or the Hasmoneans; and with His birth, even the Pharisees and Sadducees stood no chance of ruling. Only a fool would believe that Jesus was not among the pretenders to the throne that Herod wanted murdered at his own death!
(To be continued)
(Picture credit: Daniel da Vittora, "Massacre of Innocents")
PART 2:
Preceding his massacre of the innocents, Herod became a madman due to distemper. Distemper in the modern age is “highly contagious… incurable, often fatal, multisystemic disease,” according to VCA Animal Hospitals, DVM, Tammy Hunter, that affects the major systems of the body, including the nervous system.
Of course, distemper is now associated with animals, but the insinuation throughout scripture is that evil men are as beasts. Distemper is a virus that is transmitted from beast to beast. Distemper has the potential to be transmitted across the species to humans by close contact, according to the National Library of Medicine (Xuefeng Cao et al).
With that “coincidence” to modern times, perhaps distemper did jump from pets to Herod because of the Will of God.
Following is what the Bible says about the reason for the massacre
of the innocents:
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men” (Mat 2:16)
Compare that to the words of Josephus about the massacre of
the innocents:
The cause whereof was this, that he (Herod) thought himself despised; and that the nation was pleased with his misfortunes. Besides which he resented a sedition which some of the lower sort of men excited against him… (Josephus; Antiquity of the Jews; Book 17, chapter 7)
In the following several paragraphs, Josephus described the “wise men” of which Matthew wrote: Judas and Matthias, “two of the most eloquent men among the Jews; and the most celebrated interpreters of the Jewish laws; and men well beloved by the people, because of their education of their youth: for all those that were studious of virtue frequented their lectures every day” (ibid).
There is no question that the “Massacre of the Innocents” of which Matthew wrote is the same massacre of which Josephus wrote! It would take a great stretch of the truth to deny that, and even many theologians do. Throughout Antiquities, Josephus followed the course of scripture, so why would he not be true to the truth in the gospels?
So now, consider Herod’s death; the very occasion that
brought Jesus to Nazareth to begin His childhood ministry:
But now Herod’s distemper greatly increased upon him, after a severe manner; and this by God’s judgment upon him for his sins. For a fire glowed in him slowly, which did not so much appear to the touch outwardly, as it augmented his pains inwardly. For it brought upon him a vehement appetite to eating, which he could not avoid to supply with one sort of food or other. His entrails were also exulcerated; and the chief violence of his pain lay in his colon. An aqueous and transparent liquor also had settled it self about his feet: and a like matter afflicted him at the bottom of his belly. Nay farther, his privy member was putrified, and produced worms. And when he sat upright, he had a difficulty of breathing, which was very loathsome on account of the stench of his breath, and the quickness of its returns. He had also convulsions in all parts of his body: which increased his strength to an insufferable degree. It was said by those who pretended to divine, and who were endued with wisdom to foretel such things, that God inflicted this punishment on the King on account of his great impiety. Yet was he still in hopes of recovering; though his afflictions seemed greater than any one could bear. He also sent for physicians, and did not refuse to follow what they prescribed for his assistance: and went beyond the river Jordan, and bathed himself in the warm baths that were at Callirrhoe: which, besides their other general virtues, were also fit to drink: which water runs into the lake called Asphaltitis. And when the physicians once thought fit to have him bathed in a vessel full of oil, it was supposed that he was just dying. But upon the lamentable cries of his domesticks, he revived: and having no longer the least hopes of recovering, he gave order that every soldier should be paid fifty drachmæ: and he also gave a great deal to their commanders, and to his friends; and came again to Jericho. Where he grew so cholerick, that it brought him to do all things like a mad man: and though he were near his death, he contrived the following wicked designs. (Josephus; Antiquity of the Jews; Book 17, chapter 7)
Many physicians have recently identified the cause of the death of Herod and have settled on “chronic kidney disease complicated by a very uncomfortable case of maggot-infested gangrene of the genitals” (ABC News). The true cause of his death? He was judged too evil to carry on living as the “beast.”
My contention is that Herod indeed had Satan in him, just like Judas who would also plot to kill Him.
Nimrod built a tower to heaven for two reasons: 1) according to the Bible to make a name for himself, and 2) according to sacred literature, to kill God. Nimrod’s genealogy is the origin of Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek, and Roman gods. Nimrod was the father of all false gods, and him being, “Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord” (1 Chr 1:10). That is literally “from before the Face of” the Lord. (Strong’s Dictionary). In other words, Nimrod had sought to kill the Lord when he built his tower.
The same goes for Herod. He did not build his temple to serve the Lord within but a monument for killing the Lord. He may not have been aware of it as a madman, but that was essentially what he was doing.
Now, to make another point: The critics of Jesus accused Jesus, “He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?” (John 10:19). The ancients, maybe rightfully, equated madness with devil-possession. When Herod was said to be a “madman” they were saying that he had a devil in him. I agree with that assessment because of what they said about Jesus!
The viral “distemper” that Herod had was evil. Ironically, his distemper affected all his vital organs plus his reproductive. That is not an accident!
Phosphorus is the regulator of all the vital organs, and it means “bringer of light;” as does the name, “Lucifer.” God was through with Herod for his attempt at killing His only remaining heir to the throne. In like manner, as he was dying, Herod had only one viable heir left, and that was Archelaus. Herod was trying to be God in all his ventures, but each time Herod judged his heirs wrongly. It was his son Antipater who was spawned by the Devil, and he was by then dead.
The worms on the genitals of Herod have esoteric significance:
There was another “worm” in scripture that must never be forgotten. Isaiah may
have seen the “death” of Lucifer time and time again; speaking of Lucifer,
Isaiah wrote:
10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! (Isa 14:10-12)
Now exchange “Herod” for “Lucifer” in that passage and “Roman Empire” for “nations.” Isaiah spoke of Lucifer, but it appears that he also spoke of King Herod the Great. That is more evidence that Herod had Satan in him!
The “fire” that was in the belly of Herod may have been the “fiery serpent” burning his innermost being — the Arab within the “Jew.” Just as Adam and Eve covered their decaying pudenda with an apron for the stench, so would Herod.
Did Adam have the “worms” as well? Was the “Serpent” a “Worm” and having the ability to morph to whatever was necessary for his purposes? Paul wrote, “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Cor 1:14). Lucifer (Satan) can transform himself to suit his purposes, just as Cain was of the Wicked One, so may have been Herod.
Well-known is that Judas had Satan enter unto him (John 13:27). Satan entered Judas to betray Jesus and cause His death. Is it not plausible that Satan entered Herod as well for the same cause?
Remember the death of Judas? Of course, he hung himself as Herod did with the massacre of the innocents. He was as well as dead when he did that if God had not taken him!
Then Judas was finished when God (the Holy Ghost of Jesus) finished him off, maybe by breaking the limb from which he hung.
As is written, “Now this man (Judas) purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out” (Acts 1:18).
Satan perished the insides of Herod, apparently to get out of Herod, just as Judas attempted suicide. He would have stabbed himself with a knife if not stopped by Salome. He would have died the death that Judas did if God had not intervened. Judas was the appointed one, not Herod, and when he sought to kill himself, it was not Salome who prevented that, but the Lord God of Israel!
As for Herod, the “worm” was already with him on his journey unto another realm Speaking of Hell, Jesus said that it is, “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:44). Herod may have not had gangrene that became infested with maggots as doctors believe, but that the spirit of Satan was vacating Herod through his genitalia since he would not use the knife. Why not? The “Worm” Lucifer entered Adam and Eve through their genitals, or at least that is implied (Gen 3:7).
Why else would the Abrahamic Covenant be to circumcise the foreskin? Jesus
explained that as well in describing Hell, all in the same breath:
43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched… (Mark 9:43-45)
With his many wives and evil sons, Herod’s penis offended himself. He even killed his favorite wife who he loved (intimately), and who produced offensive sons who always dishonored their father. Then to top it off, Herod committed infanticide with the massacre of the innocents.
With that said, it is proper to append that with this: The sin of abortion is no different than Herod’s massacre of the innocents! It has come to fruition; that even if it may have been acceptable to God to murder another kind of “being” which it was not ( a fetus), but now “government soldiers” allow children who are born to perish by the blade.
Now examine the plan for Herod to implement his will:
He (Herod) desired therefore, that, as soon as they see he hath given up the ghost, they shall place soldiers round the hippodrome; while they do not know that he is dead: and that they shall not declare his death to the multitude till this is done: but that they shall give orders to have those that are in custody shot with their darts; and that this slaughter of them all will cause that he shall not miss to rejoyce on a double account: that as he is dying they will make him secure that his will shall be executed in what he charges them to do: and that he shall have the honour of a memorable mourning at his funeral. (Josephus; Antiquity of the Jews; Book 17, chapter 7)
Herod wanted to make the innocents squirm before he died and before they would perish. Those soldiers of Herod were Satan’s demon legions to do the will of their “father the Devil,” Herod.
How would demons perish the innocents? Not by coincidence but “shot with darts” as Josephus wrote that Herod willed it to be. Paul warned the future innocents to wear the whole armor of God, and for what reason? “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Eph 6:16). Paul was certainly thinking of the demonic forces and how they massacred the innocents!
The massacre of the innocents did happen, and it continues to happen to this day. For Herod, it happened precisely as Josephus wrote and as scripture says.
Why would anyone deny the massacre? It is a form of denial
that innocents are subject to harm by the wicked ones. The innocents were
killed! They missed Jesus with their fiery darts that time, but Herodians were
still there at the Massacre of the Most Innocent, Jesus. Herod’s plan worked,
but it would not be him but Herod Antipas, as Luke wrote: When Herod Antipas went
about killing the innocents (James and an attempt at Peter), and unto the third
generation, God pronounced judgment on Herod Antipas, to wit:
19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode. 20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 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. (Acts 12:119-23)
Herod (I) had a fine funeral and was buried in a tomb. Herod Antipas was eaten of worms. The “Worm” that Moses wrote as a “Serpent” finally ate the Herodian kingdom away until it was gone to history. The death of Herod Agrippa was the beginning of the end, and Judea finally was conquered by the darts of another “Caesar’s” fiery darts in 70 A.D.
God is patient! He could have ended the Herod’s with “the Greatest” but in the end, it was the least known Herod that would end it all — Gaius Julius Alexander in the era of Caesar Vespasian. Ironically it was the Roman General, Tiberias Julius Alexander, a Romanized Jew who betrayed his own people for their common good.
Isaiah got it spot on for any madman with Satan in him:
And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. (Isa 66:24)
This finalizes my commentary about whether it is true or not, that Herod the Great massacred the innocents, and among them were certainly the One that he most feared, even though a child, and that Name is Jesus. Why would Josephus omit the greatest conspiracy of all Jewish history? He did not. Josephus validated scripture and only the foolish would deny that for one reason alone — to diminish Jesus by refuting His Word.
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