Matthew 2:1-8 NIV
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘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.’
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘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.’”
King Herod, also known as Herod the Great, was threatened by this news that the King of the Jews had been born. Would the people rebel against Rome? Herod knew he needed to find this King of the Jews and destroy him.
We will read on Wednesday of his wicked plan. Spoiler alert: Herod orders all male babies two and under living in Bethlehem to be killed. Satan was clearly at work in the heart of Herod. But God was up to something else.
You see we hear of Herod the Great no more in the scriptures after he dies in Matthew 2:19. But we do read about Herod the Great’s grandson in Romans 16:10b “…Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.” God had a plan for the line of Herod the Great. Herod’s grandson would love the King of the Jews and follow him. He would receive mention by Paul at the end of his letter to the Romans.
Aristobulus, I can imagine, was grateful that God’s plans were not his grandfather’s plans. Sometimes God’s plans don’t look like what we would have chosen. Yet by following God’s plans, we choose life eternal. Today, Aristobulus is worshiping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
