Looking for the King at Christmas

Looking for the King at

Christmas Christmas

The story of 2 Kings at the first Christmas

The Roman Empire

spread across the ancient world; north to England and France, west to Spain, south to North Africa and Egypt and east to Syria...

Until a young half Jewish soldier called Herod took up the Roman cause in Judea.

The Roman legions defeated every enemy but there was a small area that always gave them trouble‌ Judea, the land of the Jewish people.

I will fight for Rome and defeat those rebels!

Now I will go to Rome and claim Judea as my kingdom!

When Herod won a savage battle his enemies sought help from the Parthians, so...

Herod sailed

to Rome and made friends

with the two most powerful leaders…

Mark Anthony and Octavian, who was later to become Caesar Augustus.

While in Rome, Herod worshipped and made offerings to the pagan Roman gods and the Senate made him ‘King of Judea’.

Now I’ve won, I will rebuild Jerusalem to be one of the greatest cities in the world!

Herod had his kingdom but he still had to conquer it and that took him 3 more years of vicious fighting before he and his Roman allies won.

There will be great palaces, fortresses forums…

so commenced his amazing building program that spread across his kingdom.

He built a harbour on the barren rocky Mediterranean

seashore and called it Caesarea, building at its centre Feast your a great temple to Caesar and to Rome.

To please his Jewish subjects, he eyes on what I have achieved! enlarged and rebuilt the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Herod’s I am Herod 2nd temple, as it was called, the Great! was truly magnificent.

Still many of his Jewish subjects hated him but he ruled with such cunning that he quickly squashed any signs of any opposition.

From all over the then known world architects, sculptors, artists, poets and musicians clamoured to work on his grand projects.

He was ruthless and to make sure he stayed king, he executed 3 of his own sons so they couldn’t take over his kingdom.

Then one day a party of visitors arrived from the East

and entered King Herod’s Jerusalem...

We saw a new star as we The news travelled fast and studied the heavens We’ve the entire city was worried. come to see the new King of What Yes, the Jews can this Herod mean, a will be This new king? furious! could mean big trouble!

Can you tell us where to find him?

Should we visit the palace?

Your Highness, and of course there are these Yes. King Herod wise men from speak up! the East… heard …

What?

Sir, they Are you are looking sure? for a new king