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Warning from Herodās Life
So we need to learn and heed the powerful lessons from the first words of the story of Christmasāthe colossal failure of Herodās life. The lesson of the tragic life of Herod shows that Herod gained the whole world but lost his own soul. Look at Christ’s words in Matthew 16:26:
Matthew 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Beware of spending so much time on this life (the short earthly one) that you miss out on getting ready for the next life (the endless, eternal one).
Point One:
HEROD HAD IT ALL IN THIS LIFE.
You can have it all in this life and fail in the next. As a General, Herod was nearly undefeated. As a Diplomat he was unstoppable. As a Builder he was unparalleled. As a Businessman he was unimaginably wealthy. It took great faith for the Jewish people to believe that Jesus, who began His life on Earth as a baby in Bethlehem, was truly the Lord of Heaven and Earth.
The contrasts between Jesus and Herod could not have been greater. Herod had all the power, wealth, strength, and glory that his position in the world could offer; yet Jesus, the King of the universe, had nothing of that sort to demonstrate His position. So to believe in Jesus as the Messiah was to believe that regardless of outward appearances, Jesus, the baby in the manger, was indeed Lord of Heaven and Earth.
So beware, HEROD HAD IT ALL IN THIS LIFE. You can have it all in this life and fail in the next.
Remember how vital faith is to God? Great power and possessions are actually a hindrance, not a helper to faith.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
One of the treasures that I have from the Holy Land is this rock. I found it washed up on the sand after a big storm along the coast of Israel. The archaeologist who was leading me around Herodās city called Caesarea looked it over and told me that I had an actual piece of imported marble that Herod purchased and used to build his greatest palace of all.
The Romans destroyed that palace and smashed every part of it into millions of tiny fragments. This is one of them. A reminder that all we have in this life is fragile and temporary unless it is connected to Christ!
Conclusions from Herodās Life
Few people were as close to salvation as the Herod family was. Few had so many opportunities to meet the Messiah and to hear His teaching. When we look at the Scriptures, and notice the encounters the Herod family had with Jesus and His message, we are amazed.
The Legacy of Herod the Great is that few families in history have come as close to Jesus’ message as the Herodās. Many members of this ruling family knew of Jesus and His followers. Yet, one after the other, they killed or tried to kill anyone connected to Him. So beware of being like Herod.
1. HEROD HAD IT ALL IN THIS LIFE. You can have it all in this life and fail in the next.
2. HEROD LIVED FOR THE EARTH, NOT HEAVEN. If you live for the earth and not heaven you will lose everything.
3. HEROD HAD DEMON FAITH. You can tremble before God and still be damned.
4. HEROD PUT HIS FAITH IN HIMSELF, HIS POWER, HIS RICHES, HIS WEALTH, AND HIS PLEASURE. You can gain the whole world and lose your own soul.
5. HEROD MISSED HIS CHANCE. You can get as close as Herod and still miss heaven.