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Herod’s Deceit
Our caravan paraded along the streets of Jerusalem in a grand show of finery and wealth. People stopped their work to gaze as we passed, which might have been enjoyable except we were only concerned with an audience with Herod--a man known for his unpredictability and cruelty.
Upon arrival, we learned that Herod was not granting any audiences that afternoon. Then we were invited to spend the entire day as palace guests. It was an invitation we did not dare refuse though I knew that none of us would sleep well, under the roof of this king.
“What do you think,” Zedekiah whispered, when we were alone. The sunlight streamed into the corridor, revealing the splendor and beauty of the stone palace. I was too apprehensive to appreciate the surroundings and knew would sleep more peacefully in a cold, dark cave.
“I will be much relieved when we are far away from here,” Malchiah mumbled under his breath. “Did you hear Herod rant when he realized our purpose? He acted as if the child born would be his direct enemy.”
“He said he wanted to worship the child, but I fear something quite different,” Zedekiah added.
“--But we got what we came for,” I reminded them both, “valuable information.”
We walked silently down the hall, escorted by Herod’s servants. Though our time here was stressful, I still felt a small sense of triumph.
Herod called his advisers and priests to join in his conference with us. We asked them about the birth of a Jewish King. They shared prophecies that we had never heard. We, then, understood that the Hebrew Messiah was to be born in the tiny city of Bethlehem.
When we were dismissed, a servant escorted us to the grounds where the rest of our caravan camped for the night. On our word everyone broke camp quickly and moved beyond the city’s gates.
Malchiah looked over his shoulder at the palace. “What do you think of the promise we made--to come back and report to Herod after we find the child?”
Micah 5:20
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