On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts... (Matthew 2.11)
King Herod longed to be acknowledged both as a great king by his people and as a respected ruler by the Roman Empire, while the cruelty and acts of terror which characterized his rule were fueled by his consistent fear of losing power.
Herod was well known for his elaborate and ambitious building projects: in Jerusalem he had rebuilt the temple, a magnificent building of marble and gold; the same city also boasted the elaborate palace he had constructed for himself and the Antonia, a large fortress to guard the capital. On the Mediterranean coast he had fashioned the city of Caesarea, a seaport to rival any other in the ancient world (complete with theater, amphitheater, hippodrome, and temple to Augustus). And, eight miles south of Jerusalem, there was the Herodium, an imposing mountain fortress which also included apartments, Roman baths and a colonnaded garden, a swimming pool as big as a football field - a structure that has been described as 'the third largest palace in the ancient world' and possibly of all Herod's buildings the one that he saw as his greatest achievement.
Herodium would have dominated the skyline for miles around and would have been clearly visible from the streets of the settlement close by, the small town of Bethlehem. And it was there, in a small, ordinary house, the Magi discovered the real king of Israel, a small boy born to a peasant mother, and bowed down to worship him, giving him the glory that Herod craved.
The real king grew up in obscurity in the Galilean village of Nazareth and, as he was raised by a craftsman in wood and stone, he probably worked with Joseph on building sites in the nearby, flourishing town of Sepphoris. Later, he most probably recalled his own hands-on experience of the building trade when telling his parable of the wise and foolish men and their differing choice of foundations (Matthew 7.24-27). Build your life on my teaching, he said, and it will not fall down.
Herod died not long after the Magi's visit and his beloved Herodium became his tomb. But his kingdom is long gone and his great building projects are now ruins to be excavated.
King Jesus still lives and his one and only building project continues to flourish and grow, as he promised it would: 'I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it' (Matthew 16.18).
This coming year we may be tempted - individually and collectively - to worship other 'kings', to fear forces and events and situations which seem outside of our control, to look to things that might be good in themselves, but are not God, for our ultimate safety or security. But there is only one builder-King whom we can trust, and what he has started he will finish.
In the New Year there are some good opportunities to pray together - for our Open Church Project and much more besides.
On Saturday 7th January there's an OCP Prayer breakfast at the Boylands from 8am - 9am. And then from Monday 9th - Friday 14th January a prayer week at St Peter's. Over 60 people joined in last time - it's a great opportunity to spend some unhurried time with the Lord and be part of our church's praying together through the week. (You can sign up at the back of St Peter's this Sunday or next, or contact Dave and Paul the churchwardens.)
Let's pray that whatever we do together, we do so worshipping and trusting our King, laying our gifts at his feet.
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