Chapter One
SESSION ONE
In the Shadow of Herod
Questions to Think About
1. Think of some instances in the Bible when that which
appeared to be weak and powerless defeated that which
appeared to be stronger and more powerful. What thoughts
and feelings do these instances bring to mind?
2. What do you think are the most powerful, undefeatable
evidences of evil in our world today?
3. Do you agree or disagree with the statement: "It doesn't
seem as though God can do much about evil." Explain
your view.
Video Notes
The Herodion in Its Setting
Israel and Edom, a History of Conflict
Herod the Edomite Versus Jesus the King of Kings
Video Highlights
1. Which details about the Herodion made the greatest
impression on you?
2. What is significant about the Herodion's proximity to Bethlehem?
3. What are some of the contrasts highlighted between King
Herod and Jesus?
4. How do the birth of the twins, Jacob and Esau, and Balaam's
prophecy relate to Jesus and Herod?
5. How has this video changed your view of the step of faith
that was required for the Jews to believe that Jesus was the
Messiah?
PROFILE OF A FORTRESS
The Awesome Herodion
Built about thirty years before Jesus' birth on a hilltop at the edge of
the Judea Wilderness to provide an escape for Herod in the event of
danger in Jerusalem.
Rose more than forty-five feet above the hilltop and could be seen
from as far as ten miles away in Jerusalem.
Located near the site of Herod's battlefield victory over the Hasmonaeans,which earned him the Roman nomination to be the earthly
king of the Jews.
Overshadowed Bethlehem,about three miles
away, where Jesus, the
almighty King, was born.
Was often passed by
shepherds (such as those
who came to see the baby
Jesus) and farmers who
lived in Bethlehem-a
small town of at most several hundred people. Bethlehem had fertile
farmland and was also close to the wilderness where flocks were kept.
The Upper Palace
Had double cylindrical walls
about fifteen feet apart with an
outside diameter of nearly 220
feet. Between the walls were
seven stories of apartments,chambers, and storage rooms.
Herod covered the lower four
stories with packed dirt, creating
the unique, volcanic-cone
shape.
Was protected by smaller defensive towers on the south, north, and
west that extended outside the cylindrical structure. The enormous
eastern tower was 55 feet
in diameter, more than
120 feet tall, and provided
royal apartments for King
Herod and his family.
Contained a glorious bath
complex that included a
vaulted caldarium (hot
bath), tepidarium (warm
bath), and frigidarium (cold
bath)-each of which had floors decorated with mosaics. Herod
brought water from more than three miles away through aqueducts
and stored it in cisterns at the base of the fortress-palace.
Could accommodate many guests in its large, roofed reception hall
that had colored plaster walls. During the Jewish revolts long after
Herod's death, the Zealots made this hall into a synagogue.
Had an open-air garden with columns on three sides and a niche
at each end for statues.
Was entered by a three-hundred-step stairway on the outside of
the mountain followed by a two-hundred-foot tunnel that led into
the fortress.
The Lower Palace
Consisted of a complex of buildings and a pool at the foot of the
mountain. The pool-one of the largest in the ancient world-was
10 feet deep, 140 feet long, 200 feet wide, and was surrounded by
colonnaded gardens-quite a sight given that the water came via
aqueduct from more than three miles away. In the middle of the
pool was an island more than forty feet in diameter containing a
colonnaded circular building in which Herod and guests could relax
in complete privacy.
Contained a huge building complex between the pool and the
upper fortress, with more than 400 feet of elaborate halls and guest
rooms. In front was a terrace more than 1,000 feet long.
Presumably holds the tomb of Herod. However, this largest of the
fortress structures has not yet been completely excavated.
Small Group Bible Discovery
Topic A: Bethlehem-Small But Significant
Despite its small size, Bethlehem was the location of significant historical
events. Discovering its history helps us to appreciate why the
town was the perfect place for Jesus' birth.
1. Look at the map of Israel below. Note Bethlehem's location
in relationship to Jerusalem, the Herodion, the Judea
Wilderness, the Judea Mountains, Moab, and Edom (Idumaea).
Which occupations did Bethlehem's unique location
at the border between the mountains and the
wilderness enable its people to have?
2. Where was Jacob traveling to when Rachel died in childbirth? (See Genesis 35:16-19.)
3. What do King David and Ruth, who are mentioned in the
following verses, have in common? (See Ruth 1:22; 1 Samuel
16:1-3; Matthew 1:1, 5.)
4. What does Scripture reveal about Moab, the country in
which Ruth was reared? (See Genesis 19:36-37; Numbers
24:17; 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 3:26-27.) What does the fact
that God blessed the entire world through Ruth reveal
about how God uses people in His plan of salvation?
5. What did Micah predict about seven hundred years before
Jesus was born? (See Micah 5:2.)
(Continues.)
