THE HERODS OF CHRISTMAS:

             WHO ARE THEY?

 

NWANYANWU CHRIS

There are so people by the name Herod, and there are also those who have lived with the name. Also the world of history many “Herods” are known and they are all popular for one thing or the other with regards to the society there influences were felt. But among these Herods, there is one who Christians and the world will never forget. The reason why this particular Herod will never be forgotten is because of his great influences to Christianity and the World as a whole. This Herod is the famous king Herod the Great.

 

Herod the Great was one of the significant rulers of the Jews. Historians describe as Roman-backed king of Judea (37-4 bc), portrayed as a tyrant in Christian and Jewish tradition. Biblically we associate him with Christmas because we come to know about him as the ruler of Judea during the birth of Christ. He was a great king who wished that he remains in power even at the grave. When his wise men and soothsayers told him that a prophecy is about to be fulfilled with regards to the eternal King who will be born into the world, he was distressed. He was because it entails that someone will rise up to become great king and will rule forever which he had stupidly taught he would be the person for such endless rulership.

In a bid to make sure that the prophecy will never come to reality, he tasked his soothsayers to find the exact place where this would be eternal king will be born. Fortunately for him, at the birth of Christ, the magi who were on their way to worship the eternal king had a brief stop at his place to pay homage to the mortal and limited king. Upon revealing to him their mission, he encouraged them to come back to him and tell him where this king is so that he will go and worship him as well. When the magi never returned to him, he orders for the killing of about 2,000 innocent children so that in covering a wide range of children he will succeed in killing the eternal king.

With these actions of his, he showed very clearly that he is absolutely against any good thing since the birth of Christ was really a good thing for humanity. With the punishments of his actions during his time of death, he ended his life with very bad reputation and with little or no good record; which shall be evergreen in the world. What a life?

Herod has died so many years ago but there are still other Herods who are doing exactly doing what the first Herod did. These Herods are those people who in one way or the other are fighting against anything good in the world. Just as the first Herod was against the great good revealed in the birth of Christ, so also do these Herods fight against the “goods” in the human society. These they do by words and actions. We have these Herods under different manifestations in the society.

From the angle of the Christmas celebration in advance, so many people are so much interests in mundane things than the spiritual. They don’t have time to recollect within themselves how they could prepare for the birth of Christ. Just as the first Herod  who never hid to the words of John the Baptist about preparation of the advent of the Lord, these people’s thought are elsewhere. Not only that, there way of life in actually against the person of Christ. These people are the Herods of Christmas. It then means that anyone who has not been making spiritual preparation is either the coming of Christ or not interested. Any of these is enough evidence to show that they are behaving exactly like the first Herod.

Moreover, there are so many acts of injustice and social inequality in the land which is very clear to even the blind. Those of them who by suggestion, planning, advice, and execution in any other way bring these maladies to existence is a Herod; for they are antagonists to the good of the people in that society. That is, they are against peace, justice and love.

Also those of them that cause confusions in any form in any gathering are also Herods of Christmas; for they are against the better organization of the group. Most people who out of envy and jealousy cause problems to members of the group mostly the leaders are the Herods of Christmas

In addition, those people who slander their neigbours jus to win stupid favours are also the Herods we are talking about. Their action depicts them as those who are against the good image of their neigbour; and as such negatively affects that person’s dignity and integrity.

More so, the Herods of Christmas can be seen as those people who through their life-styles had scandalized people and lead they astray. Just as the first Herod wanted to obstruct the birth of Christ, so also do these people unknowingly or not deprive people of intimate union with God. As they share in the qualities of the life of first Herod, so also could they be taken as Herods.

From the foregoing instances, it validates the claim that there are so many Herods in the society and their presence and activities have made life unbearable and uneasy to most people in the society. Unfortunately all these continue to happen in the world, which is an indication that Herod is still alive.

However, as Herod the great did not go without a punishment so also will all these Herods receive their punishment for there is always a  reward for every action of man and no sin goes unpunished. History has it that the wickedness of Herod lead him to order the death of five hundred (500) prominent Jews at his death, so that people may not weep when  for him when he dies, they will weep for the death of the prominent men he has in custody. This is to show how wicked man is and has been with regards to similar activities happening in the society. He started decaying while alive and finally died.

If this is how the first Herod was punished  will the punishment of the later Herods not be much since after knowing what happened to their leader they still persist in their ugly acts. Examples abound to show that this has been the case. The people of Abia state will confirm these with the events of the death of the hardened armed robbers like Jango, etc and other similar cases around 1999 and 2000. Hence all the Herods will meet their grave waterloo either here or in the hereafter.

In essence, human beings have been Herods in the past, at present and likely in future. You can fall a victim of it by your way of life which may totally against love of God and neighbor. Our actions can make us Herods we don’t check them. For those of us who cherish slander, gossips, chaos, and always act in these regards either secretly or publicly, they should return to normalcy before it is too late. If not, the lot of the gone Herods will be their lot.

Yes most of us may think that they are not guilty of acting against love. This supposition should not be held strongly because anything we do that makes others genuinely uncomfortable means acting towards love of the good and then turning us into Herods of different situations since this was the offence of the first Herod.

Anyone who acts against love of God or neighbour is a Herodian of which shall be punished. We all must make sure that we are not guilty of it. Let us try!