T h e s t o r y o f 2 K i n g s a t t h e f i r s t C h r i s t m a s

L o o k i n g f o r t h e K i n g a t

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The Roman Empire spread across the ancient world;north to England and France, west to Spain, south to North Africa and Egypt and east to Syria...

The Roman legions defeated every enemy but there was a small area that always gave them trouble…Judea, the land of the Jewish people.

Until a young half Jewish soldiercalled Herod took up the Roman cause in Judea.

I will fight for Rome and defeat those rebels!

When Herod won a savage battle his enemies sought help from the Parthians, so...

Now I will go to Rome and claim Judea as my kingdom!

Herod sailed to Rome and made friends with the two most powerful leaders… Mark Anthony and Octavian, who was later to become Caesar Augustus.

While in Rome, Herod worshipped and made offeringsto the pagan Roman gods

and the Senate made him ‘King of Judea’.

Herod had his kingdom but he still had to conquer it and that took him 3 more years of vicious fightingbefore he and his Roman allies won.

Now I’ve won, I will rebuild Jerusalem to be one of the greatest cities in the world!

There will be great palaces, fortresses forums…

so commenced his amazing building program that spread across his kingdom.

He built a harbour on the barren rocky Mediterranean seashore and called it Caesarea, building at its centre a great temple to Caesar and to Rome.Feast your

eyes on what I have achieved! I am Herod the Great!

To please his Jewish subjects, he enlarged and rebuilt the Temple of God in Jerusalem. Herod’s 2nd temple, as it was called, was truly magnificent.

Still many of his Jewish subjects hated him but he ruled with such cunning that he quickly squashed any signs of any opposition.

From all over the then known world architects, sculptors, artists, poets and musicians clamoured to work on his grand projects.

He was ruthless and to make sure he stayed king, he executed 3 of hisown sons so they couldn’t take over his kingdom.

Then one day a party of visitors arrived from the East

and entered King Herod’s Jerusalem...We saw a new star as we studied the heavens

We’ve come to see the new King of the Jews

Can you tell us where to find him? Should we visit the palace?

The news travelled fast and the entire city was worried.

What can this mean, a new king?

Yes, Herod will be furious!

This could mean bigtrouble!

and of courseKing Herod

heard …

Your Highness, there are these wise men from the East…

Yes. speak up!

Sir, they are looking for a new king

What? Are you sure?