The concept of the elite and powerful has always fascinated me. Just the idea that there is a sub-section of the population in almost every country that can literally buy their way out of trouble, or use their status to sway any group of people to side with them is remarkable. We saw this depicted clearly in a recent streamed television series called "Dopesick," which documented some real life accounts of a large pharmacuetical company manipulating their way out of legal trouble again and again. The Opiod crisis spawned several lawsuits from people addicted to painkiller medication, and this docu-drama showed how the head family of the company was able to successfully avoid almost each court appearance by paying off certain people.
Not all people in power are corrupt of course. In the Bible we have the account of King David, for example. In several areas the Bible refers to David as God's annointed leader, and a man after God's own heart. But by and large, I believe it is safe to say we ought to have a healthy skepticism regarding the super elite.
Enter in the case of the Herod family in the New Testament. Many in this family line were put into positions of power, and wielded that power with force and murderous intent. They also often struggled to keep power, as the Roman government was the true authority in most first century middle eastern provinces.
We remember the story about Herod seeking to kill the infant Jesus shortly after learning that a prophet had been born. Matthew 2:16 says, "When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
As evidenced from this Scripture (and others like it), Herod wasn't a good guy. He was willing to use his power and office to murder children and try to kill God's son - all in an attempt to stay in power. I wish I could say this doesn't go on today, but I believe it still does. Take a quick look back at recent historical events like the holocaust and the civil war in Rwanda.
Fast forward a bit to another Herod during the time of the apostles; Herod Agrippa I. Scripture shows that this man was corrupt as well. In fact, Acts 12 paints a picture of him murdering James, son of Zebedee in order to please the Jewish elites. Herod Agrippa is also credited with imprisoning Peter, prior to the miraculous escape that happens later when God sends an angel to free him.
The repeating trope is evident: those in power often engage in both manipulation and wickedness to stay in charge. This unfortunate fact permeates the twentieth century as well. The record of events from World War I all the way through recent events in Afghanistan, often depict leaders engaging in national conflict over a power grab. This is just the way things are.
Psalm 94:20-21 says: "Can a corrupt throne be allied with you -- a throne that brings on misery by its decrees? The wicked band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death." This held true for Jesus as well. He was tortured and crucified as an innocent, perhaps the most innocent martyr of all time.
It is important to keep something in mind here. The wicked will kill and destroy in order to preserve their way of life, but the righteous will fight to edify and protect. It is two different ways of living out a leadership role. The first seeks to punish and remove, the second way desires to build up and redeem.
Ruthless people often rise to power in our culture. This happens in businesses, academic establishments, and even churches. But know this: evil has it's day, but it never lasts forever. Hitler had his moment in history and was eventually defeated. Stalin had his reign for a while, and then his murderous tenure finally came to an end. Only Godly things last forever. Only churches and organizations build on His foundation will keep a lampstand lit for the kingdom of heaven. The rest are only distractions - here today, then gone tomorrow.
The power of Jesus Christ is incorruptible and eternal. There is no need to manipulate or coerce people to trust in Him. We are free to accept or reject His gift of salvation and grace. This is the exact opposite of how Herod and his family line used to operate. They moved in the realm of fear and violence. God acts with kindness and compassion.
But make no mistake; the Lord is not weak either. Just because He left this Earth as a silent victim doesn't mean He will return that way. The Bible says that during the second advent, the world will see His coming in the sky from the East to the West. There will be no way to misinterpret who is in charge. During this one moment in history, the right person will be in charge once and for all. Sounds good to me.
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