The magi arrive at the palace of King Herod, looking for the King of the Jews. Herod welcomes them with false-humility, smiling through his gritted teeth. Something isn’t right.
Today's Bible verse is 1 Corinthians 15:50, from the King James Version.
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Speaker 1: Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can't
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Speaker 1: inherit God's kingdom, neither does the perishable inherit imperishable First
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Speaker 1: Corinthians fifteen fifty. Dear Lord, your kingdom is eternal, everlasting,
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Speaker 1: and imperishable. We recognize that we are unable to obtain
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Speaker 1: heaven on our own. It is only through faith in you,
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Speaker 1: Lord Jesus, that we can access eternal life. In light
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Speaker 1: of these things, we pray that you would set our
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Speaker 1: mind on your kingdom. Since we have inherited eternal life
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Speaker 1: in you, may we set our minds solely on eternal things.
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Speaker 1: May the Kingdom, glory and righteous word be ever present
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Speaker 1: in our thoughts. May your throne rest on the forefront
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Speaker 1: of our minds, guiding us in all we do. When
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Speaker 1: we stumble dwell on the cornal things of this world,
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Speaker 1: would you redirect our thoughts and illuminate our paths. We
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Speaker 1: trust you to do all these things and more in Jesus' name. Amen,
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Speaker 1: Thank you for praying with me today. Stay tuned now
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Speaker 1: for another episode of Stories of the Messiah with Rabbi Schneider.
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Speaker 2: The shepherds stood and bowed their heads to Mary and Joseph.
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Speaker 2: They exited the stable, stealing one final glance at the child.
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Speaker 2: Before they left, the sun began to rise over the hills,
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Speaker 2: painting the sky with hues of gold and pink. Their
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Speaker 2: hearts were filled with an overflowing well of joy. Their
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Speaker 2: contemplative walk slowly turned into a dance of praise and worship.
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Speaker 2: Soon enough, the shepherds were shouting through the streets, their
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Speaker 2: voices raised in worship and faces glowing with a light
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Speaker 2: that drew curious onlookers. Some shook their heads, thinking the
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Speaker 2: shepherds were crazy, drunk, or both. But the shepherds, undeterred
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Speaker 2: by scorn, proclaimed that the Messiah had been born and
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Speaker 2: they had been privileged to see him. Word began to
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Speaker 2: spread like ripples in a pond, the whispers growing in
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Speaker 2: strength and conviction. The shepherd's testimony, although unlikely, rekindled hope
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Speaker 2: and a few who heard it. If the Messiah had
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Speaker 2: truly been born, then hope for Israel was alive. The
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Speaker 2: testimony reached the ears of some of the servants of Herod,
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Speaker 2: the land's ruler. Their faces paled, their hearts pounding with
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Speaker 2: fear and hope. They did not tell Herod choosing instead
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Speaker 2: to hold silent, their minds filled with dreams of redemption
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Speaker 2: from the oppression of Rome. Once weighed down by sorrow
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Speaker 2: and suffering, the land seemed to awaken to a new possibility.
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Speaker 2: The whispers grew into a chorus of voices, a community
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Speaker 2: unit by faith and longing. In that humble stable, a
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Speaker 2: child had been born, a king who would change the world.
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Speaker 1: Hello, I'm Pastor Jack Graham.
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Speaker 3: With today's episode of the Bible and a Year podcast,
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Speaker 3: today we meet a new character, Herod. King Herod maintained
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Speaker 3: a continuous vigilance to ward off any dangers to his throne,
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Speaker 3: with his fears often extending to those within his own family.
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Speaker 3: He was responsible for the deaths of numerous relatives, fearing
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Speaker 3: their betrayal. Though Herod sought to gain the favor of
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Speaker 3: the Jewish population over whom he ruled, he himself was
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Speaker 3: not a Jew, but an Edomite, Rome acknowledged him as
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Speaker 3: a subservient king in charge of Judea. Despite their intense
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Speaker 3: dislike for him. The Jews also respected Herod, primarily due
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Speaker 3: to his architectural achievements, including the significant enhancements he made
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Speaker 3: to the Second Temple. Herod's reign was marked by brutal
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Speaker 3: and aggressive actions. Immediately upon ascending to the throne, he
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Speaker 3: eradicated the Sanhedron. He executed three hundred court officials. He
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Speaker 3: also killed his wife mary Anne and her mother Alexandra.
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Speaker 3: He killed his eldest son Antipater, and two other sons,
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Speaker 3: Alexander and Aristobulus. His rule was a chilling era of
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Speaker 3: violence and fear, reflecting the dark aspects of his own character.
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Speaker 3: The magi are about to enter Herod's palace. If you've
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Speaker 3: read the Gospel of Matthew, you'll know that the news
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Speaker 3: of Jesus' birth will cause Herod to commit unimaginable cruelties.
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Speaker 3: Let's dive into the story. Afterward, we'll unpack the themes
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Speaker 3: of what it truly means to be a king and
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Speaker 3: how Herod is contrasted with the true king of the Jews, Jesus.
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Speaker 2: The caravan moved through the desert like a river, cutting
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Speaker 2: through canyons. Caspar, Melchior, and Balshazzar were at the head
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Speaker 2: of the caravan. Guided by the Star, they moved from
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Speaker 2: endless sand dunes to rugged mountains and dense forests. The
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Speaker 2: path was arduous, and the journey taxed even the most
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Speaker 2: robust of their company. As they journeyed west, they began
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Speaker 2: to witness the heavy hand of the Roman Empire. Once
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Speaker 2: teaming with vibrant and simple life, remote villages lay in ruin,
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Speaker 2: their inhabitants either subjugated or fleeing from Roman wrath. Caesar
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Speaker 2: had no need for poor villages that couldn't contribute to
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Speaker 2: the empire. As the magi walked through the broken down villages,
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Speaker 2: they realized just how heavy the iron grip of Rome was.
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Speaker 2: Caspar was a man of riches and nobility. Some even
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Speaker 2: referred to him as Solomon Reborn. But as he looked
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Speaker 2: upon a begging family on the side of the road,
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Speaker 2: his heart broke stop, Casper said with a raspy voice.
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Speaker 2: His camel knelt down, and he dismounted. He approached the
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Speaker 2: family with a quivering lip. He will not replace what
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Speaker 2: you have lost, but I hope it blesses you. He
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Speaker 2: handed them a leather bag of expensive spices to sell,
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Speaker 2: and a cloth wrapped around a large piece of silver.
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Speaker 2: The father received it and hailed it for a while
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Speaker 2: in his hand. Hope, he said, with a jaded and
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Speaker 2: weathered tone. Hope is a distant memory. Behind Caspar's long
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Speaker 2: white beard, there was a compassionate smile. He walked back
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Speaker 2: to his camel and mounted it. Before proceeding, he glanced
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Speaker 2: back at him and said, perhaps hope is closer than
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Speaker 2: you think. With those words, the caravan continued through the
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Speaker 2: winding Judaean countryside. Nature was alive with new life. The
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Speaker 2: wind carried the scent of freshly budding wildflowers, and fawns
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Speaker 2: pranced through the grassy valleys. As they neared Judea, the
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Speaker 2: anticipation grew. They felt a magnetic force that guided their
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Speaker 2: every step. The star had led them to Judea, but
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Speaker 2: the exact location of the Messiah was still unknown to them.
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Speaker 2: Tell me, Melchior, Kaspers said, where would a Judaean king
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Speaker 2: be born? Melchia pointed to a city glimmering in the distance, Jerusalem,
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Speaker 2: He said, the city of David and home to the temple.
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Speaker 2: No doubt the city will be alive with celebration. The
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Speaker 2: caravan entered the city with pomp. They were hardly inconspicuous,
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Speaker 2: with their camels adorned with purple and chests of gold
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Speaker 2: following them on carts. The rest of their caravan waited
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Speaker 2: outside the city gates to replenish camels and restock on supplies.
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Speaker 2: But the three wise men pressed forward, seeking out the
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Speaker 2: palace of Herod, the tetrach of Judea. His palace loomed
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Speaker 2: over the bustling market place, imposing and cold, symbolizing power
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Speaker 2: and dominance. Herod was indeed a master of deceit, cunning
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Speaker 2: as a desert fox. Mind was a labyrinth of political
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Speaker 2: intrigue and deception, honed sharp enough to cut through the
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Speaker 2: Gaudian knot of political power that entrapped many rulers. He
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Speaker 2: had an insatiable thirst for dominance, a desire that drove
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Speaker 2: him to impose crippling taxes upon the very people he ruled.
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Speaker 2: Even Caesar Augustus, the Master of Rome, quipped that it
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Speaker 2: was safer to be Herod's swined in his offspring, for
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Speaker 2: Herod was notorious for slaying any of his children that
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Speaker 2: proved to threaten his power. Word of the Magi's arrival, however,
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Speaker 2: presented an opportunity for Herod. To him, it was a
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Speaker 2: chance to acquire more favor from rich men. He ordered
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Speaker 2: his servants to prepare a feast worthy of emperors. He
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Speaker 2: laid a bounty of food at the table, and surrounded
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Speaker 2: them with music, wine, and dancers to the magi men
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Speaker 2: of refinement and culture. Such a reception was not uncommon. However,
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Speaker 2: something was disquieting about the feast. Boushezzar in particular, had
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Speaker 2: his guard up. Herod entered the great halls and stretched
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Speaker 2: out his arm. My lords, to what do I owe
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Speaker 2: this pleasure? Herod asked, his voice dripping with feigned graciousness.
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Speaker 2: We seek the nupon king of the juice, they replied
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Speaker 2: with a bow. The Messiah Star has guided us here,
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Speaker 2: and we intend to honor him with our tributes and adoration.
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Speaker 2: A shiver ran down Herod's spine at their words. Rumors
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Speaker 2: had reached his ears, whispers of a child born to
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Speaker 2: be king. But Herod was king, and no infant would
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Speaker 2: unravel what he had spent decades making. Concealing his inner disgust,
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Speaker 2: he took a measured sip of wine. Ah, yes, he said,
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Speaker 2: with a false grin, I have heard rumors of such
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Speaker 2: a child being born. My servants think I do not
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Speaker 2: hear their whispers in the halls. But such news is
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Speaker 2: worth celebrating, is it not. Herod's servants stepped back in fear.
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Speaker 2: The proclamations of the shepherds had reached some of them,
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Speaker 2: but they had purposely hidden it from Herod. Balshazzar stad it, Herod, carefully,
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Speaker 2: do you know where he is? Although I have heard rumors,
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Speaker 2: no news has reached my throne. But if it is
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Speaker 2: the prophesied Messiah you are looking for, the priests and
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Speaker 2: scribes may be able to be of some aid Harod's summons.
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Speaker 2: Some of the temple priests and scribes, They too were
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Speaker 2: disturbed to hear the news. Tell us priests, Herod said,
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Speaker 2: where is the prophesied child to be found? The priests
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Speaker 2: spoke among themselves for a moment, then replied, Bellehem, my Lord,
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Speaker 2: the birthplace of David. For the prophecies, declare us and you,
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Speaker 2: oh Bethlehem, in the land of Tudah, are by no
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Speaker 2: means least a moment the rulers of Judah. Far from
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Speaker 2: you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.
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Speaker 2: Herod's smile was a serpent's grin as he raised his
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Speaker 2: glass to the wise men. Then perhaps the rumors hold true,
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Speaker 2: my lords, A new king may indeed grace our land
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Speaker 2: glory to God. But His eyes were stormy, seas churning
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Speaker 2: with rage and fear. Should you find the child, do
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Speaker 2: return and tell me so that I too may pay
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Speaker 2: my respects. The magi thanked Harod and departed. Herod watched
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Speaker 2: them leave, his smile changing into a snarl as the
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Speaker 2: door closed behind them. Messiah or not, he hissed in
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Speaker 2: a venomous whisper, no one will dethrone me. His eyes
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Speaker 2: blazed with malevolence that recalled the cruelty of Pharaoh long ago.
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Speaker 2: With a cry of fury, he his cup against the
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Speaker 2: wall and summoned his gods slay every boy under two.
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Speaker 2: Show no mercy to those who defy me. He slumped
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Speaker 2: back into his throne, his thoughts a whirlwind of paranoia,
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Speaker 2: and infant shall not undo me. He vowed the words
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Speaker 2: a dark oath. The palace seemed to shudder at his command,
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Speaker 2: a foreboding silence descending as Herod's madness spiraled further into
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Speaker 2: the darkness, a void of which there could be no return.
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Speaker 3: This story, inspired by Matthew. Chapter two, is a tale
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Speaker 3: that paints a picture of the bleak circumstances into which
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Speaker 3: Jesus was born. The boot of Rome was heavy on Israel,
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Speaker 3: and those who weren't contributing to the empire were cast
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Speaker 3: aside and forgotten. The appearance of the wise men from
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Speaker 3: the East heralded a fresh sense of hope that transcended
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Speaker 3: the earthly suffering seen in the poverty stricken villages. The
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Speaker 3: sight of Caspar's compassion for the broken family by the
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Speaker 3: roadside provides a vivid example of this newfound hope, illustrating
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Speaker 3: how the birth of Jesus inspires us to reach out
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Speaker 3: to those in need. Indeed, Jesus is coming is a
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Speaker 3: sign that hope is closer than it seems. In our lives.
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Speaker 3: We may face hopeless situations, yet the story of Jesus's
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Speaker 3: birth reminds us that even in the darkest circumstances, hope
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Speaker 3: is alive and can be found in him. The story
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Speaker 3: of the Magi paints a grim picture of the Roman
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Speaker 3: Empire's cruel dominion. Villages lay in ruin, and the impoverished
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Speaker 3: were subjected to the Empire's iron grip. But in this devastation,
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Speaker 3: the Magi were led by a star to the place
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Speaker 3: where the true king was born. The Kingdom of God
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Speaker 3: is unlike any earthly kingdom. While Caesar's rule brought destruction
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Speaker 3: and subjugation. Jesus's kingdom brought restoration, peace and justice. The
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Speaker 3: birth of Christ inaugurated a new era where the marginalized
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Speaker 3: and oppressed could find refuge and dignity. The Kingdom of
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Speaker 3: God is not built on power and domination, but on love, mercy,
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Speaker 3: and grace. Herod is a personification of the greed, corruption,
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Speaker 3: and evil Israel was oppressed by during that time. Under
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Speaker 3: that politician's smile, was a man consumed with bitterness and jealousy.
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Speaker 3: Herod's response to the birth of Jesus reveals the depths
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Speaker 3: to which jealousy and fear can drive a person. Though
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Speaker 3: he initially feigned interest in worshiping the new born king,
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Speaker 3: his true intentions were soon laid bare. Driven by a
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Speaker 3: relentless desire to protect his own power, he issued a
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Speaker 3: horrifying command to slay every boy under too in Bethlehem.
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Speaker 3: This sobering account reminds us of the destruct nature of jealousy.
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Speaker 3: Like Herod, jealousy can blind us to reason and lead
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Speaker 3: us to unspeakable cruelty. It's a stark warning to guard
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Speaker 3: our hearts against envy and to seek contentment in what
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Speaker 3: God has given to us. Herod's rule was marked by
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Speaker 3: betrayal and violence, founded on fear and oppression, but the
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Speaker 3: birth of Jesus heralded a new kind of king who
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Speaker 3: rules with love, compassion, and righteousness. Unlike Herod, whose rule
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Speaker 3: was threatened by a mere infant, Jesus' kingship is unshakable.
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Speaker 3: In our present age, it's tempting to put our trust
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Speaker 3: in political leaders or ideologies, hoping they will bring about
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Speaker 3: the change we desire, But the story of Herod reminds
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Speaker 3: us that earthly rulers are fallible and often driven by
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Speaker 3: self interest. Jesus, on the other hand, is a king
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Speaker 3: who reigns with perfect justice and love. In him alone
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Speaker 3: we find solid and eternal hope. Above all, this passage
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Speaker 3: underscores the incomparable kingship of Jesus and a world fraught
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Speaker 3: with uncertainty. He remains the unchanging and faithful star to follow.
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Speaker 3: May this Christmas season rekindle in us a fresh sense
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Speaker 3: of wonder at the birth of our Savior and renew
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Speaker 3: our commitment to live as citizens of His kingdom. Join
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Speaker 3: us for our next episode. The magi will finally behold
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Speaker 3: the king they've been waiting for. The gifts they give
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Speaker 3: will provide us with deep theological insight into the nature
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Speaker 3: of Jesus
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