KING HEROD "The Builder"

For us Christians, the name Herod the Great seems to be an irony. What could he have done that was so great, given his treatment of the people under his rule? At Herodium, we saw the greatness of a man made mountain. From Herodium, we could see from a distance, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, and even Jerusalem. This was one of Herod’s palaces and the only one named after him, and it is highly probable that this is where the three wise men came to inquire with Herod about the king of kings and pay tribute. That adds another dimension to this site.

Truly a magnificent mountain from the outside view, we could see remains of a palace. We were also able to enter a bathhouse that was still intact. There’s very few bathhouses in the world that are fully intact and to see where ancient royalty stepped in was remarkable. There was also a theater where one could see where we get the ideas for football stadiums today. Each row was higher than the other and it was circular to help amplify the sound.

Then, to our delight, we were able to enter the underground tunnels. There were four cisterns from Herod’s time and one could see how water could be brought to people. It was difficult to walk at times, but seeing the tunnel network showed technology at work.

Finally, we went by the place where Herod’s tomb was. I started to think of how God can work even with people like Herod. A very beautiful, manmade mountain was built, a theater, and most importantly an instrument for carrying water, which is vital to living. Herodium struck me because I could see so much land from where I stood and I could see God’s creation all around me.