Scripture Foretold the Coming of Herod!

Part of understanding the birth of Jesus and his times has to do with recognizing the place of Herod the Great in Scriptures. Herod was a common man of no quality stock, a vulgar man who bought his kingship from Mark Antony.[i] It would be odd, indeed, considering his place in Jewish history, if Scripture did not mention this man who made himself such a great enemy of God and his people. Consider what is said of him in Daniel:

 

The Jeconiah Curse and the Virgin Birth

One of the most interesting questions I have heard from a Jew is: “How can Jesus be the Messiah, if his genealogical line comes through Jeconiah (Matthew 1:12)? God had cursed the Jeconiah line in that none of his descendants could inherit the throne. As far as God is concerned, the Jeconiah line is childless (Jeremiah 22:28-30).” Furthermore, one Jew I spoke with said the problem is even greater, because even if one could show that Jesus’ line is through Jeconiah, the fact that he is not Joseph’s son by marriage would make him a mamzer (bastard), so he could not inherit anything that was his mother’s husband’s.