March 15, 1994.
Revised August 31, 2005
Chapter 8 A
King is Born
Part
4 The New
Deal
From the Dead Sea scrolls, we discover
Herod’s plan for the kingdom. He contrived to obtain at least
six hundred thousand members to form a New Israel, the Kingdom of
Heaven on earth. This political project required a massive
evangelism lasting over forty years.
Herod the Great had a grand scheme
of a vast worldwide membership. This involved sending evangelists out
all over the world. The participants of this system of social
security were ritually baptized after an application and
payment to Herod’s ministers of the prescribed fees. Annual
contributions would be collected and recorded by the scribes.
They proved their membership by
showing a white stone token with a new registered Hebrew name
whenever entering homes for the weekly gatherings or at synagogues or
temples and applying for social benefits. The temple tax collectors
now collected an annual contribution that brought great wealth to the
government, Herod, and his administrators.
“The
missionaries… with their leather wallets full of white stones,
would come back with the same wallets full of money, in foreign
currency. Once put into Jewish currency by the money-changers
[porters of the temple], it would be stored in vaults, ready to be
used by Herod for his vast building projects, or any subsequent
causes.”
“Herod’s
scheme of initiation into a new form of Judaism was immensely
successful. Jews everywhere were willing to join the worldwide
society whose meetings were held in the evenings in private houses.
Entry was for members only; they had to show at the door an admission
token in the form of a white stone from the river Jordan which the
missionaries gave them at baptism. On the stone was written their new
Jewish name.”
Herod had been sending out his
Pharisee missionaries and teachers, who supported his idea of a vast
kingdom of God on earth, for some time. It was a system of social
security (Corban) and commercial affluence. Those ministers preached
a prosperity gospel with a religious stamp of approval and statutory
enforcement of the taxes required for its support.
“Jerusalem was a major city in a
cosmopolitan culture. It contained not only the Temple, but also a
large arena for chariot and horse races (a hippodrome), a stadium for
athletic contests (a gymnasium), and massive Theaters.”
People needed to be entertained, lulled with security, excited and
pleasured into pacification and apathy.
“…In 20-19 BCE. Herod the
Great set in motion plans to make the Jerusalem Temple the largest…
in the world… stretched a quarter of a mile long by a fifth of
a mile wide. … Twenty thousand functionaries were employed in
its servicing....”
Most people did fine under Herod’s government, as most people
do fine under existing governments of the world today. Business was
good, money flowed, and success and prosperity was plentiful or just
around the corner. The temple, as a government building, supplied a
gate for vast funds for social welfare and public projects.
Herod subsidized games and festivals
all over the world. Everywhere, there were civic projects providing
employment. They were building roads, providing services, and
delivering water by miles of aqueducts in cities and the countryside.
With “improved irrigation, the kingdom became much more
productive agriculturally. And when famine struck at home, Herod
supplied grain from its own funds.”
Herod had his enemies, but they were
quickly dispatched, condemned as anti-government conspirators, or
generally frightened into silence. Herod’s kingdom was not yet
conquered by Rome, but was merely a client kingdom of its Pax
Romana.
“The
year 2 BC marked the 25th anniversary of Caesar Augustus’s rule
and the 750th anniversary of the founding of Rome. Huge celebrations
were planned. The whole empire was at peace. The doors of the temple
of Janus were closed for only the third time in Roman history. To
honor their emperor, the people were to rise as one and name him
pater patriae, or Father of the Country. This enrollment, described
in the Book of Luke, which brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, has
always been a mystery since no regular census occurred at this time.
But the pater patriae enrollment fits perfectly.”
All Jews did not despise the
Commander-in-Chief of a mighty, multinational military force
that kept the peace throughout the world, but many would learn to
hate him. Rome had united the nations of the world. The benevolent
benefactor, Augustus Caesar, was loved by the people of Judea. Things
were good or getting better. Taxes were getting higher, but so were
profits. The concept of inflation began to insidiously creep into
their lives. Eventually, a series of devastating recessions would
bring down the economy of Rome and those who were plugged into its
flow of power and benevolence.
Herod’s annual Temple-tribute
was transported to Jerusalem and filtered through the porters, or
money-changers, who
had worked there since before David. Augustus had mandated that no
civil magistrates would touch these sacred funds. Because Judaism was
not just about faith and religion but also a jurisdictional kingdom,
they were also exempt from the draft. They were sometimes excepted
from appearing in courts of law on similar grounds or had their own
courts, free from Roman control.
“His
reign gave them a third of a century of peace and prosperity and the
new harbor at Caesarea increased trade. But Herod’s lavish
building programs cost immense sums of money and taxes were
necessarily high. By the standards of the time he was not a bad
ruler. He was brutal but far less so than the Hasmonaeans. Herod’s
greatest asset was in fact the very thing for which Jews most
criticized him -- his half-hearted attitude towards Judaism. Augustus
had realized Herod’s true value when he gave him Samaria and
the coastal strip for although Herod was careful not to offend the
Jews he did not oppress the Samaritans and non-Jews. A Hasmonaean
ruler would certainly have persecuted them and similarly a non-Jewish
ruler would have had little sympathy with the Jews.”
“Herod’s
greatest fault was his ungovernable passion both in love and hate.
This coupled with his constant fear of losing this throne led to most
of his ‘crimes’ especially those committed within his own
family.”
There were rebels, malcontents, and
doomsdayers as always. There were tax protesters, religious zealots,
and extreme fundamentalists who spoke of moral declines, collapsing
economies, and other calamities to come.
“The
Zealots were a splinter group of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were
content to ignore the Romans. The Zealots were not. They wanted to
drive them out. They planned to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on
earth - a kingdom ruled by God and not by man. When Jesus said
‘Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to
God the things that are God’s’, the Zealots would have
agreed with him. For all the produce of God’s land belonged to
God and this included the Roman tribute. The main Zealot center was
Galilee. The revolt really started when Galilee was annexed to the
Roman province in 44 C.E.”
The Roman and Jewish system was
prepared for these rabble. As long as the people were generally
comfortable and divided, the local courts and guardians could handle
the riffraff and rebels that resist the progress of society
and its liberal morals.
These
chosen Rulers were the protectors of the peace and the authoritarian
benefactors of their common welfare. There was debt, corruption and
abuse, as always, with a regular promise of amendment and reform, as
always. The human return and slothful addiction to the same ancient
systems that had corrupted Babylon and Sodom created a swamp of
sinking bureaucracies that ate up the substance of the people as a
dog eats up his own vomit. As mires will do, the more the people
struggled with their avarice, without the humility of repentance, the
deeper they sank.
"But
it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is]
turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her
wallowing in the mire." 2 Peter 2:22
The Romans had developed clever ways
to advance revenue for their enterprises and expeditions. They
created something like stock companies. Those who invested were
rewarded with great profits in mining and trade ventures. This is how
they built those giant ships and funded mining expeditions to Spain.
They also financed their wars by paying dividends and stock interest
with the spoils. The English did this for centuries in both war and
peace, which formed the underpinning of modern stock markets. The
Romans relied on, what we call, temples to handle the complexities of
such investments, premiums, and profits.
As things became less lucrative, with
the increase of avarice, sloth, and corruption, new methods were
devised. Charity was handled, at first, by the private sector or the
philanthropy of these temples, which acted more like giant corporate
brokerage houses rather than B-movie pagan temples. There was an
equal amount of superstition, but mystical deities alone would not
have held the attention of the practical Roman entrepreneur.
The Christians, who were considered
Jews by Rome and derived their status from the Kings of the Jews
recognized by Rome, could not apply for the immunities and granted
benefits bestowed by the Father of Rome in exchange for their
allegiance to the same. Christ clearly instructed us to the contrary,
forbidding his followers to pray to any father on earth nor call upon
any man as Father upon the earth.
He instructed them to only apply to
the Father in Heaven
and to love one another as He loved them. John had told men how the
Kingdom worked. If we have two coats and a brother had none, then we
are to share in charity and in hope. The Apostles were clearly taught
that they should not apply to other fathers of earth, nor for the
gifts sacrificed to these worldly idols, nor covet their neighbors
goods, and, above all, to stop the taking of oaths.
These patrons of other nations set
their tables with benefits and dainties, privileges, and entitlements
and call all to eat with them of the sacrifices laid upon those civic
altars, but the Bible tells us that these tables are a snare that
legalize our bondage under those exercising authorities. The Kingdom
of God is an alternative taught by Abraham, instituted by Moses, and
ordained by Christ. Joseph’s brothers, through envy and
jealousy, found themselves with no alternative but to apply to the
Pharaoh. Had they loved their brother, they would have remained free
and blessed. The same choice remains with every man today. If we are
to be Christians, with Christ as our Lord, then we must set aside
envy, sloth, jealousy, and avarice and learn the ways of love and
charity, hope, and faith. The laws and systems of men cannot license
sin in God’s eyes or judgment. We must learn to live by virtue
and the perfect law of liberty.
Footnotes:
Table of Contents
of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Peace be to this house,
The Prologue of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCa1-0Prologue.php
1. The Kingdom of God of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Is Righteousness of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCa1-1IsRighteousness.php
A Man as King of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCa1-2AManasKing.php
2. Abraham Uncivilized of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The City State of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-1TheCityState.php
Two kingdoms/ The Merchants of Men of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-2MerchantsofMen.php
The Hindu Connection of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-3HinduConnection.php
Abraham and the Legend, The Prodigal Son
Our king and our god? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-4Legend.php
The Code of Abraham of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-5code.php
Abraham and the Family of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-6Family.php
3. The Altar of Abraham of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Moses and the Altars of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCc3-1AltarsofClay.php
The Altar of Sin of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCc3-2Sin.php
Sacrifice of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCc3-3Sophistry.php
4. Moses, Moses of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Civil State of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-1CivilState.php
Gods Many of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-2godsmany.php
No Kings of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-3NoKings.php
Servant Priests of a Nation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-4Servants.php
5. Joshua’s Altar of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
White Altars of Joshua
King over us of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCe5-1WhiteAltars.php
Adultery of a Nation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCe5-2Adultery.php
Fear, Faith and Foolishness of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCe5-3RearFaith.php
6. The World of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Of Rome and Judea of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-1Rome.php
The Remarkable History of Israel of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-2Israel.php
Rome the Believer of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Commander in chiefs
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-3RomeBeliever.php
A Father’s offer of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-4TheOffer.php
The Hasmonean Appeal of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Socialization of Rome
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-5SocialAppeal.php
The Love of kings of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-6LovingKings.php
7. Factions at the Altar of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Pharisees and The Sadducees of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCg7-1Factions.php
The Essenes of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Healers of a Nation
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCg7-2Essene.php
8. A King is Born of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
A King is Born of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-1KingBorn.php
What is redemption? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-2Redemption.php
Kingdom in Turmoil of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-3Turmoil.php
The New Deal of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-4NewDeal.php
9. Temples and Churches of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Church
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-1TemplesandChurches.php
Investing in Diana of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-2InvestinDiana.php
One Father of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-3OurFather.php
Arts of the Temples of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-4TempleArts.php
The Temple of Satan of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-5SatansTemple.php
The Royal Treasury of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-6RoyalTreasury.php
10. Two Paths of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
God’s dominion from the Beginning of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The revenue of the wicked
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-1Paths.php
Beams in our eyes of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Removing the Beam
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-2Beams.php
These two Kingdoms of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-3TwoKingdoms.php
Faith is actions of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-4Action.php
The kingdom appointed to Liberty of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-5AppointedLiberty.php
11. Where is the kingdom of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The kingdom comes of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-1Kingdom.php
Eating in the kingdom of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-2Eating.php
Washing in the kingdom of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-3Washing.php
Where is the Church? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-4Where.php
We are all kings of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-5AllKings.php
12. Apostasy of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Ship of State of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-1Ship.php
The Allurement of Wolves of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-2Wolves.php
The Church of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-3Church.php
The Separate Church
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-4Separate.php
13. The Kingdom of Heaven of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The State of the Nation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-1Heaven.php
Seeking the kingdom, The Law of God of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-2SeekLaw.php
What does the Kingdom look like? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-3looks.php
Assembling a congregation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Where to start seeking the kingdom of God
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-4Start.php
Appendix of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Appendix 1. Kingdom of Heaven and God of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-1Appendix.php
Appendix 2. The things He says of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-2AppenSaid.php
Appendix 3. What is Worship? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-3AppenWorship.php
Appendix 4. Who are the Nicolaitans? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-4AppenNicolaitan.php
Appendix 5. Who is a god? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-5Appengods.php
Appendix 6. Oaths and Swearing of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-6AppenOaths.php
The Cover of the book, Thy Kingdom Comes
The Elixir of Love.
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/tkczzwa.php
About the Author of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/tkczzwb.php
Other publications:
The Covenants of the gods
The Free Church Report
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