May 08, 2007

The burial tomb of King Herod has been found in Israel just outside of Jerusalem

In a search that took more than 30 years, a professor at Hebrew University, Ehud Netzer, says that he has located the burial tomb of Herod the Great at a site several miles outside of Jerusalem and near to Bethlehem.

Named the "King of the Jews" by the Roman Emperor before the birth of Christ, Herod is remembered for his expansion of the second Jewish temple here in Jerusalem and the slaughter of all baby boys two years of age and younger at the time of the birth of Christ. Hillel Geva, the archaeologist who excavated the Jewish Quarter in the old city of Jerusalem told me that this discovery of Herod's tomb is second only to the Dead Sea Scrolls in Israeli archaeological significance.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

The discovery of Herod's burial tomb just outside of Jerusalem has great archaeological importance, but also prophetically it is very significant.

If confirmed, the discovery of the tomb for Herod the Great will rank as a major archaeological discovery. Herod, the Roman appointed governor of the province of Judea during the times Christ, was known as Herod the Great because of his great building accomplishments. Known as the "King of the Jews", Herod built five palaces for himself including Masada, the Herodian, the site of his burial, and probably his greatest accomplishment, Herod refurbished the building of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem which took over forty two years. Herod's Temple, as it was known, was referred to by the rabbis who said "If you had never seen Herod's Temple, you have never seen a beautiful building."

I did at the beginning say that this is a great archaeological discovery, but it also has a significant connection to End Time prophecy. Herod, who was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau, is claimed by present-day Palestinians as one of their forefathers. Herod was in the family line from Esau to Amalek, Agag, Haman, then through Herod and down to the Palestinians of today. Jeremiah 49, Ezekiel 35, Malachi 1, and the little book of Obadiah tell us that Esau's descendants through Herod will also be involved in killing Jewish people.

That heritage extends today to the Palestinians who are involved in killing Jews as well.