On the eastern edge of the Judean wilderness in Israel, there sits an ancient stone fortress, Masada. It is consistently one of the most visited sites in a land full of highly visited sites. And for good reason. Masada juts out atop a limestone plateau in an otherwise barren desert. It’s an eye-popping spectacle from the ground offering breathtaking views from the top.
At the peak of its occupation, it was home to two palaces, multiple swimming pools, countless mosaics, an elaborate water collection system, and one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the ancient world, Herod the Great.
This “King of the Jews” reigned from 34-4 BC. He was a friend of Caesar, favorite of the Roman Senate, and an Olympic champion. An architectural genius, Herod renovated and rebuilt large sections of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. He commissioned and planned dozens of modern Roman cities across his Kingdom. Masada was but one breathtaking example of his estimated 15 palaces. It’s not hard to see why historians have labeled him, “the Great”.
I had the opportunity to visit Masada in 2019. Looking East over the Dead Sea, I was struck by the enormity, opulence, and grandeur of this mountain-top fortress. It is a tangible representation of everything that money, fame, reputation, and power can do.
My head was swimming as we walked off the mountain, onto the bus, and drove north. 90 minutes later, we stopped outside a kibbutz just south of Bethlehem. We walked along a narrow, dusty path up into the hills above the village, coming to a stop just outside a small, rocky cave. It was dank inside, the air heavy with the smell of animal droppings. It took me a minute, but eventually, I realized we were in a stable. The local shepherds had built a fence on the front of the cave and used the back as a natural enclosure.
Roughly 2,000 years prior in a stable not dissimilar from the one I was standing in, “a Savior” was born. He was called “Messiah” and “Lord” and “King of the Jews” all while lying in a manger surrounded by animals and the mess (and smell) that comes with them.
I was deeply struck by the contrast. Herod lived in opulence. Jesus was born in squalor. Herod pursued reputation and power. Jesus emptied himself, making himself “of no reputation”. Herod exalted himself as King. Jesus lowered himself as Servant. Herod built palaces and temples and monuments. Jesus built an unseen Kingdom and a network of small communities. Herod used force to assert his will. Jesus came in love to surrender his.
Two men. Two visions of greatness. But really just one question: which vision of greatness will you pursue today?
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This article was first published in the print edition of the Kingsport Times News in December 2024.
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