King Herod --- the visionary builder of the world's first major artificial harbour

King Herod (73 BC - 4 BC), remembered for his brutal slaughter of innocent children in the Bible, was lesser known for his ingenious and visionary masterplan for the ancient city of Judea. It was recorded that he masterminded the building of the great artificial harbour at the ancient city of Caesarea on Israel's north coast (Discovery Channel Magazine, "Herod's Triumph", February/March, Volume 2/2009, pp 74-81). The artist's impressions of the great habour during that era are simply spectacular.

This was an ambitious man born and lived among famous characters such as Mark Anthony, Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. I was intrigued by his engineering feat of such an artificial harbour which at that time, served well in anchoring his control over sea lanes and ultimately securing wealth, power and prosperity during his reign in the kingdom. How brillant and visionary was King Herod! He could have easily won the ancient world's equivalent of the Nobel Prize in Economics!

The Bible also recorded three separate Temples of Jerusalem --- the First Temple built by King Solomon (circa 957 BC), the Second Temple built after the return from exile (515 BC) and Herod's Temple in Jerusalem (26 AD). Herod's Temple was burnt down by the Roman army in 70 AD, as prophesized by Ezekiel (Ez 21:18-19). Interestingly, the destruction of Herod's Temple happened on the exact same day as the destruction of Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians 657 years earlier.

No matter how great King Herod excuted his masterplan for his city, his jealousy drove him in committing murder to any one threatening his reign. This included the murdering of innocent children in the quest to kill Jesus Christ, upon hearing that Jesus would "displace" him as the king of Judea. Tragically, King Herod died with depression and a slew of illnesses.

Perhaps the summary of Herod's life is mirrored in Proverbs 22:1-4, "A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life."