The 'Serpent' in the Eden Story of Genesis Represents All 'False' Gods

Originally posted by jmdewey60
I just concluded that the 'serpent' in the Eden story of Genesis represents all 'false' gods.
"False" in having no proper support as being an authority.
"True" being a term properly (according to the priests of that particular god, who were writing it) applied to the Yahweh character based on his making the garden.
Making the garden then (according to this priestly philosophy) gives the maker, Yahweh, the right to be the supreme authority within its boundaries.
The serpent, like the tree of knowledge, are things that are just there, not being made by that particular deity, Yahweh, but by the shadowy entities, the Elohim.
The collective of the residual spiritual entities of the world itself is represented by the person of the serpentine, clever, and articulate master of nonauthoritative rhetoric.
They have no authority because they didn't really make anything, but are somehow residents of the earth, and are integral with it, so can never be just removed, but have to be crushed down to their proper status, which is not the lofty and heavenly status of Yahweh.

I am liking the way you are going...it is getting more and more the consistency of condensed milk (of words, if you like!)...
I am sure, you are/have been examining the central (and by this, I mean, those that are applicable in all cosmology stories) themes present...

For me (in the reading of, only) the central themes read like a Dallas script. I am aware that it isn't a Lynchian treatment (a la Twin Peaks - or, Lucasian, a la Star Wars)...all accounts are very much in sequence...(cut aways inclusive)...

We have a God Corporation (apologies to blaspheme spotters), story begins with the 'creation ' of the 'earth company' (humility prevents me from assuming we could, should or are the only part of creation, in totality)...
The structure of the company is hinted at in this story and others...there are managerial staff - vested with the responsibility to carry out the mission statement - (that once favorite Louie Cipher goes 'off message')...the 'breakaway' group gathers complicity along the way (lower middle management fascilitators - angels divided by 3)...The CEO of the corporation is more confident that the message will return to align - and if not, higher officials will/and were sent...'get behind me satan'...you are ranked waaay below me, and have no chance of ever usurping the mission statement...
...Paradise Son is sent to set the statement back on track...

'False', refers to those who usurped the mission statement through a process brought about through the FREE WILL mandate...ministrated (with the help of outside company officials [I'm not going in to this])...a version of the mission statement that does not fulfill the brief set down by the CEO of the corporation...the 'sin' (such a paltry, and fascile expression) was NOT recognising the CEO as supreme, instead installing themselves as the 'false gods'...(and to the primitive population, they would have seemed like gods!)...think cargo cults...'I am the Alpha and the Omega'...this is a blindingly powerful statement!

A99

reply to post by akushla99

. . . with the help of outside company officials . . .

Are you talking geographically outside?
You already said that you don't want to get into that, so you don't have to answer.
My point is about a pre-existing sort of world that had inhabitants but not human, that were driven underground by entities who came from somewhere else (the gods), doing whatever they had to do to make it livable for humans to live there, then placing them there.
I'm not saying that I necessarily believe that myself, but that would have been the generally held view of the world that the first chapters of Genesis would have been written in.
The fear of the clergy class was that those suppressed pre-god entities could somehow gain power and reverse the work of the gods, if the humans were foolish enough to believe in them. This sort of worse-case-scenario would justify (in their own minds) the enforcement of a central, well managed and open worship system, that would eliminate the possibility of any secret goings on with nature spirits, to put a term to it that the potential worshippers may apply to them.

It would be cool to catch a snake that embodied all the false religions and crunch his head. I think it would be a stub tailed water moccasSIN. I bet all hell would break loose then.

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by akushla99

 

. . . with the help of outside company officials . . .

Are you talking geographically outside?
You already said that you don't want to get into that, so you don't have to answer.
My point is about a pre-existing sort of world that had inhabitants but not human, that were driven underground by entities who came from somewhere else (the gods), doing whatever they had to do to make it livable for humans to live there, then placing them there.
I'm not saying that I necessarily believe that myself, but that would have been the generally held view of the world that the first chapters of Genesis would have been written in.
The fear of the clergy class was that those suppressed pre-god entities could somehow gain power and reverse the work of the gods, if the humans were foolish enough to believe in them. This sort of worse-case-scenario would justify (in their own minds) the enforcement of a central, well managed and open worship system, that would eliminate the possibility of any secret goings on with nature spirits, to put a term to it that the potential worshippers may apply to them.

edit on 26-4-2013 by jmdewey60 because: (no reason given)

"Outside company officials"...

...off dimension...
...remember, (as the stories go) the administration of the local universes (of which we are a part) were divided by purpose, and later, communications with 'head office'...this gave them the tacit ability/self approval to take the 'mission statement' into a slightly different direction (results of which we experience now)...most mandates are still in place (some of these, including the ability to rebel...FREE WILL)...

The war in heaven, was really a war of words...minion factory workers, undeveloped 'vehicles' never have any idea what upper management are talking about - can look like war...stories become more fanciful...Louie Cipher is blended into satan and devil...yada, yada, yada...

The administration is waaay vast...all's running on percentages (teeter-totter style) across non-time...
The only 'annihilation' that happens, is annihilation of personality module...effectively removing FREE WILL, to perform by rote...this is outside the influence of any echelon of the administration, in any spheres...conferred by Source Creator and cannot be removed, curtailed, altered, amended (except by Source Creator)...but can be influenced!...'Here, eat this apple Eve'...

A99

reply to post by jmdewey60


Note: Now, as 'then', circuitry necessarily 'engaged' is required to percieve...the interpretation of which is another matter...some see angels, some demons...some niether...some people do not see the colour red...

A99

Originally posted by deadeyedick
It would be cool to catch a snake that embodied all the false religions and crunch his head. I think it would be a stub tailed water moccasSIN. I bet all hell would break loose then.

No, you wouldnt kill this snake. This was the Maya equivilent to Tesla. The Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. The gift it gave was the pattern in the scales. Geometry pure and simple representing building, creation and re-birth (shedding of skin). They had the knoweledge, the snakes back scale pattern tipified it.

reply to post by akushla99

. . . required to perceive...the interpretation of which is another matter...

I'm working on perceiving probably something different than you are.
That would be the beliefs, motives, and message of the writers of the Eden story, who I see as people with a vested interest in supporting the government and its official religion.
I imagine that you are perceiving a power struggle where we are like pawns in a sort of great cosmic chess game.
I think that the ancients, three and four thousand years ago saw things in that same sort of way, that we today would see as natural events explainable by science.

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by akushla99

 

. . . required to perceive...the interpretation of which is another matter...

I'm working on perceiving probably something different than you are.
That would be the beliefs, motives, and message of the writers of the Eden story, who I see as people with a vested interest in supporting the government and its official religion.
I imagine that you are perceiving a power struggle where we are like pawns in a sort of great cosmic chess game.
I think that the ancients, three and four thousand years ago saw things in that same sort of way, that we today would see as natural events explainable by science.

edit on 27-4-2013 by jmdewey60 because: (no reason given)

"Note: Now, as 'then', circuitry necessarily 'engaged' is required to percieve...the interpretation of which is another matter...some see angels, some demons...some niether...some people do not see the colour red..."

I knoe you misunderstood what I wrote...

The Eden story (versions of which have very common denominators in many cosmologies) describes a material, less than material and wholly unmaterial goings-on...
I knoe we are not pawns in some great cosmic 'chess game'...evolution happens on subtler and subtler levels...but then, as now...and we are all imbued with the same circuitry...a circuitry which needs to be 'engaged' to operate...all motor vehicles have multiple gears, but if a driver does not reach a speed commensurate with the next gears' engagement (and engages)...the full potential of the vehicles' use does not happen...
Then, as now...some were/are able to percieve the subtler and subtler personages (and depending on an interpretation, based on cultural and religious factors) see either demons or angels...that is the nature of the ability to create through free will...and can create a vaccuum!

The beliefs, motives and messages of the Eden story writers appear, as you say, vesting interest in 'of the day' affairs...but, that story was lifted...and appears in many cosmologies (altered, and I agree, to reflect a vesting of interest)...vested interests aside, we are left with a 'Dallas' script that has common, shared themes...

I was piqued by the OP, in that, it addresses two points at once...the serpent theme (embodiment of a decieving principle...i.e. false god/s)...connected to the theme of 'false gods' (as opposed to true gods)...

The 'script treatment' is relevant (since it does lead to conclusions that could be erroneous...measure twice, cut once type of deal...or, the butterfly effect on a very simple series of events)...effects brought about through erroneous interpretation, ladled onto erroneous interpretation...whoever does this (and for whatever reason) is moot...I think you will agree that not all christians (followers of Christ) interpret what they read the same way either...if the story does not gel, there will be parts that do not make sense...but the Genesis version is quite close to all others (even the scientific version!)...as above, so below...material 'stuff' is made through the auspices of thought first (because spontaneity, once recognised, loses its nature of spontaneity)...so thought first, then the word (divided from deed by a step to action)...the serpent motif (embodiment of false god/s) cannot commit an action to tempt...instead utilising the free will mandate against itself (nuetral really) to convince (through influence) to accept the notion of 'true God' to not be supreme (or exist at all)...the 'marooned' middle and upper management were putting thier waylaid 'mission statement' into effect...talking snakes in trees is the archetpye symbol that it was turned into...

A99

reply to post by akushla99

The Eden story (versions of which have very common denominators in many cosmologies) describes a material, less than material and wholly unmaterial goings-on...

Maybe.
The attitude in my church is extremely literal, as if this was a highly detailed and accurate eyewitness account as it happened.
I recently "woke up" to the reality that the story was written by people who had no more knowledge of what happened with the first people than anyone who could listen to local folklore. Plus they were people who were motivated to write it in a particular way to meet their needs of supporting the religious institution of its day.
It isn't because of a lack of study that I believed the way I did, in fact I have a whole collection of commentaries on Genesis that I have studied. I basically pooh-poohed the critical remarks in those books as a "liberal" bias.
The most substantial thing that I learned about the Genesis version is that the location of the Garden matches up with how it is located by Canaanite mythology. Another thing that I learned from books on Early Hebrew religion is that the Hebrews were basically Canaanites, and indistinguishable from them, with the term Hebrew being a description of the Canaanites who left that area and traveled to neighboring countries in order to do trade.
The entire account of Hebrews and Israelites being distinct people can be called into question and turned into an internal struggle for political dominance in the region that was tied to a particular religious belief system that won out by the time that the Assyrian Empire took notice of them and began to eye the territory for annexation into it.

reply to post by jmdewey60

"The Eden story (versions of which have very common denominators in many cosmologies) describes a material, less than material and wholly unmaterial goings-on... Maybe. The attitude in my church is extremely literal, as if this was a highly detailed and accurate eyewitness account as it happened. I recently "woke up" to the reality that the story was written by people who had no more knowledge of what happened with the first people than anyone who could listen to local folklore. Plus they were people who were motivated to write it in a particular way to meet their needs of supporting the religious institution of its day. It isn't because of a lack of study that I believed the way I did, in fact I have a whole collection of commentaries on Genesis that I have studied. I basically pooh-poohed the critical remarks in those books as a "liberal" bias. The most substantial thing that I learned about the Genesis version is that the location of the Garden matches up with how it is located by Canaanite mythology. Another thing that I learned from books on Early Hebrew religion is that the Hebrews were basically Canaanites, and indistinguishable from them, with the term Hebrew being a description of the Canaanites who left that area and traveled to neighboring countries in order to do trade." Quote jmdewey60

I have no problem with literal...'eyewitness' suggests on-the-spot...and to this end, is debatable (till cows come home)...'folklore'...I feel, a better approximation in terms...having said that, I am sure the accounts are recorded (and subsequently edited etc...)...and reflect, not only, different voices, but different agendas on top of different treatments...true eyewitness accounts can themselves be colored by many, many factors - to the point where, the same series of events take on slant or bias, in which salient points of reference can be isolated...

Yes, and I agree...the location of (one of the Edens - the main camp) does match up...this kind of detail is harder to blur and fudge...especially when set against the 'ology' disciplines that deal directly with it...explosions of burgeoning populations in a confined space leads to trade (and comingling with outside populations)...some of these outside populations (in the very earliest times) were not influenced that much by direct instruction from the new fake gods (remained in status quo evolutionary processes overseen [invisibly] by true God emissaries)...that kind of evolution takes time (for the modules of spiritual development - some of the last modules to develop [engage])...

I think it would be a mistake to not take into account the compression of time in most of these stories...how much longer would the stories have been if they were 'faithful, unbiased, blow-by-blow' accounts of a true historical record?!...probably far too long for anyone to care for - so they were precis'd to be more palatable...

Cheers

A99

Originally posted by akushla99
"Outside company officials"...
...off dimension...
...remember, (as the stories go) the administration of the local universes (of which we are a part) were divided by purpose, and later, communications with 'head office'...this gave them the tacit ability/self approval to take the 'mission statement' into a slightly different direction (results of which we experience now)...most mandates are still in place (some of these, including the ability to rebel...FREE WILL)...

The war in heaven, was really a war of words...minion factory workers, undeveloped 'vehicles' never have any idea what upper management are talking about - can look like war...stories become more fanciful...Louie Cipher is blended into satan and devil...yada, yada, yada...

The administration is waaay vast...all's running on percentages (teeter-totter style) across non-time...
The only 'annihilation' that happens, is annihilation of personality module...effectively removing FREE WILL, to perform by rote...this is outside the influence of any echelon of the administration, in any spheres...conferred by Source Creator and cannot be removed, curtailed, altered, amended (except by Source Creator)...but can be influenced!...'Here, eat this apple Eve'...

Free will was not only given to the human as a GIFT ; it had a source, as you call it Louis-Cypher, an Angel or more properly called an "ANGLE" or ARCHANGLE. Because it took it upon itself to stretch the imagination or/of potencial of the human without divulging its plan, (no meeting in the conference room) it was ostrasized; but here we have it. If anyone thinks that our Source creator the manager of this Universe and of all demi-Gods under its direction is incapable of corruption you would be wrong. The jealousies, the wars amongst these underlings are recorded in human history. Louis was demonized, when all it wanted to do was uplift the human from being LIVESTOCK (which is what they were); so of course no 6 month reviews for raises, no back slaps 'good job' allocades. The particular administration of this small franchise (earth), was so mismanaged its Overlord was fired. Who is in charge now, why its own creator, so Source Creator CAN and WAS removed and escorted out just like anyone else that grieviously broke the rules, stole from the Corporation. A drunken Manager corrupt and unable to do its job. How? look at its job record and the condition it put the human in; one that even the greatest minds that ever lived could solve. Was Louis part of ORIGINS plan as plant/infiltrator; the IRS sneaking in to truly observe where the money was going, the graft, who paid for the out of town trips to Atlanta to visit Gentlemens Clubs? If the Demi-Gods would have kept their hands off of the human women......

Originally posted by Misbah
Really? That's your greatest concern? Who the serpent is in the story of Genesis? For God's sake.
Everyone is telling you that it's Satan, because Satan is a Jinn (demon or spirit) and he's made of fire, and Allah gave the spirits the ability to transform into other beings. They are often black dogs, snakes and they can even appear in the shape of human beings.

It's nothing unusual that Satan appears in the form of a snake, just like a serpent, Satan whispers in the ears of men to do evil.

I really think you should go on, It's not important if the serpent was a "fake" god or if he was Satan. Because it's suppose to represent bad.

Actually, I find it highly unusual that Satan or any other angel can appear in any form they wish including a snake as neither the Bible nor any extra Biblical text even so much as implies that they can. Angels can shape shift, but as far as I can tell they can only shape shift in the form of a human, as they often appeared to people throughout the Bible, the Lord included, even in the days of Noah. They either appeared in human form or in their original form, which would quite frankly terrify you. The reason why Adam & Eve didn't at all think it was bizarre that a snake was talking to them in the garden was simply because it wasn't an actual snake at all, but an angelic being identified in later scripture as Satan who had a serpentine appearance, when taking the term "serpent" as an adjective and not a noun. This makes since when taking the text from a rational standpoint.

The Nachash and His Seed: Some Explanatory Notes on Why the “Serpent” in Genesis 3 Wasn’t a Serpent

www.michaelsheiser.com...

Anunnaki, Watchers, Serpentine Beings & The Netherworld in Ancient Texts:

reply to post by vethumanbeing

Free will was not only given to the human as a GIFT ; it had a source, as you call it Louis-Cypher, an Angel or more properly called an "ANGLE" or ARCHANGLE. Because it took it upon itself to stretch the imagination or/of potencial of the human without divulging its plan, (no meeting in the conference room) it was ostrasized; but here we have it. If anyone thinks that our Source creator the manager of this Universe and of all demi-Gods under its direction is incapable of corruption you would be wrong. The jealousies, the wars amongst these underlings are recorded in human history. Louis was demonized, when all it wanted to do was uplift the human from being LIVESTOCK (which is what they were); so of course no 6 month reviews for raises, no back slaps 'good job' allocades. The particular administration of this small franchise (earth), was so mismanaged its Overlord was fired. Who is in charge now, why its own creator, so Source Creator CAN and WAS removed and escorted out just like anyone else that grieviously broke the rules, stole from the Corporation. A drunken Manager corrupt and unable to do its job. How? look at its job record and the condition it put the human in; one that even the greatest minds that ever lived could solve. Was Louis part of ORIGINS plan as plant/infiltrator; the IRS sneaking in to truly observe where the money was going, the graft, who paid for the out of town trips to Atlanta to visit Gentlemens Clubs? If the Demi-Gods would have kept their hands off of the human women......

Louie Cipher did not confer the mandate...indeed, L.C. was beholden to it (as were/are all manifestations of consciousness emanating from Source - as aspects of itself in splintered form) 1/3 of angelic hosts (so that part of the story goes)...all beholden to the mandate. It is a double edged sword - contains the ingredients to make mud cake (as in loam) or black forest...
Source Creator (as in emanating principle from which all emanates) eventually (remembering time is of no issue) had emanations evoluted enough to stand closer in understanding, were moted by that evolutionary process, become ranks of the administering/recording/adjusting managerial staff (upper, middle and lower) to oversee creation universes - real estate not yet developed, life emanation not yet seeded and/or approved for install...

It was the ranks of these (one of them, the favorite Louie Cipher) who influenced all others (via a process of rebellious god-complex syndrome) to elicit incommunicado mode - that mode only strengthened the syndrome to render it a self-fulfilling prophecy (of sorts)...the stretching of the potential/imagination would have happened anyway - but not in the direction that it went...

Enter Paradise Son (get behind me, Louie, satan, devil) 'I am ranked waaay higher' - you have no authority, except through the auspices of free will influence...God/man was beholden to local conditions (this was part of the 'accepted' incarnation deal that was taken - think 'Undercover Boss')...suffice to say, J.C. made it through with flying colors...there's no challenge from any quarter, save the developmental challenges of the free will mandate (in this section specifically)...challenges now relate to uplift through 'business as usual' promotions at 'tax time' (inbreath-outbreath gateways)...

Phantasmagorical devil worship, fundie (of any flavour) fire & brimstone, eternity in hell horror movies - only exist as the process of free will...THIS is THE central issue...free will - as it is (and always has been) the mechanism that drives the evolution forward, or, renders the experience ground-hog day style...

Cheers

A99

reply to post by akushla99


Cont'd...

...with successive generations upon generations recycling the 'end of world - repent now' mantra, trying to back engineer a waking dream as revelation of events removed by time...when really - if taken as revelation should be taken as removed OF time, describing an event on more unit-individual levels that are pertinent at all times (time also being another 'kicker')...

Genesis, however (and the themes presented), rehashed story that it is, can best be understood by removing the references to paperfolded horror movie cast members, and replacing them with Person A said to Person B...and there were Persons C...yada, yada, yada...and in this way can be rendered many different ways, using the same loose timeline of events - considering its borrowed heritage...that kind of pared-down version can have any number of sidewinding embellishments added to it, and still make it sound vaguely consistent...consistency being dependant on added sub-themes, added character dynamics that support the main theme...this is what is apparent in this Genesis story and the ones it was borrowed from...There are six/seven Star Wars movies (and I am not a Star Wars officionado) but, there presumably was much opportunity to deepen, embellish, add, details to an original one to make the newer ones the blockbusters we see...it is the reason for editing in this way...so the capital B bible Genesis (embellished as it already is) sets the scene (stage) for the rest of the story...last chapter...the destruction of the whole lot...series offshoot fully expected!

A99

reply to post by akushla99


L.C. had the mandate alight. It already had the end game plan and just like our faavoorite savior was going to pay for bending the rules (source entity did not put him up to this), Origin did as double secret agent. You realize our society mimicks everything that happens in the higher dimensions/realms because they are our template for behavior. I think any direction the imagination that took the human us out of our slavery to a hateful God would be a better one, even if it meant another YHWH Flood or volcanic/plague/starvation tactic (worst Godform ever). The paradise Son was the answer to the double agent, look here you, we are now inserting something potencially to make a paradym change, just as powerful; -problem- fear always triumphs odd parables love and or a static false sense of well being (this time in history it was enough to feed your family). Instituting Self Will was a well planned stratiegic move in outsmarting the true evil existing. The one (fear) can kill you, the other (afterlife eternal) just promises another meaningless future furry life after untimely death: hamstercage spin, and the fear returns as it in encoded in the DNA as a survival mode. Here is the irony, God ruled through fear anyway, take it up a notch and blame 'satan' for all evil instead. L.C. IS NOT SATAN. Tax time again. This would be the groundhog day experience you cite.. Satan (misnomer) exists many belief systems, Jesus does not (who is the stronger force)--I tell you the genious of this long con play action cannot be bettered . L.C. was the good guy and yet look how fear of it has been portrayed? That should be the first clue into the false propaganda regarding its understanding. Do you see how the scambling went, insert JC condem the FREEWILL aspect of the serpents message and blame it all on some fairytail "satan". One Thousand and One Nights.

Originally posted by akushla99
reply to post by akushla99

 

Cont'd...

...with successive generations upon generations recycling the 'end of world - repent now' mantra, trying to back engineer a waking dream as revelation of events removed by time...when really - if taken as revelation should be taken as removed OF time, describing an event on more unit-individual levels that are pertinent at all times (time also being another 'kicker')...

Genesis, however (and the themes presented), rehashed story that it is, can best be understood by removing the references to paperfolded horror movie cast members, and replacing them with Person A said to Person B...and there were Persons C...yada, yada, yada...and in this way can be rendered many different ways, using the same loose timeline of events - considering its borrowed heritage...that kind of pared-down version can have any number of sidewinding embellishments added to it, and still make it sound vaguely consistent...consistency being dependant on added sub-themes, added character dynamics that support the main theme...this is what is apparent in this Genesis story and the ones it was borrowed from...There are six/seven Star Wars movies (and I am not a Star Wars officionado) but, there presumably was much opportunity to deepen, embellish, add, details to an original one to make the newer ones the blockbusters we see...it is the reason for editing in this way...so the capital B bible Genesis (embellished as it already is) sets the scene (stage) for the rest of the story...last chapter...the destruction of the whole lot...series offshoot fully expected!

Genesis is supposed to be the Royal Flush in decifering the best of the best religious experiments. Who said so and why? Moses. I am still trying to understand how the Judaic melded with the Christian New Testament of Jesus. No one has adequately explained to me why those that denighed the supposed savior of our world (messiah), and proclaim themselves the "chosen" to the WORLD . Why were they the chosen disregarding every other religion, those even older? The Kurds are the original Sumerians (only the birthplace of mankind 6000 years ago). THERE IS A HUGE FLAW HERE in this thinking. How can one be more valid than another? Different God aspect? Gilgamesh, there are so many correlating genesis stories existing as you say, borrowed to suite a gameplan, or maybe one that might have worked in some century in South America/ Meso? Who is in charge of the information distribution center, too many old stories recycled: resonate the same swallowed lies; we live in the information age, the technologic age, best thinkers on earth ever and the ancients (thankyou Copernicus, Pithagorus, Socrates) and we still cannot figure out where we came from (ITS RIDICULOUS). I think I will now re-invent the Twinkie and Duct Tape. Someone must be laughing somewhere "Look; no matter how we change the same story throughout history they still swallow the time and false).

reply to post by vethumanbeing

THERE IS A HUGE FLAW HERE in this thinking. How can one be more valid than another? Different God aspect?

Do some research, if you want to know, on Herod the Great.
This guy got control of the Balsam trade, a substance worth its weight in gold in the ancient Roman world.
He made deals with the Romans who made him the King of the Jews.
This goes back to his father, who was the the Judean military general who made alliances with the Roman generals.
Herod was personal friends with, and financial backer to, the Roman Emperors, having gotten his education as a child and young man in Rome.

Originally posted by jmdewey60
reply to post by vethumanbeing

 

THERE IS A HUGE FLAW HERE in this thinking. How can one be more valid than another? Different God aspect?

Do some research, if you want to know, on Herod the Great.
This guy got control of the Balsam trade, a substance worth its weight in gold in the ancient Roman world.
He made deals with the Romans who made him the King of the Jews.
This goes back to his father, who was the the Judean military general who made alliances with the Roman generals.
Herod was personal friends with, and financial backer to, the Roman Emperors, having gotten his education as a child and young man in Rome.

.

Well I suppose we solved that conundrum. Herod was in the pockets of the Romans, to save his skin or (more likely PROFIT)--no pun intended from them. I have a very difficult time trying to wander about Herods BRAIN. He was a politician, he cowtowed to Imperial Roman Paganism (they had a standing army). He was maluable, powerful. Joseph of Armeathiea was just as powerful, as a tin trader from the British Isles; difference Joseph was not his Godfather he was Jesus's. Herod as a politician would have landed himself in the Saducce weathy lap class, those in power not (really) religious unless money and power is your God (it was). Jesus, was educated in Egypt as a boy (religious formalities only). Herod would have (having a port-of-call ON THE MEDITERANIAN SEA) would naturally be in understanding of TRADE, ships trade routes. What is your point, that Herod was a shrewd businessman, that he had problems understanding the undercurrent religious rebellion at his doorstep? As a Jew, you would think this would be something of interest IF HE WENT TO SYNAGOGE and his advisors addressed the question "Sire, there are rebels at work, undermining your idea of MONEY WEALTH and Roman Occupancy. He basically left it to Pilot to solve; Pilot washed his hands of this mess because Herod refused to engage, Salome at least had some courage/madness (to be so outragious) is more famous than her husband. Herod took this beheading of John as a salutation to an insane person he was sleeping with. The entire story is corrupt and unbelievable, as to "how could God let this happen".

reply to post by vethumanbeing
You need to do more work on your history.
I'm talking about Herod the Great, who in the Gospels was the guy who died when Jesus was in Egypt.
When Herod died, Jesus was able to safely return.
The other "Herods" that come up in the story during Jesus' ministry were his children.
You are missing my earlier point.
Herod actually financed the war of his friend, Mark Antony, you know the guy in the Antony and Cleopatra story, who was fighting to get supremacy of the Empire.
After Antony lost the war, Herod backed Antony's previous opponent, Augustus.