[the_Watchman]

Focus on the Family produced a very interesting archaeological film series on the holy land. It is called "That the World Should Know". One of the segments is about Edom.

The story shows the ruins of one of Herod's palaces which is in the same valley as Bethlehem. The palace was one of the five largest in the world at the time of the birth of Jesus and visible from Bethlehem. It was completely walled and built on the top of a hill. It was several stories high with living quarters for Herod's family on the top floor and quarters for troops in the walls. Jesus was born literally "In the Shadow of Herod", the name of the program.

Now Herod was an Admen or Edomite. His family had built a series of palaces a day's march apart from Jerusalem down to Edom in the south. These palaces served as forts which gave him an escape route back to his family.

When Esau and Jacob were born, the promise of the Old Testament was that "the older would serve the younger".

So now picture the traditional manger scene: The shepherds approach the baby Jesus, the son of Jacob, while they can see the literal might of Herod, the descendant of Esau, in the distance. What irony! What faith! What hope!

How many times and in how many ways do we decide that "Herod" is in charge today?

[Rocket1968]

"And because everything that takes place in the Middle East inevitably is political, the minimalist argument is seen as weakening modern Israel's claim to Palestine."

This really blows a hole in the minimalist argument. What will the Palestinians do now? Oh, right keep right on killing Jews.

[Antoninus II]

Would you be refering to his palace at Masada? If so, I've been there. It's breathtaking.