The twelfth witness is Herod the Great. He is unlike the other righteous witnesses. He massacred priests, cause his brother to be drowned, strangulated his favorite wife, everyone who he became suspicious to him was murdered including three sons.

When the wise men from the east came to him seeking the King of the Jews and bearing testimony of Jesus, the rightful king of Israel Herod listened. First, because they had credentials being from the east that established them as men of great wisdom. Second, because they were seeking someone that would take his place as king and he couldn’t have that.

Herod had his scholars search for the scriptures that contained the ancient prophecy. They told him that the child was to be born in Bethlehem. He then invited the wise men to a private meeting and told him where he was to be born and invited them to find the child and let him know where he was so he could honor him too. However, he had no intention of honoring the child.

When the wise men did not return he responded with “exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem.”  (Matt. 2:16.) The glad tidings of heaven brought no joy to Satan, the prince of darkness nor any of his servants. It is fitting that Herod’s anger completes the nativity story.