In the Bible, there are several figures who are often considered antagonistic or portrayed negatively. One notable example is Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. Another is King Herod, known for ordering the massacre of infants in an attempt to eliminate the threat posed by the newborn Jesus.
1) Delilah:
Deceptive and cunning, Delilah tricked Samson into revealing the source of his strength. She then betrayed him into the hands of the Philistines, and walked away from the whole debacle rich with gold. (Read Judges 16)
2) Haman:
Haman conspired a plot to wipe out an entire nation, simply because Mordecai the Jew refused to bow to him. However, Queen Esther foiled his evil plan and Haman ended up on the gallows he’d designed for Mordecai. (Read Esther 3)
3) Jezebel:
You know you’re evil when you have a World War II missile named after you. Jezebel was a heathen princess who married Ahab, king of Northern Israel [plot twist: he turned out to be just as evil], and was heavily involved in idolatry and wicked schemes. (Read 1 Kings 18, 19, 21)
4) Abimelech:
This person really wanted to rule over the citizens of Shechem, but he had a slight problem in the form of his brothers—70 problems, actually. Taking matters into his hands, Abimelech slaughtered all 70 of his brothers and was promptly crowned king. (Read Judges 9:1-6)
5) Athaliah:
Proving that two wrongs don’t make a right, Athaliah was the daughter of the evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Ruthless and wicked, she destroyed the entire royal family of the house of Judah and forced herself onto the throne to rule for six years. Like mother, like daughter? (Read 2 Chronicle’s 22:10-12)
6) Cain:
The Bible’s first murderer, Cain wasn’t happy when God favoured his brother’s offering over his. Even after being rebuked by God, Cain let his jealousy take over, killed Abel and then lied to God about it. (Read Genesis 4:1-12)
7) King Herod:
Paranoid, cruel, and barbaric, this king was so jealous of Jesus’ birth that he ordered all babies under the age of two to be slaughtered. His name means “heroic”, though he was anything but. (Read Matthew 2:1-16)
8) Pharaoh of Egypt:
The Pharaoh who Moses confronted, probably Rameses II, had one of the hardest, most stubborn hearts in the Bible. He repeatedly challenged God’s authority and refused to release the Israelites from slavery. (Read Exodus 5-12)
9) Herodias:
Another mother-daughter tale with a tragic end. Herodias was the woman responsible for the death of John the Baptist, ruthlessly sacrificing her daughter’s modesty to plot the murder of the person she most hated. (Read Matthew 14:3-12)
10) Satan:
The true definition of a villain: Satan tried to capture the attention for himself, take over the world and circumvent the plans of the Hero. But when the Hero is Jesus, we definitely know this villain’s plans are all in vain. (Read revelation 12:7-9)
11. Nebuchadnezzar:
The Babylonian king associated with the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile of the Israelites.
Daniel 1:1-7 (Introduction of Daniel in Babylon) 2 Kings 24:10-17 (Events leading to the Babylonian exile).
12. Goliath: A giant warrior from the Philistines defeated by the young David in a famous biblical story. 1 Samuel 17:1-58 (David and Goliath).
Want to learn more see you next Sunday! Cheers!
