Day 34

Meanwhile, as the disciples wander the countryside having the adventure of a lifetime, something exciting is happening in Israel. It was the birthday of King Herod, and he was throwing a party for himself that would last for days, if not weeks. At this party, something would happen that would launch the movement to a new level at a deep personal cost to Jesus. So read this sad story very carefully.

Read Matthew 14:1-14; Mark 6:14-34; Luke 9:7-11

What do these passages tell us about Herod?

What is Herod thinking? Feeling? What does he end up doing?

How does Jesus respond to the death of his best friend? (Matthew 14:13)

What emotions must Jesus be experiencing?

When we last saw John the Baptist, he was sitting on a cold prison floor, awaiting his fate and receiving the hidden message from Jesus in response to his doubts. This account reveals why John was in prison (Mark 6:17-18). John had publicly spoken out against King Herod for taking and marrying his brother Philip's wife while Philip was still alive. For this, he was thrown in prison but not killed. Herod knew that John was sent from God and was a true prophet. Because of this, he was deathly afraid of John. Mark also notes that Hero liked listening to John (Mark 6:20).

King Herod threw a banquet and invited all the military commanders and upper-class people of Galilee to his palace. They all arrived and were enjoying the party when his brother's daughter danced before him. He opened his big mouth in front of all these important people and made a stupid promise. He tells this girl that she can have whatever she wants. Not knowing what to choose, she runs over to her mom and asks the wicked woman what she should ask for. Her mother seizes the opportunity to take her vengeance on John and tells her to return and ask for the head of John on a platter. Can you imagine what type of woman would do such a thing? One angry woman requests that her daughter asks for a man's head. Of course, consider the scene. A young, probably teenage girl is performing an exotic dance for Herod and his friends.
 
As a side note, the decadence we see today is nothing "new," just renewed. Evil cultures throughout history have sexualized children. I'm not excusing it- just pointing out the biblical principle that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecc 1:9). So when you see children sexualized by the culture, be horrified, but realize that this is nothing new. The Church of Jesus must work hard as advocates for children damaged by our culture. We must build a new culture!

More on that later... until then, back to our account...

 Herod, stuck between a rock and a hard place, gives in because of his pride, so he sends for John to be beheaded in prison and the head to be returned before the party ends. John is now dead. His disciples gathered, took his headless body, and laid it in a tomb. Then ran to Jesus to report what had happened.

As they make their way to Jesus, the word is also making its way to Herod that something strange is happening all over Israel. People are being healed, the gospel is preached, and people are freed from demonic oppression. Herod is stunned and thinks that John has risen from the dead– His worst nightmare. But, in reality, God was at work through the twelve apostles.

We learn from Matthew that as the twelve head out for their mission adventure, Jesus departed from where he had sent them out and was preaching from city to city (Matt.11:1). What was Jesus doing? I think He was busy training the next set of leaders who were waiting in the wings. They are the seventy who will be sent out in a short time as Jesus works to expand the movement.

The disciples return from their mission trip, full of stories of the Father's provision for them each step of the way (Luke 9:10). I imagine there were stories of success, funny things that happened, supernatural God-sightings, and the persecution they encountered along the way. They may have been driven out of some cities and stoned as they brought the message of salvation to their people of Israel. As they share God-sightings all night long, John's disciples arrive with the news of John's cruel death (Matt. 14:12). Upon hearing the news, Jesus is grief-stricken and gets in a boat all by himself to withdraw from the crowds to be alone (Matthew 14:13). His disciples watch and wonder what Jesus will do, Since they remember that this is the guy they had recently seen command the storm and it listened(Luke 8:22-25), raise people from the dead (Luke 7:11-17), and display incredible powers. He is the same man who had been teaching about forgiveness, teaching them to love their enemies by forgiving them. What will he do? The answer comes in tomorrow's reading!

What about you?
I hate to put you on the spot (okay, not really... I like it), but consider the boldness of John the B. In a perverse culture, he knew speaking out would come with consequences. Are you willing to pay the consequences as John was? Consider what it might mean today.

It could be as simple as not being able to watch certain shows because of the subject matter.

As a parent, am I exposing my children to terrible things? Parents- if you have a child on Instagram and Tic Tok- how are you protecting them from the blatant sexualization of our culture? Are you willing to make the sacrifices necessary to protect your children? Are you ready to make a stand for the right things?

In a world that declares the teachings of the Bible "hate speech," are you willing to pay the price?