Don't Lose Your Head!

THE EXECUTION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING, TANTALIZING, AND SADISTIC PASSAGES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. ONE MIGHT EVEN QUESTION HOW THIS PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE COULD EVEN QUALIFY FOR A SUNDAY SERMON!

JUST THE MARRIAGE ALONE, JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS CORRECT IN REBUKING HEROD FOR TAKING HIS BROTHER’S WIFE. THE MARRIAGE WAS A BREAKING OF THE LAW. LEVITICUS 20:21, “IF A MAN MARRIES HIS BROTHER’S WIFE, IT IS AN ACT OF IMPURITY. HE HAS VIOLATED HIS BROTHER, AND THE GUILTY COUPLE WILL REMAIN CHILDLESS.”

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP WAS WRONG, LAWLESS AND DEFILED. HEROD FEARED JOHN AND WANTED TO PROTECT HIM AS HE WAS SEEN AS A RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY MAN. ALTHOUGH HEROD WAS PERPLEXED BY JOHN, HE ENJOYED LISTENING TO HIM SPEAK.

HOWEVER, IT WAS HERODIAS (HEH-RO-DEE-OSS) WHO THOUGHT OTHERWISE. SHE HATED JOHN AND NURSED HER GRUDGE AGAINST HIM TO THE POINT OF WANTING TO KILL HIM. SHE COULDN’T AS HEROD PROTECTED HIM WHICH MADE HER SEETHE ALL THE MORE.

HERODIAS WAS LOOKING FOR ANY POSSIBILITY TO SET JOHN UP FOR DEATH. I BELIEVE THE BIRTHDAY PARTY WAS A STRATEGIC BATTLE PLAN OF INTRICATE DETAILS TO FINALLY END JOHN’S LIFE.

THE DARKNESS OF THIS PLAN IS THAT HERODIAS IS WILLING TO USE HER DAUGHTER IN A DEPLORABLE AND LEWED FASHION. THE FACT THAT SHE IS WILLING TO USE THE HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS OF BOTH GOVERNMENT AND MILITARY AS PART OF THIS HOMICIDE IS TESTIMONY TO AN EVIL HEART.

HABAKKUK WARNED US IN 2:15, “WHAT SORROW AWAITS YOU WHO MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORS DRUNK! YOU FORCE YOUR CUP ON THEM SO YOU CAN GLOAT OVER THEIR SHAMEFUL NAKEDNESS.” SHAMELESS LEWD BEHAVIOR ALL SPAWNED BY INSATIABLE DRUNKENNESS EASILY EXECUTES HER PLAN AS WELL AS JOHN THE BAPTIST.

HEROD MAKES A HASTY DECISION WHILE INTOXICATED WITH NOT ONLY WINE, BUT THE LEWD AND SEXUALLY CHARGED DANCE OF HIS STEP-DAUGHTER SALOME. HIS FATAL MISTAKE WAS HIS RASH DECISION TO NOT ONLY GIVE HER ANYTHING EVEN UP TO HALF HIS KINGDOM, BUT THAT HE PROMISED IT AND SEALED IT WITH AN OATH.

HEROD, SWEARING BY AN OATH, SEALED JOHN’S FATE AND WAS A COSTLY MISTAKE. MATTHEW 5:34-37, “BUT NOW I TELL YOU: DO NOT USE ANY VOW WHEN YOU MAKE A PROMISE. DO NOT SWEAR BY HEAVEN, FOR IT IS GOD'S THRONE; NOR BY EARTH, FOR IT IS THE RESTING PLACE FOR HIS FEET; NOR BY JERUSALEM, FOR IT IS THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. DO NOT EVEN SWEAR BY YOUR HEAD, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT MAKE A SINGLE HAIR WHITE OR BLACK. JUST SAY ‘YES’ OR ‘NO’—ANYTHING ELSE YOU SAY COMES FROM THE EVIL ONE.”

SALOME ASKS FOR THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO BE GIVEN TO HER IMMEDIATELY. THE PRESSURE OF PUBLIC OPINON WAS MORE THAN HEROD COULD BEAR DUE TO THE OATHS HE HAD MADE IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS GUESTS. HE COULD NOT BREAK THIS OATH.

HEROD SENDS THE EXECUTIONER AND BECOMES DEEPLY GRIEVED BY THIS GHASTLY TRICK PLAYED UPON HIM BY BOTH HIS WIFE AND HER DAUGHTER.

CRUSHED WITH GRIEF, HEROD IS SOBERED BY HIS ARROGANCE AND TRAMPLED BY THE WEIGHT OF HIS PRIDE AND BIG MOUTH. HE HAD ACTED ON IMPULSE AND MADE RECKLESS PROMISES WITHOUT THOUGHT OR REASON. HE WAS TOO PRIDEFUL AND FEARED WHAT OTHERS MIGHT SAY OR THINK.

HE LACKED THE MORAL COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS OUT OF FEAR OF APPEARING WEAK. HE MADE PROMISES HE COULDN’T KEEP, BUT HAD TO MAKE. HE GOT PLAYED AND IT COST JOHN THE BAPTIST HIS LIFE AND HEROD WOULD SUFFER MENTALLY FOR THAT.

AND THERE IS OUR LESSON: DO NOT SUCCUMB TO THE TRICKS AND TEMPTATIONS OF THIS WORLD THAT SEEKS TO LURE YOU AWAY FROM GOD. SATAN IS SEEKING TO DEVOUR YOU AND DESTROY YOUR FAITH AND TRUST IN GOD. DON’T COMPROMISE. DON’T GIVE IN.

1 JOHN 2:15-17, “DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD OR ANYTHING THAT BELONGS TO THE WORLD. IF YOU LOVE THE WORLD, YOU DO NOT LOVE THE FATHER. EVERYTHING THAT BELONGS TO THE WORLD—WHAT THE SINFUL SELF DESIRES, WHAT PEOPLE SEE AND WANT, AND EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT PEOPLE ARE SO PROUD OF—NONE OF THIS COMES FROM THE FATHER; IT ALL COMES FROM THE WORLD. THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IN IT THAT PEOPLE DESIRE IS PASSING AWAY; BUT THOSE WHO DO THE WILL OF GOD LIVE FOREVER.”

HEROD WAS TRICKED AND DECEIVED BY SOMEONE HE ADMIRED. HE WAS SEDUCED BY A TEENAGER WHO EXPOSED AND DEMEANED HERSELF WITH A STYLE OF DANCE RESERVED ONLY FOR PROSTITUES. HE BECAME SO SELF-ABSORED THAT HE LOST HIS SENSE OF JUDGMENT AND MADE TOXIC DECISIONS THAT LEFT HIM IN BITTER ANGUISH.

WE MUST EMBRACE HOLINESS! PURSUING SANCTIFICATION WILL HELP US COMBAT BAD DECISIONS, COMPROMISING, AND ALLOWING THE WORLD’S STANDARDS TO LEAD US INTO QUESTIONING GOD’S FAITHFULNESS. HOW, THEN, DO WE KEEP FROM “LOSING OUR HEADS?” HOW DO WE STAND? TWO GREAT PLACES TO START: