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Matthew 14:3

New International Version

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

For Meditation

Poor John the Baptist!

He gets under the skin of Herod and Herodias for speaking against their unlawful marital situation. The king throws John into jail, and Herodias asks for his head (35, 8). 

There is something about sin that never ceases to amaze me. It hardens the heart of the offender and turns them into an unrecognizable monster. They double down in denial, or they take the road of self-preservation with face-saving tactics. 

The offense must remain unknown, so they keep it at the moment’s darkness, where no one sees it. Yet, like the Ostrich with the head in the sand, the entire story has made rounds everywhere. The wicked thing is when a grievous follow-up convinces the offender they are safe and covered beyond discovery. No one will ever know it, they tell themselves.

But then comes the day of accountability, and somehow, God lifts the protective lid. One person described it this way: 

“The day I dreaded the most has cruelly dawned on me.”

Yes, no one saw the offender in the act, and she congratulated herself for her smartness. She had satisfied a momentary pleasure and rewarded the body for its aggressive and unrelenting push for satisfaction. However, there is One before whom darkness is as light.

“Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (Psalm 139:12).

David tried it once with Uriah’s beautiful wife, in the coolness of a spring day, when he should have been elsewhere with his warriors, including Uriah (2 Kings 11:1). The unexpected outcome unsettled him. His response?

“Bring Uriah home from the battlefield for a quick break. He cannot resist the silky body and seductive eyes of Bathsheba, his wife. He will then take responsibility for the pregnancy with joy, and you will escape the shame and blaming gossip of the people. “

Brilliant! However, sin is a deceiver and a mocker. It has no concern for future disgrace. It dwells and rules within the moment. 

Uriah was more disciplined than the king thought. He avoided the enticement of sensual pleasure, even with his wife. He should have been at the battlefront with his regiment, and no tempting revelry could cause him to betray his colleagues in the trenches in Rabbah, where Joab and Israel’s best had besieged the city.

When his attempt to get Uriah home to his wife failed, David went for the kill and stifled every sense of honor and restraint. He sent Uriah back to the battlefield with his death warrant in his hands (8-16). David takes Bathsheba in to be his wife, and everything gets settled – discreetly.

Bravo, David! But not so fast. 

God steps in. Nathan reprimands David, and thankfully, he repents, and God forgives him (12:13-14). The way of the righteous when they fall! The consciousness of sin breaks them, and they fall before God in repentance. 

Do not tell that to Herod and Herodias. They do not know this high road of God, filled with mercy and grace. Theirs is only high-power play and unrelenting satisfaction of the cravings of the flesh.

Angered by John’s rebuke, Herod throws him into prison, and Herodias gets his head taken off and sent to her on a platter (Matt. 14:3-11). When people harden their hearts, wisdom, and self-restraint lose their appeal.

Persecution was the reward of John for his righteous and faithful stance against a sinful act. A godly position like that has never received acclamation – only condemnation and suffering.

Thankfully, God knows and sees all things. He reveals everything and judges everyone according to their deeds. He will, therefore, deal with your situation with your oppressors in His time.

So, do not worry, child of God, when people persecute you for His sake. Take the road of righteousness and live. But the way of Herod, avoid by all means.