| Lesson 40: The Law Of The Old That Is Covered In The New Testament: The Beheading By Promise 3/3/2014 by turtle Matthew 14:1-12 KJV (1) At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, (2) And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. (3) For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife. (4) For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. (5) And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. (6) But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. (7) Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. (8) And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. (9) And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. (10) And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. (11) And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. (12) And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. I think one of the hardest things in life is to hear of unjust death, what makes it worse if it was by the government. No government is perfect, each and every government has a set of rules. One might agree with their government or another government authority, but if one lives in a land or visits one must conform to these rules. To be non conformist one breaks the law. John preached separately from Christ. He did not follow after Christ knowing Jesus was the Messiah. He did not stop the baptisms he performed or his preaching. I never asked the question why because perhaps the real reason is the hardness of heart of the Jewish people of who Christ was, though some believed. Jesus had the power to save an earthly cousin from death. He could of broke him out of jail like God did Peter and Silas, reattached John’s head, and yet he allowed this beheading no doubt it knowing it would take place. We must remember Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead before he was ever told and resurrected him for days later. So why not did Christ not interfere in John’s story. It perhaps was time for John to finish decreasing. John had said he had to decrease and Jesus had to increase. The promise the king made to his niece he was bound to keep. Did he want to no of course not. But John had spoken of his relationship with his brother’s wife whether it was lawful or not to be with her. What was Roman law at that time? There had to be a line drawn somewhere in sexual relationships even to the king. John just asked a question, a question that would get him beheaded. The king on his birthday promised to give his niece whatever she asked after she danced for him. She went and asked her mother what she should ask for and she said John the Baptist head. King then gave the niece what she asked for but he regretted it. Oath to king to a person is important. If one breaks their promise then their word because no good. This occurred today as well as well as in society. To make oath and not keep it especially publicly is dangerous. People are watching and people are looking for one to make a mistake. God desires us to keep our promises and our word, if it does not bring harm to others. Jesus made no comment on what happened in his day. Yet it hard for us not to speak out when something wrong happens in our society in America. Why because it not the way of our society. Jesus followed the traditions of society He lived in. Followed in obedience to their laws. Was He a subject to their laws, no, but He obeyed them. He was obedient to God. The submission to kings given back when King Saul was chosen and anointed and God warned sooner or later they have kings that were not necessarily godly people or believed in the ways His law. Sometimes we have to grin and bear based on the law. Dear Heavenly Father help us to be in submission to your word like Christ was, even to the point of obeying the law of the land, despite His ability to stop it. In Jesus precious name, Amen. http://www.turtle30cshell.com _ |
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