Mark 6:14-29 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Jesus said of John: among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist. (Matthew 11:11) We know Jesus sorrowed over John's unjust execution. Jesus and John were undoubtedly close friends all their lives because of Mary and Elizabeth's close relationship. Yet, we see the greatest among men and most loved by Jesus, dying at the hands of sinful men because a cruel and vindictive woman asks for his head. Was John's death a surprise to Jesus? Probably, for we see no indication in the scriptures that Jesus was prepared for John's sudden demise. Yes, Jesus was God, but He was walking as a man, led by the Spirit to minister to people. He was doing the work of God, and his divine clairvoyance came within the domain of his ministry such as directing his disciples to a man who would give Jesus a young donkey to ride into Jerusalem. We know Jesus loved John, yet John died unexpectedly so King Herod could keep a promise and not lose face. While John was alive, he fulfilled the mission for which God had prepared him. He completed the work that God had ordained for him to do. Yes, we see wickedness in the form of Herodias seemingly win a battle over righteousness, but wickedness is never truly successful over God's righteous, eternal plans. God always wins in the end: eternal victories are his alone. Because of John preparing the way for the Spirit to inhabit Jesus completely by baptizing Jesus, we have seen millions entering into the kingdom of God through Christ's miraculous works on Earth and through his death, burial and resurrection. John explained it first when he said: There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. (John 1:6-9)
Are you suffering? Has death or severe pain entered your domain? Has unrelenting sorrow or despair of the circumstances of life overcome your spirit of joy? As a child of God, bought by the blood of the precious Son of God, you are not alone, you are not abandoned. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the One who told his disciples, Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20) When John was imprisoned, he sought good news; so he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He were truly the Messiah. John needed a steadfast hope; a renewal of what he experienced at Christ's baptism. Jesus told John's disciples to report the following to the imprisoned John: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” (Matthew 11:4-6) Jesus was telling John, Do not believe because of your personal knowledge of me, but know that I am doing the work of the Messiah prophesied in God's Word. I am Messiah! As with John, many of us need that powerful message to arrive in our hearts: Yes, Jesus is Messiah, Redeemer, Son of God. He has a mission for you on Earth. He has not abandoned you or your family. He intends to work through you and has given you work to do. Sorrow comes and unexpected adverse situations happen to all of us, but we who are ALIVE IN CHRIST know his loving kindness and tender mercy. He has an eternal work to fulfill in each of us. We are not alone, neither are we like the world. When John was in prison, God knew where He was. God knew his life would be taken, but God determined that John's life would be so profitable that we would be talking about it two thousand years later. Dear ones, you have relatives and friends who can benefit from your life as you draw closer to God instead of falling back in hard times. As Paul wrote: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) He is our Creator God, and He has a life for each of his children to live.
Sometimes in life when we struggle, we want God's visage to be seen or a miraculous work to be done to give us faith to believe God is in control or to give us hope to believe He will see us through the hard times. Occasionally, God allows such divine intervention. We see a miracle or someone shows up with an encouraging Word, just the right scripture to give us the will to continue to serve God with confidence. But what pleases God most is child-like faith. When little children fall down and are hurting, they do not want a stranger or even a close relative helping them, they want their Mom or Dad to comfort them. We are little children in God's eyes. He calls us his children. When Jesus prepared to go away, he expressed his love for his disciples and said, My children, I will be with you only a little longer. (John 13:33) We are God's darlings. Run to him little children: cry in his arms if you are tearful; rejoice with him if you are thankful. Know that He alone has the ultimate purpose for our lives in his hands, and He sees the beginning and the ending and everything in between. In the song, "Something Beautiful," there is a line, "Something beautiful, something good, all of my confusion, Jesus understood." Everything you have today, all that is within you, good or bad, bring it to him, and lay it on the altar before him as an offering. WE CAN TRUST HIM. When they placed John's body in the tomb, Jesus must have sorrowed greatly, and the Holy Spirit would have ministered to him. But Christ must also have greatly rejoiced as He knew millions of people would learn of The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (Mark 1:3) May each of us carry forth the Good News with renewed strength today!
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