Observation: Herod is a bad king and a bad Jew and a bad man. This is rather well established by how he weakly runs his country while committing all kinds of sins, and this one verse establishes the basis for why his is so bad. Herod has no fear of God.
When it comes to John the Baptist, even today people familiar with his story would argue that either he was a prophet of God, or not. Those who would say 'no' are mostly in the mindset that there is no God and therefore there are no prophets. Herod was right there, observing how his people interacted with John, seeing that he had a following of disciples, and easily knowing that John was born of a priestly family. He had every bit of information he could need to know John was a prophet. However, this one sentence calls out the major flaw in Herod.
Herod knew everyone thought John was a prophet, therefore he was afraid to kill him because of that public opinion ... NOT because he thought John was a prophet and thus may incur God's wrath.
For Herod, the opinion of people was far more important than the commands of Yahweh. When considering killing a prophet, Herod doesn't care about whether or not it is right to kill, or if he would be cursed by God for killing a prophet, or if prophets even exist, but he's afraid "people" will get angry. When he then does kill John, he does so to please a woman, pressured by the opinions of his dinner guests who heard him make an oath, without giving God even a momentary thought.
Application: I am tired of thinking about public opinion and social issues. I've written at length about these issues. However, it bears repeating over and over again that there is an 'answer' to all of this, and there is one way that we can all properly prioritize how we interact with others in this world.
I am to do that which pleases the Lord. I am to obey his commands, speak of his love and his promises, love others in his name, and live within the guidelines of his peaceful kingdom on earth. If my thoughts and activities run opposed to those of "people", I am to consider only one thing, which is understanding what Jesus' opinion is of the situation, and then I am to think and act in accord with that. If that is opposed to majority opinion, so be it.
I have a quote on a post-it right here on my desk ... "I have nothing to prove; I have someone to please." Herod lived like a man who was trying to prove his kingliness to everyone. I want to live like a man who focuses on pleasing only Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, I continue my weak life, and you continue to forgive me and tolerate me. I thank you for your mercy and love and forgiveness. I do ask today for your spirit to be upon me as I work. May I do so for your glory, and may I remain focused only on pleasing you. Amen.
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