Good evening. Great is His faithfulness.
Mark 6:17-20 NKJV
17 For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. 18 Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
19 Therefore Herodias [a]held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he [b]did many things, and heard him gladly.
Even though HEROD, with all his wealth and soldiers, FEARED JOHN, who was a man who lived in poverty and was clothed in camel's hair - (see Mark 1:6), is sevens as both power of personal holiness and integrity, and also to the people's perception of John, they held him in the highest esteem - (See also Mark 11:32).
According to The Explanation by the blessed Theophylact of the Holy Gospel According to St. Mark
St. Mark here give's parenthetically the account of John's death, making use of the opportunity. Some say that Herod stole Herodias away while Philip was still living, and on this account they reprove him as a transgressor of the law, marrying the wife of his brother who was still living. Others say that Philip had died, but had left a daughter. As there was a daughter, Herod ought not to have married the wife of his brother, not even after his death. For the law at that time commanded a man to take his brother's wife when there was no child; but here there was a daughter, and therefore Herod's marriage to Herodias was unlawful. See how strong is erotic frenzy, that even Herod, who had such reverence and fear of John, would now abandon him just to do the bidding debauchery.
"Herod could have listened to God's voice when John the Baptist was preaching to him. Herod heard and was intrigued but instead he listens to,others and cared more about pleading other's actually listening to God's voice. Herod chose to reject God's voice and chosen to please others because his reputation was more important to him than the life of John the Baptist."
See my video for the rest of the devotional, readings and questions.
Numbers 6:24-26
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
26 The Lord [a]lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.” ’
In Christ love Jared W Campbell
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