Mistaken Report

Matthew 14: At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, ² and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴ for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵ Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

============

Herod’s beliefs made him hear the report of JESUS’s miracles differently. Herod thought that if a person is killed they could come back as a super-powered ghost-human. Though he may have had many killed, he chose John as the cause because he had John murdered.

• My soul will last for eternity and will never enter into someone else.
• My soul will be raised to heaven only because I believe that JESUS is my savior.
• My soul will receive a new sinless body not another sinful body.

Herod almost had it right. JESUS would later be raised from the dead but not for Herod’s self-center purpose. JESUS would in fact be murdered, just like HIS cousin John. BUT JESUS died for a much greater purpose.

• JESUS came to earth as a human who never sinned.
• JESUS was accused, slandered, beaten and killed by those who were church leaders.
• JESUS rose from the dead to assume all power.

Suffering was JESUS’s purpose, not to come back and torment one person. Herod’s beliefs got him an eternity separated from JESUS. My beliefs bring me eternal salvation.

• Do you have beliefs in reincarnation?
• Do you think science will explain away your eternal soul?
• Will you take the step today to believe in the ONE who can save you, namely JESUS?