It is a long story to consider the story of Herod and John the Baptist but there are just some aspects to which I would like to refer.

    Consider Herod. The Roman Governor Basically a puppet to Caesar but nonetheless a tyrant whose word was law to the extent of death to others at will.

    Unfortunately he had weakness for women, alcohol, and sensuence dance. This led to his downfall.

    On the other hand John was the son of Zachariah and one of the line of Arrans sons. He was a not only a Jew but a Levite, and not only entitled to be a priest but as one of Arran’s sons, he was entitled to be the High Priest. However the current system of Pharisees did not take these things into account. This explains why Jesus chose to go to John the Baptist to be Baptised and why John was obliged to go out into the wilderness to do his preaching and why John preached so vehemently against the Pharisees. This also explains Paul’s comment "I did not realise you were the High Priest" when in the Sanhedrin

    John was quick to realise that Herod was living in an adulterous situation. He of course spoke against this and received the displeasure of Herod’s partner. Matthew ch14 v3-4 Because of this John was put in prison and held captive for some considerable time. Herod was fearful of the people’s reaction so did not have John put to death. Every now and then Herod called for John to talk and seemed to listen. Mark ch6 v20. But could or would not make any stand for that which is right. He sort of sat on the fence swaying between good and bad, right and wrong.

    However while all this is going on Herod holds a banquet on his birthday, found himself quite drunk and looking to satisfy his and his courtesans lustful eyes called for his partner’s young daughter to come in and dance for them. Unfortunately in his drunken stupor, he became so enamoured with this young girl that he offered to her up to half his kingdom. The girl immediately ran to her mother (Herod’s adulterous partner) and asked her what she should ask for? The mother remembering how John had criticised her relationship with Herod, told the daughter to ask for John the Baptists head on a plate. Herod bound by his oath and the witness of the people present was obliged to do just that! The girl accepted the platter and took it in to her mother. So John the Baptist the genuine but unrecognised High Priest died and the opportunity for Herod to listen and be converted was passed. Herod sat on the fence too long and the sin he was involved in pushed him off the edge. He fell to his doom because he didn’t listen to the things of God while the opportunity offered itself.

    How often do we sit on the fence and doubt, or procrastinate because we think there is plenty of time when deep within us the call is there to not only listen but to make a stand for God. To accept Jesus Christ at His word and recognise that Jesus is God and that He died for us on the cross at Calvary, taking the punishment for our sin so that we might go free and have a wonderful relationship with God.

    This concept of "putting off" can affect our whole lives, not only the prime question of salvation, but also the question of living a life dedicated to God, and then of course becoming of some use to him. It comes back to obedience, straight and simple, just as in John ch3 v17 tells us if we fail to accept Christ, then we are condemned already, so if we fail to obey in our lifestyle and attitudes, then we are disobedient and consequently miss out on the opportunity to be effective for Him.

    Remember that in 1 Corinthians ch3 at the judgement seat of Christ, we will suffer loss. We will be fully aware of how we have let the Lord down by either not doing as He tells us or going ahead and doing what we have not been told to do. Lots of times good has been done, in fact very much good has been done but yet it is so ineffective because it has been done with mans wisdom and not God’s. How sad it would be for God to say to us at the judgement seat, you have wasted my talents I have given you because you wouldn’t let go of your own.