Like many I cannot get my mind off the influence of Charlie Kirk, for he was known as an influencer. I see a contrast in His life and the life of Jesus - and Jesus's cousin - John the Baptist. I don't expect you to dive into the diverse teachings of ancient stories of what was done with John the Baptist head. Furthermore, what was done with his right arm and hand; the hand that baptized Jesus. I found there is tons of research and stories that make one wonder about their meanings. My head got bogged down just scanning what I could find at my fingertips, on the Internet highway, concerning these subjects. However, I did discover some parallels, that stirred my curious mind and caused me to look a bit deeper.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE WORD OF GOD AND CARNAL CHOICE, FLESHLY DESIRE.
John the Baptist was a faithful prophet of God and as such he was fearless when it came to confronting sin, even to those who were powerful and often brutal leaders. His confronting Herod Antipas about his sin was born out of that holy boldness that John possessed; born out of a conviction to speak for God rather than please men. As a result of John's confrontation with Herod Antipas, Mark writes that Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to put him to death to appease her own conscience by ending John's rebukes. She was not able to do this, because Herod was afraid of John. Herod knew that John was a righteous and holy man, and so he kept him safe in his dungeon out of the reach of his new wife Herodias.
Not only did Herod fear John, but he also feared the people, because of John's popularity. Herod's wicked mind, as so clearly shown to us here, was dominated by fear and apprehension. Initially, he was afraid to kill John. Then, after he killed him, he became terrified that John had come back from the dead and would come for him in vengeance. In stark contrast to Herod's fear, is John's complete trust in the Lord. This is the stellar uniqueness of Charlie Kirk. Understand, as God's mouth piece, John's courage was to be feared. He was imprisoned, but his words were not.
As you read the context do you see the irony Mark is talking in; that Herod enjoyed listening to John's preaching, even though John spoke out against the king's immorality. Can you imagine the power or the effect of truth? It could be that someone reading this right now feels this very thing in your mind and heart. His preaching perplexed Herod, but he used to enjoy listening to him. John the Baptist was evidently a powerful communicator, in that crowds went out to nowhere to hear him speak. I think this is how Charlie Kirk's message impacted many of his listeners; "PROVE ME WRONG." I think John the Baptist's words proved Herod Antipas wrong. It was this erratic combination of fear and curiosity that kept Herod from putting John to death.
WHAT KIND OF DANCE DO YOU THINK IT WAS, THAT WOULD PURCHASE THE BEHEADING OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN?
Did you ever wonder what happened to this dancer, Salome? The subsequent history of Herod and Salome is related in the great commentary of Cornelius a Lapide:
Wherefore, the just vengeance of God burned against all who were concerned in this crime. Herod was defeated by Aretas. Afterwards he was banished with Herodias to Lyons, and deprived of his tetrarchy and everything by Caligula, at the instigation of Herod Agrippa, the brother of Herodias, as Josephus relates (xvii. 10). Moreover, the head of the dancing daughter was cut off by means of ice. Hear what Nicephorus says, "As she was journeying once in the winter-time, and a frozen river had to be crossed on foot, the ice broke beneath her, not without the providence of God. Straightway she sank down up to her neck. This made her dance and wriggle about with all the lower parts of her body, not on land, but in the water. Her wicked head was glazed with ice, and at length severed from her body by the sharp edges, not of iron, but of the frozen water. Thus in the very ice she displayed the dance of death, and furnished a spectacle to all who beheld it, which brought to mind what she had done.[30] copied
WHAT WAS THE WORD HEAVEN USED TO DESCRIBE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN SAUL OF TARSUS HEAD AT HIS CONVERSION?
"Is it not hard for you to kick against the pricks."
Let me take you back to the present. The murderer of Charlie Kirk was involved with a man who was going through a sex change. Charlie Kirk was a champion against same sex marriage. That being the case, the perpetrator could not prove him wrong, so he thought he would silence him, just like they did with John the Baptist. Take off his head.
PROVIDENCE HAS A VOICE, AND AROUND THE WORLD, THAT VOICE IS SPEAKING UP.
The body cannot say to the head I have no need of thee. This being the case, Christ is the head of The Body of Christ and He is speaking loud and clear throughout the earth. I would call it PROVIDENCE.
I believe in you, I love you, I need you, I want you.
Pastor Cleddie Keith
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE WORD OF GOD AND CARNAL CHOICE, FLESHLY DESIRE.
John the Baptist was a faithful prophet of God and as such he was fearless when it came to confronting sin, even to those who were powerful and often brutal leaders. His confronting Herod Antipas about his sin was born out of that holy boldness that John possessed; born out of a conviction to speak for God rather than please men. As a result of John's confrontation with Herod Antipas, Mark writes that Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to put him to death to appease her own conscience by ending John's rebukes. She was not able to do this, because Herod was afraid of John. Herod knew that John was a righteous and holy man, and so he kept him safe in his dungeon out of the reach of his new wife Herodias.
Not only did Herod fear John, but he also feared the people, because of John's popularity. Herod's wicked mind, as so clearly shown to us here, was dominated by fear and apprehension. Initially, he was afraid to kill John. Then, after he killed him, he became terrified that John had come back from the dead and would come for him in vengeance. In stark contrast to Herod's fear, is John's complete trust in the Lord. This is the stellar uniqueness of Charlie Kirk. Understand, as God's mouth piece, John's courage was to be feared. He was imprisoned, but his words were not.
As you read the context do you see the irony Mark is talking in; that Herod enjoyed listening to John's preaching, even though John spoke out against the king's immorality. Can you imagine the power or the effect of truth? It could be that someone reading this right now feels this very thing in your mind and heart. His preaching perplexed Herod, but he used to enjoy listening to him. John the Baptist was evidently a powerful communicator, in that crowds went out to nowhere to hear him speak. I think this is how Charlie Kirk's message impacted many of his listeners; "PROVE ME WRONG." I think John the Baptist's words proved Herod Antipas wrong. It was this erratic combination of fear and curiosity that kept Herod from putting John to death.
WHAT KIND OF DANCE DO YOU THINK IT WAS, THAT WOULD PURCHASE THE BEHEADING OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN?
Did you ever wonder what happened to this dancer, Salome? The subsequent history of Herod and Salome is related in the great commentary of Cornelius a Lapide:
Wherefore, the just vengeance of God burned against all who were concerned in this crime. Herod was defeated by Aretas. Afterwards he was banished with Herodias to Lyons, and deprived of his tetrarchy and everything by Caligula, at the instigation of Herod Agrippa, the brother of Herodias, as Josephus relates (xvii. 10). Moreover, the head of the dancing daughter was cut off by means of ice. Hear what Nicephorus says, "As she was journeying once in the winter-time, and a frozen river had to be crossed on foot, the ice broke beneath her, not without the providence of God. Straightway she sank down up to her neck. This made her dance and wriggle about with all the lower parts of her body, not on land, but in the water. Her wicked head was glazed with ice, and at length severed from her body by the sharp edges, not of iron, but of the frozen water. Thus in the very ice she displayed the dance of death, and furnished a spectacle to all who beheld it, which brought to mind what she had done.[30] copied
WHAT WAS THE WORD HEAVEN USED TO DESCRIBE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN SAUL OF TARSUS HEAD AT HIS CONVERSION?
"Is it not hard for you to kick against the pricks."
Let me take you back to the present. The murderer of Charlie Kirk was involved with a man who was going through a sex change. Charlie Kirk was a champion against same sex marriage. That being the case, the perpetrator could not prove him wrong, so he thought he would silence him, just like they did with John the Baptist. Take off his head.
PROVIDENCE HAS A VOICE, AND AROUND THE WORLD, THAT VOICE IS SPEAKING UP.
The body cannot say to the head I have no need of thee. This being the case, Christ is the head of The Body of Christ and He is speaking loud and clear throughout the earth. I would call it PROVIDENCE.
I believe in you, I love you, I need you, I want you.
Pastor Cleddie Keith
Posted in Providence