At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. Matthew 14:1-5

So you want to be a prophet? Many people today and throughout time claimed to be a prophet of God, but be careful what you wish for. Throughout history it’s been well documented the true prophets of God faced intense persecution and usually death. This was the same fate for John the Baptist, as Jesus called him “The greatest of all prophets” (Matthew 11:11)

So why was John the Baptist imprisoned and killed? Because he was preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ, everyone needs to Repent and become Born Again. Herod didn’t like this message of repentance, when John called out his immoral and invalid marriage he had with his brother’s wife. Most people don’t like to be called out on their sin, this is why Jesus and the Apostles and Prophets received heavy persecution and death.

It’s interesting that Herod believed Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead, which makes us understand Herod knew John was a Holy Man from God, but Herod loved his sin more than He loved God, so he killed the messenger of God. This is the same evil spirit and mentality most people have today. People love their sin more than they love God

But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. Matthew 14:6-12

Now to show you how depraved Herod was , we see this bizarre birthday celebration where the “daughter of Herodias” who is also Herod’s step daughter, dances for him and pleases him to the point he will give her whatever she wants. Now we don’t have to go into detail that this is an immoral and depraved event. Now the girls mother, Herodias, uses this situation as a “power grab” to eliminate John the Baptist, because he has been calling her out on her sin and her conscience is probably pricked. The show Desperate Housewives has nothing on the Bible!

So Herod, knowing John the Baptist is a prophet of God, goes ahead and orders his execution anyway because Herod loves his sin and wants to please people more than fearing God. Many of John’s disciples or students must have witnesses all of these events and then went back and told Jesus what had happened

What can we learn from this story? The love of sin is greater than the love of God in most people. If you want to know why Jesus said we must be Born Again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:3) just look at the depravity of the human heart and understand why we need to be reborn

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. Matthew 11:7-11

What would you expect the greatest prophet to look like? Would you expect them with great beauty? Would you expect them with the clothing and authority of a King? Well, our preconceived notions are all wrong! John the Baptist was probably a man most of us wouldn’t want to be seen with in public, we lived in the desert, eating bugs, and wearing camel hair. However Jesus Christ said “John is the greatest of all prophets” (v11) 

Just as Jesus identified himself as the Christ, with scripture, Jesus is also identifying who John the Baptist is with scripture. You can’t understand the New Testament until you have a grasp of the Old Testament. If you “unhitch” from the Old Testament, the New Testament would make no sense. Christ is identifying John the Baptist as the “Messenger or Yahweh” to prepare the way for Jesus

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Matthew 11:12-15

Jesus makes an interesting statement here “For all The Prophets and Law prophesied until John”  A couple things can be taken away from this , John the Baptist was the last of the Prophets as all prophecies are foretelling about Christ. Secondly The Law is fulfilled with Christ (Matthew 5:17) Everything from the Old Testament was pointing to the coming and the fulfillment of Jesus Christ! (Luke 24: 44)

But what happened to John the Baptist? He was rejected and eventually killed by beheading. What happened to Jesus Christ? He was despised and rejected and crucified on a cross (Isaiah 53) As Jesus said “They who have ears, let them hear” Most of the world has no spiritual discernment, even though God foretold about the coming of Christ, most of the world has rejected God’s salvation

If you want to know the real Jesus, read your Bible, pray without ceasing to God, and ask for the Holy Spirit , Amen!

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:1-6

Again we are seeing more fulfillment of prophecy, John the Baptist was the fulfillment of the Messenger of The Messiah. “A voice of the one calling in the Wilderness, to prepare the way for The Lord” (Isaiah 40) John is the messenger for Jesus, to prepare Israel for the coming of the Christ. 

So how did John the Baptist prepare everyone for Jesus? By a strong message of repentance and baptism “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” John is telling Israel, get ready the Christ has come, turn away from your sins, confess your sins to God, and be cleansed. Of course preaching a strong message of repentance goes either way, either people are pricked to the heart to turn to God or people harden their hearts and reject God

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Matthew 3:7-10

 The New Covenant is coming through Christ, John begins by calling out the false religious system and its leaders. “O generation of Vipers” , John addressed the religious leaders, “Who has warned you for the wrath to come”? Many believed they were saved just because they were descendants of Abraham, but salvation comes only through Jesus Christ alone!

The ax is laid at the root, meaning judgment is coming, those who don’t produce good fruit, those who are not Born Again, will be chopped down and thrown in the eternal Hell fire. Obviously John the Baptist never sugar coated his message, He was here for one reason , to announce the Messiah and lead people to Christ. 

Even today, the message must remain the same “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” , Jesus is coming back again soon, those who remain dead in their sin will not inherit eternal life, Amen!