Do you have your Bible?

1. Do you have your Bible? Let’s all stand for the reading of God’s Word.

2. Four Ds: Divorce, Drunkenness, Dancing, and Death Mark 6:14-29

3. Herod Agrippa I is the persecutor of the church in Acts 12, and Herod Agrippa II heard Paul’s testimony (Acts 26) just before he went to Rome to be tried by Caesar. • HEROD, HERODIAN FAMILY* Political rulers during the lifetime of Christ. Christ was born when Herod the Great was ruling. Herod’s son Herod Antipas was the ruler of Galilee and Perea, the territories in which Jesus and John the Baptist carried out most of their ministries. It was this ruler who beheaded John the Baptist and tried Christ just before his death.

4. The Fame of Jesus Matthew 14 is a parallel account Mark 6:14a • And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) . . .

5. The Fame of Jesus Fact Only fools deny the historical existence of Jesus of Nazareth! Matthew 14:1 • At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

6. In fact Jewish Historian Josephus confirms the historicity of this entire narrative.

7. The fact that others were being raised from the dead must have created in Herod’s mind the potential for John the Baptist to be raised from the dead. • and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

8. Mark 6:15 Let me show you why the AV says Elias, a transliteration, and other translations say Elijah—a translation. • Others said, That it is Elias.

10. Someone asks, “Why do you show us these screenshots?”

11. Mark 6:15 Deuteronomy 18:18 promised that God would raise up a Prophet who He would put His words in his mouth. • And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.

12. Mark 6:16 History of Paranoia • But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

13. Mark 6:17 • For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.

14. From Jewish Historian Josephus, We learn that Herod divorced his 1st wife to marry Herodias and that the daughter who danced was Salome.

15. Mark 6:18 • For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.

16. Happening more than once From Luke’s Account Luke 3:19 • But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

17. John’s 2 Issues w/ Herod His Brother’s Wife The Divorce

18. Leviticus 18:16 • Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness. Leviticus 20:21 • And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

19. For all who are married and will marry Let’s look at two NT passages from Christ and Paul concerning Divorce

20. First Matthew 19:1-8

21. 3The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

22. Second 1 Corinthians 7:10ff

23. 10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband [divorce] put away his wife. 12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not [divorce] put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave [divorce] him.

24. Next Notice How God’s Prophet, John, called out the politicians of his day

25. Romans 13:1 does not prevent the identification of sin in the lives of God-ordained politicians.

26. Mark 6:19 • Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him [John], and would have killed him; but she could not:

27. Mark 6:20 • For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

28. Notice John the Baptist’s righteous lifestyle earns him the right to be heard at this politician’s pleasure.

29. Again Notice This Pattern Mark’s gospel is presenting people who will be NOT be able to say, “I didn’t know about the Messiah.”

30. The Truth Is The entire Herodian Dynasty is (probably) in Hell without Excuse

31. Herod Agrippa II Acts 26:28 • Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

32. Herod the Great Matthew 2:1 • Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

33. Mark 6:21 • And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made asupper [feast] to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;

34. Mark 6:22 This is why Baptists have a reputation of being “against” dancing. • And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod

35. Stereo-Typically Baptists Don’t Dance Why?

36. Dancing & Alcohol • Most Dancing is normally: • Associated with excessiveness in alcohol • Occurs in immodest or seductive attire • Sexually suggestive • Conducted at locations that could be a stumbling block to a new Christian

37. the titillated Mark 6:22b-23 • the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. • And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

38. The Truth Is Herod lied. The Kingdom was NOT his to give away. Herod was a tetrarch.

39. Tetrarch • Tetrarchs were tributary princes who were not deemed important enough to be designated kings.

40. Alcohol & Perverted Dancing Clouded Herod’s thinking to the point that he thought “thoughts” and said things he should not have said.

41. Mark 6:24 • And she [Salome] went forth, and said unto her mother , What shall I ask? • And she [Herodias] said, The head of John the Baptist.

42. Mark 6:25 • And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

43. The shocking death of the great prophet John the Baptist Perhaps was designed to get the disciples ready for the premature death of the Christ

44. John the Baptist • Just & Holy • Executed • Prematurely • Herod was forced • A 3rd party pushed the governor • Herod didn’t want to do it • Because of his words • Disciples carried him to a tomb Jesus the Christ • Just & Holy • Crucified • Prematurely • Pilate was forced • A 3rd party pushed the governor • Pilate didn’t want to do it • Because of his words • Disciples carried Him to a tomb

45. Mark 6:26 This is one of those situations where the judgment from God or the consequences would be less if we would just admit we said something we should not have said. • And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

46. Mark 6:27 • And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

47. Mark 6:28 • And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

48. Mark 6:29 • And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

49. The Possibility of Premature Death Should serve consistent reminder to live right!