Who could say to Herod the tetrarch?
"It is not lawful for you to have her. (Matthew 14:4)"

The prophet is the one who talks straight without watching someone's expression.
He is one who can only talk straight.
Speaking the word of God directly, without adulterating.

When we study the prophets of the Old Testament one by one, we find a commonality.
This commonality is condensed in the words of John the Baptist.

What kind of person was Herod the tetrarch?

"And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her." (Matthew 14:9)

You will find from the Bible that Herod was a man who watched for other people's reaction and who was overly concerned about his personal honor?!

I can hear some men saying;
"Sometimes I can't help it."
"Considering my position, things are not so simple."

All right.

This is one of men's weak points, isn't it?
However, a Christian man should not be like this!
That what I think. What about you?

Poor John the Baptist who had his head cut off...
And the one we should really feel sorry for may be the daughter of Herodias.

Like mother, like daughter...this mother and daughter is often found in various books.
I have read a lot about them. I have also seen many pictures.

The kind of mother one is raised by affects the following generation.
A mother has a heavy responsibility towards her children.

A long time ago, I read a book about raising children by Andrew Murray, and prayed with a sigh, and held my children and prayed again.
I look back fondly on the days when I was busy raising my children.

- And the head of John the Baptist was brought in on a platter. -

The head was given to the daughter, and she brought it to her mother.
The depth of people's sin...
In order to defend herself, she killed the prophet who spoke the truth.

I cannot help thinking, "Why, oh Lord?!"
The disciples must have been deeply despondent.
Can you understand their sadness?

Before the Lord Jesus,
As a prophet by God as the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
the work on earth of John the Baptist ended here.

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
All of them mention John the Baptist.

Herod the tetrarch and John the Baptist were both men, and both human beings.

Even if you have a high status and honor, you may be a low spirited person. It has nothing to do with the way you are brought up nor your educational background.

I want to go forward holding my vision in Christ.
We do not want to be the kind of person who cares about others and holds back.

I am impressed by the prophets who stand and speak the word of God straight out.

Elijah, Nathan, Isaiah, and Daniel...
All of them received and spoke the word of God.

　 Just as it was a great blessing for David that there was a prophet near him, we shall give thanks that the prophecies of God are given to us.
At all times, we want to see and worship the face of God.