My morning Bible reading brought me to Matthew 14 where John the Baptizer confronted King Herod, the immoral despot who, had divorced his wife in order to marry his brother’s wife.

John’s truth to power was, “It is not lawful for you to have her” (Matthew 14:4). Herod might think and act like he was above the law, but he was not above God’s law.

The response of the autocrat was unsurprising. His modus operandi  was to eliminate anyone who opposed, criticized, or threatened his power, as was evident in other incidents besides this one. “Herod wanted to kill John” (14:5). Silence the opposition was the mantra Herod lived by. Cross him and you could expect retaliation.

Surprisingly, Herod’s fear of a united response by good people restrained him: “but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet” (14:5). Even under a dictatorial leader, the people have power when they are united for good . . . and this wasn’t even a democracy.

Sadly, it didn’t end well for John as the familiar story of Herodias (the unlawful wife) and the dance of Salome (Herodias’ daughter) reveals. Some suggest that John became “the first Baptist to lose his head over a dance.” But it certainly was not funny then!

Of course, we know that was not “the end of the story.” John lives! We will meet him in the resurrection when God’s reward for his faithful ministry will be eternally evident.