Our paragraph topic is: (Herod murdered John) Part 3.
Herod was a murderer. He was a liar. He was possessed of evil. John the Baptist spoke to the people of the many evil acts committed by Herod. John made the people aware of the evil that was in the heart of Herod. John spoke to the people of Herod's evil with Herodias, his wife, and Herodias wanted to have him killed because he spoke against her, the queen. Many a lesser person would have been killed on the spot. But John was a prophet. John was loved by the people. John was the messenger of God. He baptized the people and prepared the way for Christ.
Herod heard about the John's popularity. Herod heard about the message that John preached to the people. And Herod heard that John spoke of him to the people. John had not committed any crime so Herod had no reason to exact justice against him. But Herod and Herodias were agents of evil. John was baptizing souls for Christ. He preached repentance to the people that they may be saved. And people came from the neighboring countrysides and many far and distant districts. They wanted to be baptized. They wanted to repent of their sins. But evil did not like John. Evil wanted John dead. And evil worked through Herod and Herodias to have John murdered.
They plotted and planned and created a scheme to murder John the Baptist. Evil and Herod and Herodias came together and hatched a plan to have him killed. On Herod's birthday an oath was given to Herodias' daughter to have her dance for Herod. Anything she asked for would be her reward to dance for Herod and his guests. So the plot was planned and the dance was given and the request was made, "Give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter." was her request. And this was the plan. But Herod had to appear grieved before the people as if he was against the plan. If he did not show that he was grieved the people would not believe that he did not want to have John beheaded. So he had to feign grief before the public so all would see that he was tricked into the act by Herodias' daughter. But in actuality it was the plan of evil to get rid of John the Baptist and it was carried out by Herod, Herodias and her daughter.
And so it happened. John the Baptist was murdered by Herod and his wife and evil. They completed the plot. They carried out the plan. They committed the act. The evildoers acted as agents for evil. They committed the act. They carried out the plan. They became evil. And so it was to be the same with Christ. Evil plotted and evil planned. They wanted to kill Christ. So they planned with the evildoers and crucified Christ on a cross. Do not become an agent for evil. Evil wants you. It seeks you. It plans for your enlistment. Christ calls you from evil. Christ saves you from becoming an evildoer. Christ gives you new life in himself. And the Holy Spirit will teach all to you that you may know the truth of who you are. Be not an agent of evil. Become an agent for Christ and he will give you your reward.
