America Calls for the Head of John the Baptist
By Michael Bresciani (12/02/06)
Calling a spade a spade my cost the Christian ministries a lot in the
future if special interest groups get their way. Whether in congress or
public policy the few are seeking to muzzle the mouths of the majority of
conservative biblical ministers and ministries. This is no new thing but
beware this is a new time.
The story is well known. Herod Antipas was a son of Herod the Great. He
was frivolous and wicked beyond imagination. He was part and parcel to
every kind of sexual and immoral behavior of his day. Above all he was the
murderer of John the Baptist. The unique thing about his crime was the
motive.
Herod was illegally married to his half brothers wife. No one but John the
Baptist dared to call him out on his indiscretion and it cost John
everything including his freedom and his life.
Ironically not only did John lose his life for noting Herod’s sexual
escapades but sex was the catalyst used to actually secure his death. When
the daughter of his illegal wife performed a sexually driven dance for him
he was so pleased with her that he promised her everything but the moon.
All she wanted was the head of John.
In today’s society getting your own under age daughter to dance for your
husband (her stepfather) would be a crime and child abuse. Add to the
child abuse a malicious murder of a man of God as its reward and you now
have what can be called one of the most heinous crimes in the annuls of
history. It was a sexually driven crime against both a man of God and the
very Kingdom of God.
In the worlds eyes John was just a disheveled old prophet hanging out in
animal skins and eating bugs while he pounded on the conscience of
everyone from the common Israelite to the High Priests of the temple. His
message was singular…repent! Many of that crowd would be sure not to miss
John that much. Little has changed since then.
To Jesus John was far more than an old coot bugging the neighborhood and
the religious constabulary. His view of John the Baptist puts John on the
very top of the heap. In fact he was the best of the best. Christ said
Herod killed one of the highest not one of the lowest men that has ever
graced society in any age. See below.
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
Would America kill the prophets or John the Baptist if they were alive
today? You wouldn’t want to know the odds on that bet. Already there are
those calling for the heads of many of our preachers, evangelists and
prophets for saying what they must say.
What seemed like only what they were supposed to say is now coming under
scrutiny more and more for the religious leaders of America today. Why is
America suddenly so surprised by preachers saying homosexuality is sin,
after centuries of preaching that message so consistently. Could it be
that God was serious when he said he doesn’t change or that his Son is the
very Rock of Ages? We might want to ask ourselves the all important
question of “who wants a wishy washy God anyway?” If God said
homosexuality was an abomination to him did he change his mind? Why don’t
we let him answer for himself? “For I am the LORD, I change not; Mal 3:6
So bible preachers preach from the bible, so what. Do Shakespearian actors
do recitals from episodes of Beavis and Butthead? What should you expect?
All the hearer has to do is decide whether they believe the preacher or
not. But as the times change It seems even hearing the message is too much
for some.
A decade or so ago it was enough to say “well everybody is doing it.” The
worst behavior was thought to have filtered upward to a better status if
it became popular. Preachers were quick to remind people that God said
that behavior that was widely accepted among men could be an abomination
to him, Luke 16:15. And that it was a sin to follow a crowd (peer group)
to do an evil thing rather than a way of elevating bad behavior to an
acceptable status, Exodus 23:2
America is going far beyond simple popularization of sinful behavior but
is now moving things up to the next level. That level is to go to the law
and persuade some to even rethink the meaning of our country’s
constitution, general laws and our founding principles.
Recently outspoken and openly gay singer Elton John was quoted for saying
that “…religion has always tried to turn hatred towards gay people?” He
concludes that the way around this dastardly malady is to “ban religion
completely.” I don’t know about Elton John but over the last 35 years of
my Christian walk I have heard preachers repeatedly say we must only hate
the sin but never hate the sinner. Yes, that means that we must love the
homosexual person but we do not ever have to love or accept his behavior.
Gay activists are working in every state to change laws on sodomy and
other behavior. Hardly any of them would disagree that no society can
successfully legislate morality. Yet while they know this they are
lobbying to bring in legislation that will mandate immorality. Called by
any other name this is still claptrap.
Those who call upon the legislators to support their particular brand of
immorality have a need to review history. Nations did not reach heights of
enlightenment when they became collectively licentious. Rather they fell
from view either violently or whimpering off into the past with a
diminished legacy that is better forgotten. Check out ancient Israel,
Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome and on and on. When sexual
licentiousness and homosexuality were at their peak those nations and
kingdoms were falling headlong to their end. I’m guessing here but I’m
pretty sure that Americans are most noted for saying that “those who
forget history are doomed to repeat it.” I’m not guessing that this is a
saying we are not taking very seriously.
Will America begin to call for the heads of its outspoken and faithful
preachers and prophets? They have already begun to ask for their tongues
to be silenced. The tongue cannot get any closer to the head.
(Printer friendly version) Email: Michael Bresciani
