John the Baptist went through an incredible time of testing when Herod imprisoned and then beheaded him. Because of John’s faithfulness, Herod will be without excuse! He was confronted and advised to repent! But he refused God’s offer.
John remained faithful until death! John suffered while in prison but the glory of his faithfulness speaks even today.
John will cast his crowns before His Lord in glory. From the book, Embracing God as Father: Christian Identity in the Family of God,
“When we are relatively untroubled, it’s easy to have a feel-good “God” whom we smile at as a sort of fairy God-father who meets all our felt needs (not necessarily our real needs). But it’s in times of deep suffering that our heavenly Father’s true love becomes ever more richly known to us. Through times of trial and difficulty, we discover we don’t have an indulgent God-father, but rather the awesome God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—our Shepherd, Savior, and Lord.”
In what is probably his most famous moment, Herod Antipas, stood in judgement of Jesus Christ when Pontius Pilate felt incapable of the task. Antipas was most annoyed at Jesus’ silence so, he sent Jesus back to Pilate to be murdered upon the demands of the Jews.
We all make mistakes. Antipas didn’t just make one major mistake. He kept making selfish decisions that ultimately ended in tragedy.