The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted – Matthew 14:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 1, 2014): Matthew 14

The Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the American Civil War. Brigadier General Irvin McDowell had been appointed by the newly elected President Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln had been President for just over four months at that time of battle) to command the army in the field in Northeastern Virginia. But McDowell was not impressed with his soldiers. They were amateurs and had no business being in the field. The General believed that what was needed was some in depth training for the recruits. But the politicians and citizens living in Washington wanted a quick end to the Southern rebellion. So the General led his inexperienced recruits into battle, a battle that the people seemed to believe was going to end the Civil War.

Stories that have come with regard to the battle indicate that the pride of the citizens of Washington was so great that some people actually made a day of it, gathering on the surrounding hillsides to watch the battle. The people expected the Northern Army to destroy the Southern Army in quick order. But it seemed to be only the spectators that expected the battle to be short. McDowell himself was not so sure. But he had been driven to the battlefield by pride – both pride of the politicians and his own pride – and he did not want to disappoint the President or his friends. By the end of the battle, the Northern forces had been routed and the South was encouraged and given hope that they might just be able to win the war against the forces of the governmental. And all of this happened as a result of pride and a desire not to disappoint.

Herod Antipas watched his step-daughter choreography and was infatuated with her. He was so impressed with her that he offered her anything the wanted at the end of her dance. It is likely that he expected her to ask for money or a new outfit, maybe a vacation away from the palace or something along that line. But what she asks for, prompted by her mother, was the head of John the Baptist. Antipas had John the Baptist locked up in the prison beneath the palace. But the truth was that Antipas was scared to death of the Prophet. He was not all that positive that John had not been sent from God, but he had also made the promise publically in front of his guests. And he did not want to disappoint.

So Herod Antipas orders the death of John the Baptist. It was not what he wanted to do, but it was a decision driven by pride and a desire not to disappoint. And decisions that are dominated by those concerns are seldom good ones. This would be a day that would haunt Herod Antipas for the rest of his life – and he would never seem to get comfortable with the day that he killed the prophet.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Mark 6