Continuing the conversation about a “Great Wail” a couple of posts earlier. It’s interesting to note that it was John the Baptist’s talk about adultery to Herod that got him killed. Wow. Notice how touchy this particular discussion regarding “adultery” is for Herodias that she wants to kill John over it. Yeah, it’s a hot topic, not talked about much today. In fact, adultery is rampant, maybe more than ever? It’s everywhere. If we take a close look at what Jesus calls adultery it’s clear – the problem in America is widespread. We’ve all fallen short of the glory of God. Take a look at the scripture below as to exactly what the progression to John’s death looked like:
“17 For Herod, himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.” – Mark 6:17-29
Woman Caught in Adultery
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
The woman who got caught in adultery is another great story. He who is without sin let him throw the first stone, paraphrasing Jesus. Nobody threw a stone and Jesus told her to go and sin no more. Stop committing adultery. Stop participating in it. End that relationship. Pretty straight forward. You got caught in this act. Stop committing the act and live.
So much of the Church seams to do one of two things, ignore the command to sin no more or remains ignorant of the words of Jesus as to how and what He identifies as adultery as mentioned in Matthew 5, along with other passages.
Could you imagine if more pastors started calling this particular issue out from the pulpit for what it is, not every week but simply talk about what Jesus says qualifies as marriage and that which does not? He really lays it out quite clearly. A pastor/preacher might lose his head or at least a large portion of the congregation, because let’s face it a MAJOR portion of the so called Church is quite alright with living in the sin of adultery. The flock would be reduced to a fraction of whatever the current numbers were. Instead, we’re focusing on gifts or prosperity or politics or take your pick. All of those things mentioned are wonderful and need to be discussed, yet, our families are falling apart at the seems. Satan absolutely hates people calling attention to this sin so much so that he had John the Baptist beheaded for it. I suspect we have NO idea how damaging this particular sin is upon marriages, family and humanity.
“But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys himself.” (Proverbs 6:32 NLT)
Marriage and family is the very thing God created to be a picture and reflection of Himself in the earth and it’s coming unglued at the seems.
The very essence and nature of God is family. It’s so clear Satan is out to destroy the image and reflection of God in the earth, from conception to grave. He’s working to speed this process up exponentially. The people of the Lord need to take the earth back, rule and reign as God originally intended since the Garden – to take dominion.
All of creation groans for the revealing of the sons of God.
Where are they? Take a look in the mirror. It’s you. It’s time to actually become the reflection of Jesus Christ in the earth. Look like Him. Talk like Him. Think like Him. Act like Him. Walk like Him. Heal like Him. Do miracles like Him. The works Jesus did and GREATER you will do. But first, you’ve got to DO what Jesus did, to do greater than He did.
Holy Ghost breathe. In Yeshua’s name. Amen.
