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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2
held him. He opened his mind to John, who brought Herod to the law
of God, face to face, and told him it would be impossible for him to
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have part in the kingdom of the Messiah unless he should break away
from the unlawful connections with his brother’s wife, and, with his
whole heart, obey the commandments of God.
Herod was inclined to act upon the advice of John, and stated to
Herodias that he could not marry her in defiance of the law of God. But
this determined woman would not be thwarted in her designs. Intense
hatred was awakened in her heart toward John. Herod was weak in
principle, vacillating in mind, and Herodias had no great difficulty
in re-establishing herself in his favor, and holding her influence over
him. Herod yielded to the pleasures of sin, rather than submit to the
restrictions of the law of God.
When Herodias had gained influence over Herod, she determined
to be revenged upon the prophet for his daring to reprove their course of
crime. And she influenced him to imprison John. But Herod intended
to release him. While confined in prison, John heard, through his
disciples, of the mighty works of Jesus. He could not personally listen
to his gracious words; but the disciples informed him, and comforted
him with a relation of what they had seen and heard.
John having spent his life in the open air, in active, persevering
labor, enduring privations, hardship, and toil, he had never before expe-
rienced the trials of confined living. He therefore became desponding,
and even doubts troubled him whether Christ was indeed the Messiah.
His disciples had brought to him accounts of the wonderful things they
had witnessed in the ministry of Christ. But he concluded that if Christ
was indeed the Messiah, he would publicly proclaim himself as the
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Saviour of the world.
John had indistinct ideas of the kingdom Christ came to establish,
as also had the disciples of Christ. They thought Christ would establish
a temporal kingdom, and reign upon the throne of David in Jerusalem.
He became impatient because Christ did not immediately make himself
known, assume kingly authority, and subdue the Romans. He hoped
that if Christ established his kingdom, he would be brought out of
prison. He decided that if Jesus was really the Son of God, and could
do all things, he would exercise his power and set him at liberty.
John sent his disciples to inquire of Christ, “Art thou he that should
come, or do we look for another?” The disciples sought the presence