Thirsting for Revenge Is Never Good. Part [6] 04/17/2026 (Morning thought)

Mark 6:22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

She didn’t have to think long and hard about it, nor did she have to choose between any other options, for one thing, and one thing only was on the front burner of her mind, the death of John by any means possible. In fact, if Herodias was permitted, she would have choked John to death with her bare hands. That is what thirsting for revenge can do to a person who will not let go of the desire to retaliate or get even.

Now, we have to hit pause to observe the offer that Herod is making. Consider it very carefully, for he is willing to give her half of the kingdom, even though she has no experience in running any of the various government offices. We are not sure if the dancer even has a high school education, yet, because she can dance well, Herod is willing to let her be the head of certain offices in his administration.

Thus, with her total lack of experience, she would be sure to make grave errors in judgment, which in turn could cause the citizenry to balk at the ways and means she might employ, if she were to take up Herod on his offer. That is what could happen under the influence of liquor and intoxicating drink, for it can pervert the sound judgment of persons, and could cause them to say, and do things that they never would have said or done under different circumstances.

Mark 6:23 And he swore unto her, whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

May the Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

Thirsting for Revenge Is Never Good. Part [5] 04/17/2026 (Evening thought)

Mark 6:18 For John had said unto Herod, it is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. 19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and she would have killed him; but she could not.

Another example of the indulgence of vengeance, and its bitter after-effects, took place when John the Baptist told Herod that it was wrong for him to have his brother’s wife. Herodias did not take kindly to that sermon, and she thirsted for revenge, until her mind was so obsessed with the craving to see John dead that she could not think of anything else. For the meantime, whilst she was restrained to some extent, she did the best that she could do, by having John put in prison.

Mark 6:17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her…. Whenever persons desire to jail their opponents for merely speaking the truth, the thirst for revenge will not stop there and it would only be a matter of time before the opportunity to kill or maim her perceived foe, would come to fruition.

She brooded over the thought, and as she rolled it over in her mind day after day, it eventually became all absorbing, to the point where nothing else would give her more satisfaction than to see John dead. Thus, she waited, and waited until that opportune moment arrived, so that when a request was made by her daughter to ask for anything, even to half of the kingdom Herodias already had the answer ready and waiting.

 Mark 6:21 And when a convenient day was come, Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, his high captains, and chief men of Galilee.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!