Herod Antipas was the second son of Herod the Great. He became tetrarch of Galilee, and is chiefly noticed in Scripture because of his relations with John the Baptist. Herod had committed the grievous sin of persuading his brother Philip's wife to desert her husband, and marry him. John had faithfully rebuked Herod to his face, thus incurring his anger, as also that of his unlawful wife, Herodias, who nursed bitter revenge in her heart. Herod flung John into prison, and would have killed him, but he feared the people, who esteemed him as a prophet.
The day came when Herod gave a birthday supper to his lords, chief captains and chief estates of Galilee. On this august occasion the daughter of Herodias danced before the assembled company, and so captivated Herod, that for a reward he offered her even to the half of his kingdom. Here was the occasion for Herodias to carry out her design of revenge. She instructed her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a charger. The King was exceedingly sorry, yet for his oath's sake sent an executioner to carry out his gruesome order. When the head of this man of God, gory and dripping with blood, was handed on a charger to the daughter of Herodias, she carried it to her mother. However, this unhappy marriage soon reaped its sad fruit.
It was the occasion of a war between Herod and Aretas; king of Arabia. Herod had married the daughter of Aretas, but when he became infatuated with Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, he sought to divorce the daughter of the king of Arabia. In the war that ensued Herod's army was destroyed. Josephus commenting on this says, " Some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod's army came from God arid that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist; for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the people to exercise virtue, both as righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God."—Antiquities B. 18, C. 5.
But that is not the end of the tragic story. Herodias, who urged Herod to this tragic and evil deed concerning John the Baptist, was highly ambitious, which proved the undoing of her husband. She urged him to go to Rome to seek equal honors to those enjoyed by her brother, Agrippa. She could not endure to see her brother in a place superior to that of her husband. At first Herod's love of ease led him to refuse her wishes, but by her importunity night and day at last she prevailed. Herod went to Rome accompanied by Herodias, and preferred his request to Caesar, but suspicion fell upon him when it became known that in his armory he had sufficient armor for seventy thousand men, to which allegation he had to confess. The result was he was charged with preparing for rebellion. Instead of rising to greater honor, he was sentenced to perpetual banishment to Lyons, Gaul (France). Herodias shared his punishment, Josephus remarking, "Thus did God punish Herodias for her envy at her brother, and Herod also for giving ear to the vain discourses of a woman"—Antiquities B. 18, C. 7.
We wonder if remorse filled their black hearts as they dragged out the remainder of their lives in disgrace. Did the staring vision of the bloody head of John the Baptist on a charger ever affright their guilty consciences? We wonder. Man reaps what he -sows. What of eternity? What of eternity? Things are not done with, and settled in this life.