Jesus Warned About Herod

Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
^{Sunday August 25, 2024}

Luke 13:31-33

Father, I ask for forgiveness for the many times that I have feared what other people could do to me. I ask for forgiveness for seeking the approval of people instead of Your approval. Please remove from my heart and mind any idolatry of people, which puts them on the throne of my life and empowers them to influence my words and actions.  Help me to be fearless like Jesus demonstrated, knowing that people cannot do anything to me that You have not planned for me to experience. Amen.

Father, “fear of man” is the human desire to receive approval and acceptance by other people. It includes the desires to be recognized and honored by those around us. It includes the fear of criticism or disapproval. It is the root thought process that makes peer pressure and “cancel culture” so powerful. For far too many people, it is more important to be accepted by other people than it is to be approved by You.
Fear of man is not just the fear of emotional abuse or being shunned by peer groups. It is also the fear of being the victim of physical violence. It is the fear of being denied necessities of life or being incarcerated unjustly. It is also the fear of being killed by other people. For far too many people, it is more important to avoid persecution than it is to serve You.
Your Word speaks of “fear of man” in Proverbs 29:25:
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe (NIV).
It is with this in mind that we read the text of this passage. Jesus is approached by some of the Pharisees who have a message for Him:
“Run! Herod wants to kill you! Be terrified! Flee for your life!”
Do they care about Jesus? No. Do they desire to protect Jesus? No. Their goal is to silence Jesus. They want Jesus to find a rock to hide under in the desert and never be seen in public again. If they can’t silence Him through debate, they will silence Him through fear.
However, Jesus reacts to them in accordance with Proverbs 29:25. He will not be entrapped by “fear of man”. Instead, He will trust in You, Father, and, therefore, He will be kept safe. Jesus responds to the Pharisees:
“I’m not afraid of Herod. You say to that fox that I’m going to keep doing what I want to do. I’m going to drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow. The goal of my ministry will be accomplished, which is My rising from the dead on the third day. He cannot kill me any time before the cross, or any place outside of Jerusalem, because the Father has My steps and the hour of My death already planned.”
Amen.