Final Confrontation (23 page)

“Humans enjoy celebrating the day of their miserable birth,” shrugged Kara. “Berenius is about to give Herod quite a present.”

“You’ve heard about the Gadarenes?” Lucifer asked.

“Yes, of course,” said Kara. “I immediately stripped Lucien of that principality and gave it to Korah. At least Korah faced the Christ even if he was beaten by Him.”

“In the meantime we have lost that region,” snapped Lucifer. “The man who was delivered is busily telling the world about the Man Jesus and how He helped him. We must act quickly in this matter.”

“Don’t worry, my prince,” assured Kara. “It begins tonight when we settle the books with John. Once he is gone, the whole rotten movement will begin falling apart from within.”

Lucifer smiled. He was looking forward to John’s death.

“And how do you know John will die?” he asked. “Why should Herod kill a man he fears?”

“Because the only thing greater than Herod’s fear is Herod’s pride,” said Kara. “And Berenius is about to prove that point now.”

Herodias looked across the banquet hall and nodded at the musicians, who began playing a tune that was strange to Herod. He turned to Herodias, his eyes becoming bleary from the wine.

“My lord, I have a special birthday surprise for you,” she said.

Herod smiled at her and stood to announce that Herodias was about to present to him a special gift. When he sat down all the people toasted him and awaited the presentation.

“What is that music…Greek?” he muttered to Herodias.

“No, sire,” she purred. “Something more exotic…something from Mesopotamia. A Babylonian dance. And performed by my daughter!”

Herod looked up, surprised to see Herodias’ daughter enter the room in an exquisite Babylonian dress from the neo-empire days. He smiled and toasted her with his goblet. The girl danced through the hall, always keeping her eyes on the king. Herod watched her in stupefied satisfaction until the dance was finally over.

The room burst into applause for the wonderful dance and then the party guests were treated to a marvelous flaming dessert from Egypt. Herod thanked the girl, who bowed before the king and then sat next to her mother.

Kara was watching as Berenius moved in between Herodias and the king. She hugged her daughter for her performance. The girl, about 15, was quite beautiful and many men in the room found her very attractive. She nodded to the guests who looked her way and were toasting or otherwise complimenting her.

Herodias looked at Herod with a sensual gaze. He looked back at her and smiled.

“What is it, my pet?” he asked her.

“My daughter wanted nothing more than to bless the king on his birthday,” she said. “I do hope you were pleased, my love.”

“Of course,” Herod answered. “She was exceptional.”

“She loves her great king,” Herodias continued. “I wonder if perhaps the king should not grant her a gift as well. How noble that would be. Think of the stories these men of prestige would take back to their nations—of the magnificence and generosity of Herod the tetrarch!”

“A gift?” Herod asked.

“But what gift could Herod give that his great presence has not already satisfied?” she asked. “It could be no ordinary gift. What might a child want that a king could give her?”

Berenius moved in and began to whisper into Herod’s mind.

“If the child was given the choice in the matter, you would look like both a great king and a great father to Herodias’ daughter…”

“Perhaps we should let the child choose,” offered Herod.

“But from what, my lord?” asked Herodias, glancing at her daughter next to her.

“What does it matter? What can a child wish for? Give her anything…grant her half your kingdom! The gesture will be noble and the child will choose something childish…”

“Hmm…” Herod considered aloud.

“And you shall have made the greatest gesture any king has ever made…”

Herod stood, somewhat shakily, and the crowd immediately became quiet. Herodias signaled the musicians to stop playing as well.

“In as much as my wife’s daughter gave me such joy on my birthday,” he began, I have decided to give her a gift in return.” He wagged his finger. “But not just any gift! Oh no. I will give the daughter of Herodias anything she wants…even up to half my kingdom!”

Gasps filled the room as Herodias smiled to herself and then feigned a great shock as if overwhelmed by the gesture. She turned to Herod with great humility.

“Great king,” she said. “You are making this offer before all of these great men? Such an important vow?”

Herod relished the moment.

“Of course, my wife,” he answered. “I vow this before every person in this room! Up to half my kingdom!”

Herodias and her daughter whispered back and forth for a moment. Berenius, still in between the two looked over at Kara, beaming. The guests awaited the announcement.

“Well child, what shall it be?” Herod asked, filling his cup once more. “A palace? A stable of horses? A magnificent barge like Cleopatra once had?”

“No, sire” she said. “I want the head of John the Baptist.”

Herod blinked vacantly a couple of times and set down his goblet.

“You want the head of John?”

He glared at Herodias, who only smiled back.

“Yes,” she said. “I want it now. On a platter.”

Herod began to stammer.

“This your doing,” he said angrily to Herodias.

“Remember your vow,” she said pointedly.

Herod looked about him. All eyes were upon him awaiting his decision. How could he possibly back down in front of all of these men—his royal peers and embassies from other nations. How could he back down in front of the Roman officials? Perhaps they would read such a thing as a sign of weakness. He looked at his chief aide and nodded. The aide bowed and left the room.

Lucifer, Kara and Berenius watched as the man took two guards with him and went down into the room where John was being held. John seemed to know what was to happen to him as they unshackled him.

“Is it time?” John asked weakly.

“Get on your knees,” they ordered. “And look that way.”

John began praying, grateful his imprisonment was over and thankful he had fulfilled his mission. He had ushered in the Messiah; now he could leave the world knowing Israel would one day be redeemed. He got down on both knees and held his head up, continuing to pray. He smiled even as the guard unsheathed his weapon. The sword came swiftly.

When it was over, the guards did as they were instructed and brought the head into the banquet hall. Herodias inspected the bloody basket and then nodded for the guards to take it away. She sat next to the king, who had determined to spend the next several days getting thoroughly drunk.

Standing next to John’s body, Kara and Berenius congratulated each other. Lucifer joined the brief celebration as well, before turning to the next task.

“And now for Jesus,” he said. “This should shake Him. With John out of the way, we must find a way to destroy Jesus. Your use of Herodias has further inspired my hope for finding someone close to Jesus who might be of use to us.”

“But who?” asked Berenius. “I have been studying these men. They all seem solidly behind Him.”

“Keep watching, Berenius,” said Lucifer. “We must find a way in. It’s difficult to be sure. The people love Him.”

“Why shouldn’t they?” sneered Kara. “He recently fed some five thosand of them with a few fragments of food. He is buying their loyalty.”

“So I heard,” said Lucifer. “But remember, Kara. Loyalty that can be bought easily can be sold just as easily. Perhaps we can buy it back.”

“Do you really believe one of His own will betray Him?” asked Kara.

“I know something about men,” said Lucifer. “I also know something about betrayal!”

“Capernaum again?” grumbled Thomas. “These people don’t even like us!”

The disciples had recently come from Tiberias, where they had fed great numbers of people. Now those same people had followed them to Capernaum. It would be another long day for the disciples.

“Look at them,” said Judas scornfully. “All they want is food.”

“You are not a Galilean,” said Andrew. “These people need hope.”

“They may need hope,” said Judas, who was tugging at his oar, “but it is bread they will get!”

Peter had heard enough. He joined the conversation and spoke to Judas.

“When Jesus broke the bread and fed all of those people with seven fish and two loaves of bread, He gave them more than food, Judas. He gave them hope. That was our task in Tiberias. And that shall be our task here in Capernaum.”

Judas simply looked up at the big fisherman but didn’t answer. Peter was too hot-blooded to engage in an intelligent dialogue. Besides, Judas had already determined that Jesus’ popularity would soon see Him proclaimed King. He had already refused a crown once. He dare not continue to refuse. Once Jesus was made king, then perhaps He could attain a truly important position and be rid of the rest of them.

Many people flocked to Jesus after they disembarked. He spent the day healing and ministering as always. His disciples accompanied Him as well, teaching of the greatness of Jesus and telling the people He was a Man of God. That evening, as the group sat around a room that had been offered to them, Jesus began to speak.

“Tomorrow, it is time to begin a new teaching,” He said.

The disciples looked at each other. Perhaps He was finally going to proclaim Himself King of this Kingdom He had been talking about for so long. Or perhaps there was some other wonderful revelation He would make.

“It will be a difficult teaching for many. Many will fall away because of it. But this must be so that the Son of Man might fulfill the purposes for which He has come.”

That evening the disciples went to sleep wondering what the next day would bring. Judas was particularly interested, hoping that finally this popular movement would become an uprising that would sweep them all into authority with Jesus as their king!