Sometimes ago, I read
about the life history of Herod Antipas.
Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great. Herod the Great was the Herod
that ordered the killing of infants at Bethlehem when he heard of a child (Jesus
Christ) that was born to be king in the future. According to the story, Herod
Antipas was legally married to the daughter of a very powerful king—
Aretas the king of Arabia Petræa.
Herod Antipas later in
life married a second wife named Herodias. Herodias was formally the wife of Herod
Philip- Herod Antipas half-brother. In those days, Herod Philip (also known as Herod
Philip I) became inconsequential because of his mother’s treachery. He
was excluded from all shares in his father's possessions, and lived afterward
in a private station. As a result of his condition, his wife, Herodias left him
to marry his brother Herod Antipas.
Herodias was a cancer in the life history of the Herod
family! She left the broke Herod for another powerful Herod; an unlawful union
that began the fall of Herod Antipas.
The moment Herodias entered
the life of Antipas, like a cancer, she began to have negative influences with
negative results in the life of Herod Antipas!
The fall of Herod Antipas started with the murder
of John the Baptist under the influence of Herodias. John was against the marriage
of Herodias and Antipas and described it as illegal. Though, Herod would have
had John killed before Herodias influence, but he feared the people knowing
that John was regarded as a prophet.
As a result of Herodias
marriage, Aretas (father of Herod Antipas first wife) was annoyed for his
daughter’s sage and invaded Herod Antipas territory. History has it that Aretas
was able to defeat Herod with a great loss because of the murder of John the Baptist-
an offense committed by Herod due to the influence of his new wife Herodias.
As
if the damage Herodias has caused Herod was not enough, at
a later time, the ambition of
Herodias proved the cause of her husband's ruin. She urged him to go to Rome to
gain the title of king, but he was opposed at the court of Caligula by the
emissaries of Agrippa, and condemned to perpetual banishment. Herod Antipas died
in exile.
What an end to the life
of a king!
The
lesson
The lesson is to be
careful with Herodias descendants! Be wary about Herodias sons and Daughters! They
are who I prefer to call vampires that suck life out of other fellow human
beings. They can be in form of friends, relatives, boss, etc.
Recognize the vampires!
How?
By their attributes! Vampires
·
Are those who want to get favour from you at all cost even when
it means your ruin!
·
Are those who encourage or embrace you when you do evil!
·
Are those who belittle you, telling you, you can never make something out of life!
·
Are those who deny you of help at all cost!
Practical
examples of vampires
Illustration1:
Boy friend: baby, you I
need the money urgently; it is just 2million! I know you can afford it.
Baby: you know I cannot
raise that kind of money; how much is my salary, beside, the ones you have
collected, you never pay back!
Boy Friend: ok ok! I will
pay you back soon especially after you borrow me this money! Anything you can
do now for me. Why don’t you sell your car which I know will not be up to the amount
I requested, and …eh, but you can do something now! You are the bank manager! You
can technically take the money without
record! And return it when I pay you back.
Baby: are you telling
me to steal!
……
Illustration 2:
Baba Taju: (came to
greet mama Bisi her immediate sister in her house): Good evening Taibat (mama
Bisi), how was the market?
Mama Bisi: Fine Jare
bodami (my brother). Thank God you came! I was about to visit you at home so I can
pay Bisi (her eldest daughter) WAEC exam money directly to you being the principal.
Baba Taju: (with an
expression of disgust): mama Bisi! Why do you like to waste money on a girl!
As a girl, let her go and marry, or who will train her up to the
university? Use your small money for the male children; stop wasting money on something unimportant!
…….
Solution
If you have discovered you
have a vampire around you, then the following are my suggestions
·
Learn how to say I cannot
·
Learn how to do without them
·
Learn how to lean on God
Thanks for reading; you
can add other solutions or comments on my facebook page: or on this page of the
blog.
