Drusilla, daughter of Herod Agrippa, younger sister of Bernice, claimed to be a Jewess. She may have been named Emperor Caligula’s sister. Her great-grandfather, Herod the Great, was the monster who murdered all the Jewish baby boys in an effort to destroy the newborn Jesus, our promised Messiah.

This Drusilla was a woman of rare beauty which she let corrupt her and lead to her moral decadence (The state of being degenerate in mental or moral qualities – Indulgence in sensual pleasures; excessive or immoral activities involving sex, alcohol, food, or drugs, i.e. things of this world). When she was only 14 years old, she married King Azizus of Edessa. A year or so after her marriage, Felix, the Roman governor of Judea, persuaded Drusilla to leave Azizus and to marry him illegally.

She was only mentioned once in Scripture – her presence at apostle Paul’s defence of the Gospel of Jesus before Felix:

Acts 24:24, 25 – “And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

We read there that Paul reasoned or spoke logically of God’s righteousness, temperance and judgment to come. So, we see and understand that Drusilla heard, firsthand, the Good News of Jesus Christ and the outcome of accepting or rejecting Him. She chose to reject Jesus by not responding to Paul’s message. We all face that same choice. Evidently, the world’s temporary pleasures that Drusilla received because of her rare beauty meant more to her than spending eternity with our God and Saviour. That was her choice.

The apostle’s words so frightened Felix that, to please the Jews, the governor returned Paul to his confinement under house arrest rather than to prison.

Drusilla, however, chose to live a shameful, wasted life. Before her 41st birthday, she died a horrible, violent death. While she and her only child, Agrippa, were in Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying under burning lava Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as Drusilla and her son.

When I see young beauties today caught up in what are fleeting pleasures and flatterings of this world, I stop and lift them up to the Lord for divine intervention and Salvation. I remember being so young once and the immaturity that comes with youth. Many of us at such young age is incapable of understanding how fleeting life, beauty, and the things of this world truly are. We think we are invincible, and before we know it many years have passed (if we are not taken from this world). We are left with regrets. I guess what I am trying to convey is this, “All you young ladies out there, please open your minds and hearts to the Word of God. Let Him lead you down the path He had planned before you were in your mother’s womb, and you will experience a much more joyful life with much less regret about wasted years that could have been spent serving your precious Lord Jesus.”

I am so very thankful that my Heavenly Father, in His infinite mercy, has turned all my bad choices around and uses them for the good of His purpose. Even though I did not follow His leading several times in my life, by His Grace I am allowed to do my best to faithfully serve Him and follow the path He had to mend and change for me. Thank you, my LORD, I love you so.