In verse 23 we are told, “Immediately. because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.” In today’s passage Herod who didn’t praise to God and others who did give glory to God are dramatically compared. Today by comparing these two, let’s look at 3 aspects of giving glory to God.
- I. The voice of God, the voice of man (vs. 18-23)
Peter who had been put in prison by Herod Agrippa I was delivered miraculously from prison as a result of the church fervently praying. Herod tried to recapture Peter, but he was unable to find him. “He cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.” (19) For Herod to have someone so highly guarded escape was a real blow to his pride. On the other hand if there was someone in those who were in charge of guarding who helped Peter escape, that would be a huge problem. If Peter could be caught immediately, that would cause the least damage to his image. but Peter could not be found. Of course, Herod never dreamed that an angel miraculously led Peter out of the prison. Therefore, there was no way that he could not admit his own authority had failed. According to Roman law, if a prisoner escaped, the guards would take the responsibility by receiving the same sentence that prisoner had. Therefore, Herod had the guards executed and tried to show that they were responsible and that he was the authority. “Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.” (19)
Verse 20 takes place while Herod is in Caesarea. The people of Tyre and Sidon came and through “the support of Bastus, a trusted person servant of the king,”(20) they sought peace. Herod considered the people of Tyre and Sidon as his enemies. We don’t know why Herod thought that way. However, whatever the reason, for the people of Tyre and Sidon, to be on the bad side of Herod meant death because they depended on the grainfields of Galilee for their food. Therefore, they sought the support of Bastus to help them be reconciled to Herod. They were able to solve the problem and they had a special celebration to celebrate the reconcilement. The celebration is the basis for verses 21 and 22.
“On the appointed day” refers to the emperor’s birthday. On this day all the countries under the Roman rule showed their loyalty by big celebrations. On this day Herod Agrippa, thought it would be a good chance to show his own power, and he acted as if he was a god. The historian Josephus describes the event saying that Herod wore a silver robe, dazzling bright. The people saw this and “They shouted, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” (21) Herod did not deny it. He probably was thinking he was god too. However, his end is written in verse 23.
For someone who it is said that his voice was a “voice of a god” to end his life like that is disgusting. The Jewish historian, Josephus, says that Herod was seized with violent pain, he was carried out and died five days later. This happened “because Herod did not give praise to God”. (23) Even though he was not god, he was prideful and took all of God’s glory. Therefore “an angel of the Lord struck him down. (23)
We too need to be careful of this. Everything about us is by the grace and love of God, but when people praise us, and recognize us, we get the impression that it was by our own strength that we did it. Without realizing it, we become proud. However no matter whether we are a king, or on an earthly level, man can never be an exchange for god. When Peter went to Cornelius’ house, Cornelius bowed and worshipped him. “Peter made him get up…he said, ‘I am only a man myself.’” (10:26) Paul too when he healed a crippled man in Lystra, the people began to worship him. Paul shouted, “men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you.” (14:15) Herod should have said the same thing. “Why are you saying that? I am only a man, a human like you.” However, he thought that he was like god. As a result he experienced a bitter end. We must remember that we too if we are proud, and think that we are like god, then like Herod experienced God’s judgment there will be times when God’s grace and blessing will be stopped.
I Peter 5:6
Herod killed James and tried to kill Peter. His sin was not light. However, he was not judged these things. He was judged because he didn’t give the glory to God, but tried to receive the glory himself. To steal the glory of God is a huge sin.
- II. The real voice of God (24)
As soon as Luke tells us that Herod was stuck down and died, he tells us, “But the word of God continued to increase and spread.”(24) In other words, God’s Word that the church preached is the real word of God. The church listened to those words, followed those words, and when they were led by those words, the church move forward strongly.
Therefore, we too need to listen to those words. We listen to them through God’s word, the Bible. We also hear them though the message of the Gospel.
I Thess. 2:13
What is important is that we listen to God’s voice. That we don’t hear man’s voice as God’s voice. We need to hear God’s voice as God’s voice. We mustn’t confuse man’s voice and God’s voice. We need to hear God’s Word as God’s word, follow that Word, and when we are led by that Word, the church will be fruitful and spread out.
The church hears God’s word thought Jesus Christ. Christ is the Word of God. God is speaking to us though Christ. This Word has the power to save us. If we listened to this word, then rather than meeting the end like Herod did, we will be able to experience an abundant life like a tree planted next to water that never dries out.
- III. Being led by the voice of God. (25)
Here we are told that “When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem taking with them John, also called Mark.” (25) We wonder why Luke adds this verse. “Mission” refers to bringing the offering from the Antioch church to those who were suffering from famine. One reason for this verse is to change the scene of chapter 12 of Antioch to Jerusalem to chapter 13 of Antioch to the spreading world wide evangelism. However this was not the only reason. It is to give an example of giving the glory back to God. This is the example of Barnabas and Saul bring the Antioch’s gift of love. This is exactly the opposite of the people of Tyre and Sidon that appear in verses 20-23. They were willing in order to receive food, to give the glory that should have been given to God to other people. However the Antioch church was different. They didn’t rely on their country or on earthly powers, but helped their brother. This is because they lived by the Word of the Lord. They were full of God’s grace so they felt drawn to do so.
II. Cor. 9:11-13
I Cor. 10:31
We too like the Antioch church, should want to live a life of giving God the glory no matter what we are doing. To do that we need to hear God’s word as God’s word, follow it, and be led by it. Let’s pray that our life will be a life of giving back the glory to God.