To God The Glory

After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country. On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them. The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!” At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God spread and multiplied. After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.

Pray

Herod Agrippa I

Who is Harod?

Born 10 B.C., grandson of Herod the Great, Herod Agrippa I grew up in Rome where he had been sent in 7 BC after his fathers execution. It is reported that He lived his youth as something of a playboy, assisted with a pension from Herod Antipas, his uncle. In A.D. 36 he returned to Rome but offended Tiberius and ended up in prison until Caligula released him after the death of Tiberius about a year later. He will work his way up the ruling class in Palestine area. By AD 41 Emperor Claudius, and old friend from his days in Rome, had made him ruler of the entire area. He became known as the “king of the Jews,” reigning over Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Trans-Jordan, and the Decapolis.

He is the Last king to unite the Jewish Territories.

He is considered both a Hellenistic and a Jewish Ruler. For Example: His building Program was essentially Greek With theaters and baths, a pagan city. On the other hand he did a lot for the temple in Jerusalem, And he killed Christians.

In this passage Agrippa had reigned three years over all of Judea and he came to Caesarea. And there he become very angry with Tyrians and Sidonians, Coastal cities located north of Caesarea. Since the days of Solomon these cities had relied upon Judea for supplying food. They come to him with the aid who is in charge of the king’s bedroom.

And Agrippa gives a public address to them. On the day he puts on a garment made wholly of Silver and of wonderful design. And we are told by historian Josephus that he came into the theater early in the morning. At which time the silver of his garment was illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun’s rays upon it. And when he took the stage people began to shout It’s the voice of god and not of a man.

The radiance had so take them.

Taking advantage of the situation Herod delivered a public address, common Roman behavior but not much in character for a Jewish king—except this one. The people’s response (whether sincere or not, Luke does not tells us) ascribed deity to this wicked man. Luke implies he had the opportunity to deny it and, failing to do so, was struck down by God’s angel.

Josephus reported that Herod lived in pain for five more days and died at the age of fifty-four (Antiq. XIX, 343–50, vii.2). Scholars cannot agree on the disease which killed Herod, but speculation seems to center on round worms, which is precisely what Luke says. Herod could very well have recited in his dying days a poem Lord Byron wrote centuries later:

My days are in the yellow leaf;

The flower and fruits of love are gone;

The worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone.

He probably didn’t die happy. But remembering that Moment when he was looked at as a god. As he strives for more and more power how much higher can you get then godhood.

Pride

Do you know why pride is a sin?

Pride is excessively positive self-image leading to disdainful behavior towards others

Pride leads to lifting one self up to the expence of others. Even to the point of thinking one a god. We don’t say that do we. But every time we sin are we not saying I know better than God. I know better than the creator and maker of life. I can be like him.

I was reading a website had a long list of pride vs broken see show notes

Proud people focus on the failures of others. Broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need.

Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit. Broken people have a dependent spirit; they recognize their need for others.

Proud people have to prove that they are right. Broken people are willing to yield the right to be right.

Proud people are wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked. Broken people are eager for others to get the credit; they rejoice when others are lifted up

Pride loves self above all else.

Proverbs 16:18–19 LEB

Before destruction comes pride, and before a fall, a haughty spirit. Better a lowly spirit with the poor than dividing the spoil with the proud.

God is sovereign dealing with humanity and Governmental power or our own self is no match for the Lord. And though we don’t understand it. death can be an act of deliverance for someone else. And with his death they were able to complete there work.

As i think about pride I think about all the things we lift up, like self.

A Humble Heart

The opposite of pride is a humble heart.

How do we foster a humble heart?

Not easy steps

1. Recognize you dependency on God

Proverbs 3:6 LEB

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will straighten your paths.

dependency is looking to God for direction and recognizing His ability to orchestrate the affairs of our lives—acknowledging God’s role by seeking Him for direction instead of forging out on our own presumptuously. “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:6).

2. Be secure in who you are

Don’t belittle yourself. This is hard and may take some training. You are valuable flaws and all. There fore you do not need to prove anything to elevate yourself to yourself or anyone else. God loves you so much and values you so much that he died for you. There is nothing you can do that will make Him love them less and there is nothing they can do that will make Him love them more.

3. Be interdependent.

This means that you know you don’t have all the answers. You are not independent or codependent. You know the value of being on a team. It is amazing what we can do if we surround ourselves with the right people.

4. Be Real

I quote from Ignite Your Faith by Dr. Tim Clinton & Max Davis

Keith Miller wrote in his book, A Hunger For Healing that, “Humility is seeing ourselves as we actually are, good and bad, strong and weak, and acting authentically on those truths.” Humble people have looked in the mirror of their souls and have taken an honest inventory. They realize there will always be the need for growth and that conforming into Christ’s image is a life long process. Humble people understand their need for grace in their own lives and therefore can give grace to others. The Apostle Paul was a great example. He knew he was a new creation in Christ, covered in His righteousness. But the same Paul who taught us that also said, “I am less than the least of all God’s people” (Ephesians 3:8). Paul understood true humility. Do you?

Next Steps

Take the next step

Let go of pride.

Recognize who God is and you position to him

ABC

Be Secure in who you are and who God is making you into

Be connected

Be real - Challenge when you are real will you loose you connections?

Bibliography

Gangel, Kenneth O. Acts. Vol. 5. Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.

Josephus, Flavius, and William Whiston. The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987.

https://www.familylife.com/articles/topics/faith/essentials-faith/repentance/proud-people-vs-broken-people/