Facing the Wickedness of Evil People

Introduction

Pol Pot, Kim Jong-il, Mao Zedong, Jim Jones, Idi Amin, Ted Bundy, Osama Bin Laden, Kim Jong-un, Jefferey Dahmer, Saddam Hussein, John Wayne Gacy, Robert Mugabe, Ayatollah Khomeini, Richard Ramirez, Gary Ridgway, Jeffrey Epstein, Mohamed Atta, Dennis Rader, Timothy McVeigh, and Pablo Escobar. This is just a short list of men who committed unspeakable crimes in my lifetime. Whether someone is a believer or not, most would agree that these men did evil, and in many ways, were actually evil.

Evil is real. The reasons people commit evil crimes against others are too diverse to list. But, only a person who isn’t paying attention would argue that evil isn’t real.

Christians, historically, have often been the target of evil people. In fact, it could be easily argued that the only people who have faced more evil against them are the Jews.

Foxes Book of Martyrs, The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand, and Jesus Freaks are all books that tell of Christians facing various forms of evil against them for their faith. And, while we might feel fairly safe from widespread persecution today in America, we would be mistaken. In fact, God sometimes allows periods of persecution against the church because the church actually becomes stronger when facing hard times. “Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.”

Whether we face widespread wickedness against the church, localized wickedness, or individual wickedness, the church must prepare herself for the actions of evil people. What are we to do? This passage is very helpful.

Body: Acts 12:18-25

Verses 18-19

The next morning, after Peter’s heavenly rescue from jail, the soldiers are terrified...

Roman law about escaped criminals...

But Jewish law did not require this...

Soldiers are questioned, then executed...

Possibly the four on duty, but more likely all sixteen...

In one chapter alone, Herod Agrippa has ordered the execution anywhere between five to seventeen people, and attempted to kill Peter...

Herod’s main residence was in Caesarea. It was a thoroughly Hellenistic city, as opposed to Jerusalem.

Verses 20-23

We don’t know why Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon.

Tyre and Sidon were cities in Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). Apparently there was some sort of either trade agreement between them and Israel, or more likely, they were dependent upon Israel’s food because of they were were experiencing poverty because of the famine.

Blastus, a trusted advisor of some sort, persuades Herod to make peace with Tyre and Sidon.

Nothing else is said about Blastus, but he must have been a man who Herod trusted highly, because to go from being angry to accepting a peace accord would not be something we would expect someone with the character of Herod to do.

The celebration we see in verses 21-23 is mentioned by the Jewish historian Josephus, who says:

“clad in a garment woven completely of silver so that its texture was indeed wondrous, he entered the theater at daybreak. There the silver, illumined by the touch of the first rays of the sun, was wondrously radiant and by its glitter inspired fear and awe in those who gazed intently upon it.”

Eugene Peterson writes in his paraphrase The Message: “One the day set for their meeting, Herod, robed in pomposity, took his place on the throne and regaled them with a lot of hot air.”

Were the people were truly lauding Herod Agrippa as a god, or just saying he is like a god because he is shining in his royal robe, we don’t know.

What’s important is it came to Herod’s hearing and instead of rebuking the people, he receives the glory and doesn’t give the glory to God.

Herod was punished by God severely and immediately for making himself the object of worship, which violates the first two Commandments.

Remember, Herod is a Jewish king, even though he certain hasn’t acted like a Jewish king. God expects more from those who claim to be His people.

Josephus says that Herod had severe stomach pains and died.

While he doesn’t know what Herod died, most scholars believe it was roundworm, which is what we see in verse 23.

Probably intestinal roundworms, which are ten to sixteen inches long. Bunches of these can obstruct the intestines, causing severe pain, vomiting and finally death.

Verses 24-25

On the other hand, the Gospel continued to spread in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and soon, to the ends of the earth.

Everywhere Christians went, new people became Christians as Christians did what genuine Christians have always done: share the Gospel with people.

This chapter ends with Barnabas and Saul finishing their mission in Jerusalem (bringing the relief funds to the poor of Jerusalem).

They returned to Antioch, which from this time forward in Acts will become the sending center of the church.

There is also a mention of John Mark coming with them. As I said last week, we will talk about John Mark at length in the coming weeks.

So What?

The temptation of a passage like this is to think that the focus is mainly a call towards humility; i.e. “don’t be like Herod Agrippa I”. While it’s true that we should learn humility and we certainly shouldn’t be like Herod Agrippa I, the focus is actually found in verse 24.

Regardless of the actions of the enemies of the followers of Christ Jesus, God’s people need to:

Trust God in the face of the wickedness of evil people...

God clearly had a greater plan for the church, despite their suffering...

God knows what He’s doing, and history is His story, unfolding according to His purposes...

Share Jesus in the face of the wickedness of evil people.

How did the church increase and multiply?

Trusting God can be hard, but sharing Jesus today is where the church too often tends to bow-out too often...

But I’m not an extravert!

Support other believers in the face of the wickedness of evil people.

I went to something this week and a preacher said something I’ve heard many times that drives me a little crazy...

The best time to support other believers in the face of the wickedness of evil people is before the wickedness befalls them...

We must trust God, share Jesus, and support other believers in the face of the wickedness of evil people.

What area of your life is God calling to to trust Him more?

Who is God calling you the share Jesus with?

How can you specifically support another believer outside of your family this week?