The Pride & Judgment of Herod (Acts 12:17-24)

Introduction

English Standard Version Chapter 12

17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

18 Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

The Death of Herod

20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

24 But the word of God increased and multiplied.

Well, this week we’re picking back up in Acts chapter 12 with the death of Herod Agrippa. If you recall, in our last time, we considered Herod’s persecution of the church in Jerusalem, or more specifically his targeting of the apostles, that in an effort to curry favor with the Jewish authorities he laid hands on James the brother of John and had him executed with the sword, he had him beheaded. And after he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. However, we saw that he was less successful with Peter than he was with James.

That while Peter was in prison, the night before Herod intended to have him executed, an Angel of the Lord suddenly appeared inside Peter’s cell. We’re told that the angel struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” His chains immediately fell off and the angel escorted him out of the prison passed the guards. We’re even told that when they reached the iron gate leading to the city that it open for them of its own accord. And it wasn’t until the angel left Peter standing out on the middle of the street that he realized what had just happened, that it wasn’t a vision.

We’re told that he quickly made his way to Mary’s house, the mother of John Mark. The same John Mark who would later write the Gospel of Mark, and who we’ll meet later at the end of chapter 12 and in chapters 13 and 15. When Peter arrived at the gate of Mary’s house he was met with disbelief that it was really him, until they opened the door and saw him with their own eyes. He immediately described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, and then before he departed told them to “tell these things to James and the brothers.”

Now, I didn’t have time last week to elaborate upon this, but you may have noticed that Peter directed them to “tell these things to James and the brothers.” And you might have noticed and asked yourself, wasn’t James already dead at this point? Didn’t Herod already have James executed by the sword at the beginning of chapter 12? Well, yes, he did, so who is Peter referring to? Well, Luke doesn’t tell us for certain, but Peter is most likely referring to James the brother of Jesus, not James the brother of John. This is likely because it’ll be James the brother of Jesus who will take a prominent role within the church going forward. In fact, in Galatians 2:9, which describes this period of time, describes him as one of the three pillars of the church, alongside Peter and John. We’ll also see him preside over the Jerusalem council later on in Acts chapter 15.

Now, James the brother of Jesus was one of several brothers that Jesus had. When Jesus was rejected by those in Nazareth Matthew wrote that they scoffed at him and said, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?” Then John also wrote in his Gospel in John 7:5 that “not even his brothers believed in him.” In fact, it isn’t until after his resurrection that we get an indication that this began to change. When Paul lists all of those who Jesus had appeared to after his resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 he specifically mentions James alongside the 12 apostles, seeming to imply that James likely began to believe after Jesus appeared to him after his resurrection. Furthermore, James would not only go on to be one of the pillars of the church, but would go on to write the letter we now call James.

Jacob not James

And if you’re interested in some fun Bible trivia his name isn’t actually James, it’s Jacob. And all you have to do is look at the underlying Greek to notice this, but this appears to have happened due to the name’s linguistic history, going from Hebrew to Greek to Latin to French and then to English. At various points along the way the name Jacob was pronounced in slightly different ways. For example, late Latin started pronouncing the ‘b’ more like an ‘m’, making Jacobus sound more like Jacomus, then Old French took that late Latin form and further shortened and softened it to something like Jammes, until eventually English borrowed that Old French version and standardized it as James. So, if you’ve ever been told that it was just a way for King James to get his name into the Bible, you now know that’s not true. Now you can ask your friends if they’ve ever read the book of Jacob, and see what they say.

Now, while this is certainly tangential to the text, one of my goals along the way is to help you make connections between the characters in the story, to see how everything fits together, that way these books and letters don’t just seem like disparate or disconnected documents, because they’re not. However, it does takes some studying to put all of these pieces together, which is why I think it’s important to do so as we exposit this particular text. So, as we go along my plan is to make an effort to connect as many of the NT letters to the storyline of Acts.

Angel of the Lord struck both Peter and Herod

Now, all that being said, the broader point that I want you to see this morning is that this record of Peter’s deliverance from prison is meant to be contrasted with Herod’s judgment and death at the end of the chapter. In fact, I think you can see Luke’s intention to do so when you notice that an angel of the Lord strikes both Peter and Herod. On one hand, we’re told there in verse 7 that the angel of the Lord “struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly,” while on the other hand we’re told later in verse 23 that, “Immediately and angel of the Lord struck [Herod] down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.” So, as we walk through this text I want you to keep this mind.

Guards put to death

Let’s pickup the story there in verse 18,

English Standard Version Chapter 12

18 Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there.

Now, it was an expected practice at that time to hold guards accountable for the prisoners entrusted to them, that if a prisoner escaped under their watch that the guards would receive the same punishment intended for the prisoner. In this instance, after Peter escaped under the watch of four squadrons of soldiers, those guards who were on duty at the time were all put to death. This was clearly not a light matter.

Herod returned to Caesarea

Then Luke says that Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea, the same Caesarea along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea where Peter had traveled to meet with Cornelius who was stationed there. Agrippa’s grandfather, Herod the Great, had built the city and named it Caesarea in honor of Caesar Augustus. They had built a deep water harbor, a palace, temple, and amphitheater there. It eventually became the political capital of the Judea, rather than Jerusalem. This is where the Roman governors, like Pontius Pilate, ruled from, and a principle location from which Herod Agrippa would have lived and ruled from as well. So, after Herod had finished harassing the church in Jerusalem he returned home to Caesarea.

Tyre and Sidon’s food supply in jeopardy

Then we read there in verse 20,

English Standard Version Chapter 12

20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. 22 And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

So, when Herod returns to Caesarea we’re told that he was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Now, Tyre and Sidon were the two principle cities of the region of Phoenicia, just north of the land of Israel. In fact, if you’re familiar with your OT you’ll know that Israel had frequent interactions with them over the centuries. For example, the King of Tyre had helped King David build his palace, and later helped Solomon build the Temple. Jezebel was a princess from Sidon who married King Ahab from Israel’s northern kingdom, and was known for her wickedness.

But at this point in history, the region of Phoenicia was under the control of the Roman Empire, and apparently the people of Tyre and Sidon had offended Herod Agrippa. Now, we don’t know how they offended him, but Luke does tell us there in verse 20 that whatever they had done to offend him had put their food supply in jeopardy. Now, we know that Tyre and Sidon were known for maritime trade, shipbuilding, and exporting timber from the Lebanon mountains, but because they sat on a relatively narrow strip of coastline they didn’t have much land to grow crops to sustain their populations, so they frequently imported agricultural products to feed their people. In fact, we see this in 1 Kings chapter 5 while Solomon was building the Temple in Jerusalem and he traded with King Hiram from Tyre for timber in exchange for wheat as food.

So, while Herod didn’t have jurisdiction over Tyre and Sidon, he did have leverage over them. He had leverage over their food supply. So, when the people of Tyre and Sidon had offended him he apparently either cut off their food supply or threatened to do so, because Luke says there that “they came to [Herod] with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.”

The voice of a god

So, we’re told that “on an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them.” Now, what’s interesting about this account is that we have a parallel account from the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, and in his account he writes this,

“Now when Agrippa had reigned three years over all Judea, he came to the city Cesarea … and there he exhibited shows in honor of Caesar, upon his being informed that there was a certain festival [being] celebrated to make vows for his safety. At which festival a great multitude was gathered together of the principal persons, and such as were of dignity through his province. On the second day … he put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment being illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun’s rays upon it, shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him; and presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another, (though not for his good,) that he was a god; and they added, “Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.” Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery.

Josephus's account is a remarkable parallel to what Luke wrote isn’t it? Luke also goes on to say that the people began to shout flattering words to him, shouting things like, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” And how did Josephus describe Herod’s response? “Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery.” In other words, he seemed to gladly receive their adoration, even their worship. There’s no doubt he knew precisely what he was doing, arraying himself in such a way at a particular time of the day to impress his audience. Josephus says that his royal robes were made wholly of silver and that he came into the theater early in the morning in order that his garment might be “illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun’s rays.”

And the crowd responded as though he were a god in the flesh, that those who looked intently at him were filled with horror, and cried out, “Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.” In other words, while we once treated you a mere mortal, now we see that you’re a god!

Then what does Luke say there in verse 23,

English Standard Version Chapter 12

23 Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

And Josephus goes on to write,

“A severe pain ... arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. He therefore looked upon his friends, and said, “I, whom you call a god, am commanded presently to depart this life; while Providence thus reproves the lying words you just now said to me; and I, who was by you called immortal, am immediately to be hurried away by death. But I am bound to accept of what Providence allots, as it pleases God; for we have by no means lived ill, but in a splendid and happy manner.” When he said this, his pain had become violent. … Now the king rested in a high chamber … and when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life, being in the fifty-fourth year of his age, and in the seventh year of his reign;”

It’s incredible to see how well the accounts parallel one another, however, it’s Luke’s account that’s inspired. He gives us the inspired reason behind Herod’s unexpected death, that the same angel who had struck Peter in the side and instructed him to “Get up quickly!” had also struck Herod down, contrasting Peter’s deliverance with Herod’s judgment.

The end for God’s enemies

Now, this contrast is intended to encourage the church, that while the church will suffer persecution at the hands of her enemies, there is a certain end which awaits all of God’s enemies. Isaiah 51:7-8 says, “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.”

Many ministers today preach a god who is essentially harmless. A god who has little concern for our sin, who never judges, and who exists mainly to affirm us and make us feel better about ourselves. But that is not the God of the Bible. The same God who delivered Peter from prison struck down Herod Agrippa, and had him eaten by worms. He is holy. And while he is good, he is not safe. While he is patient, but He will not be mocked. While he is merciful to the humble, He opposes the proud.

And while he would have every right to strike us all down justly for our sins today, just as he did Herod, he doesn’t. Instead he made an example out of Herod, just as he made examples out of Ananias and Sapphira back in Acts chapter 5. On one hand, Herod’s death is a neon warning sign against sin and rebellion, but on the other hand it’s a reminder that God will defend his church, and that his enemies will not prevail, that Herod’s death is a reminder of the end that awaits all of God’s enemies. As Psalm 2 puts it, that while “the kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. And he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, on my holy hill.”

At first, it may have seemed like Herod had gotten away with executing James and seeking to kill Peter, but he hadn’t and he wouldn’t get away with it. The Lord would arise and defend his church. Listen to Psalm 94, “O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth! Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve! O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush your people, O LORD, and afflict your heritage. They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

Have you ever prayed like that? Does a scripture like that make you uncomfortable? Well, it shouldn’t. There are many psalms like this in Scripture, they’re called imprecatory psalms. An imprecatory psalm is a prayer that calls upon God to bring judgement, justice, or destruction on His enemies or the enemies of his people. Now, imprecatory prayers are not expressions of personal vengeance, they are intended to express a zeal for God’s justice and the vindication of his people, they’re concerned that evil not triumph, they’re a desire that God would judge the wicked and uphold righteousness, they typically arise out of situations of severe injustice or persecution, they’re addressed to God and they trust in God’s justice. I cannot help but wonder if the church would have prayed like this while they were under threat from Herod, while Peter was facing execution.

God opposes the proud

I also want to point out how this particular event demonstrates just how much God hates pride. You see, Herod’s arrogance had reached a particular limit, until the Lord would permit it no further. It was pride that caused Adam and Eve to fall in the garden, the desire to be like God. This is why the Serpent said to Eve, “for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, distinguishing between good and evil.” We want to be the ones who distinguish between good and evil, we don’t want to submit to God’s law, we want to make our own laws to suit our own desires.

You see, pride is the idolatry of self. It says, “I am, and God is not.” Pride believes it is god and therefore exalts itself above God. Pride seeks to rob God of his glory, and to take it for its own. It seeks to displace and to suppress all knowledge about God. You see, the reason you resist God is your pride. Pride is hostile to God. You value yourself more than God, therefore submitting to God becomes impossible for you, because it requires knocking yourself off the throne. This is why we don’t like authority, because we don’t like another telling us what to do.

Pride thinks it has no need for God and is dependent upon no one, pride believes it’s the source of life, this is what Scripture calls the pride of life. That you’re self-sufficient, and in need of no one. Pride is therefore by nature ungrateful, willfully ignorant that it has nothing that it didn’t first receive. And because pride believes it is all-sufficient it boasts only in itself, it boasts in its abilities, its knowledge, its strength, and its good works. Pride thinks it knows better and is better. This is why mean don’t believe they need God, because they’re good enough, that they don’t require his mercy. Instead, pride find God’s mercy offensive.

Pride thinks too highly of itself than it ought to, it thinks it’s more valuable, more competent, more intelligent, and more significant than others. Therefore, pride thinks it’s owed something, pride believes it’s entitled to something. Pride is ungrateful because it thinks it deserves everything. Pride exalts itself to a position it does not deserve, therefore, pride thinks it should be adored, pride admires itself, pride thinks it should be worshiped. Pride is the supreme love of self. Pride only seeks for its own good. Pride only seeks its own glory. Pride is selfish. Pride thinks of itself more significant than others. This is why people to tend to talk almost exclusively about themselves and expect others to listen, while they immediately checkout the moment others start to speak.

Pride is insidious. Our most pure motives are rarely without some degree of pride. We want some of the credit, some of the glory, some of the praise. It’s even possible to be proud of our unworthiness. This is often called false humility, or self-centered humility. This includes things like self-loathing, cowardice, and pretended humility, or what we might call a humble brag.

But Scripture teaches repeatedly that “God opposes the proud!”, and Isaiah 48:11 says, “My glory I will not give to another!” Proverbs 16:5 says, “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Conclusion

You see, there is only one God, there is only one who is all-sufficient, there is only one who deserves all the glory, there is only one law-giver, there is only one who sits on the throne, and there is only one who is to be worshiped, and it’s not you. And it wasn’t Herod. Herod was immediately struck him down by an angel of the Lord because he thought he was. Because he did not give God the glory, instead he wanted it for himself. You see this is the chief end of man, to glorify God. And you should ask yourself whether this is your life’s aim to glorify God or to glorify yourself? Will you be found opposing God? Or will you humble yourself under his mighty hand?

We’re not left without hope, you see, while Scripture says that God resists the proud he also says that he gives grace to the humble.

Prayer