Read 12:1-5, 18-25
I. Herod’s Position In Life
Herod Agrippa I, king of Israel grandson of Herod the Great.
Devoted to the Roman Empire.
Also won the affection of the Jews.
Difficult to do. Romans hated in Israel. Much fighting between Jews and Romans.
Romans- polytheistic. Jews- monotheistic
Frequent fighting. King needed to keep the peace.
The Jews especially hated the Herods.
Herods were Idumeans, distant relatives of Jews, considered themselves Jewish.
The Herods were Edomites, descendants of Esau.
The Herods considered themselves Jews of sorts.
The Jews didn’t consider them relatives at all.
Though the Jews didn’t like the Romans, or the Herods, they liked this Herod.
Why did this Herod gain favor with the Jews?
He was related to Jews by blood.
Grandmother- descendant of Macabbeans. Great Jewish family of Israel.
Herod’s wife also had Maccabean bloodline.
He claimed Jewish roots and Jewish family ties even more than other Herods.
II. Herod’s Methods
Crafty politician- Roman citizen. Lived a dual cultural and religious life.
Honored Jewish feasts and laws while in Jerusalem.
Trips to Caesarea provided escape from Jewish living- lived like a Roman.
Caesarea was a Roman city in Israel.
Provided a cultural escape for Romans soldiers serving in Israel.
Attacked Christians in order to gain Jewish support.
Harasses the church.
Beheads James. Typical capitol punishment for Jews was by stoning
Mishna (Jewish commentary) said beheading was for murder or apostacy.
Perhaps Herod tries to wins favor by executing James in that manner.
Herod- powerful, wealthy, significant position.
Power often translates into wealth.
Knew how to gain power, even through violence.
Herod was full of himself. Power went to his head. Lawless man.
James’ execution not acc. to Roman law. Apologize/defend later.
Mishandles power b/c of arrogance. Above the law. Cruel, violent, ruthless.
Herod did not act from a sense of right or wrong.
He did those things that would further his own ambition and approval.
Herod loved the approval of man.
Bad characteristics for any man, esp. for men in power.
This was an act of self-promotion. The actions of an ambitious and vain man.
Peter was taken during the feast of Unleavened Bread.
There would have been a million + pilgrims in Jerusalem at this time.
Herod’s arrest of Peter may have been arranged to give his apparent opposition against Christians the maximum exposure.
Would have gained Herod wide approval among Jews from other areas.
Given over to anger. Lost face re. Peter’s deliverance from prison.
Peter’s arrest and upcoming execution was well known.
Very embarrassing for Herod.
Resorts to murdering the guards to soften the embarrassment.
That was their punishment if they allowed a prisoner to escape.
Make people think the guards failed. Hide the miracle of God.
We can sometimes envy powerful people.
They often become the object of much flattery.
Seldom do they hear the truth about themselves.
No one wants to take that chance.
People are afraid of their power, or they want to get something from them.
Powerful people have the power to solve my problems.
Truth becomes harder to find for powerful people.
THE PROGRESSION
1st- People are afraid or unwilling to tell you the truth about yourself.
2nd- People tell you things that are not true. Flattery. Looking to gain.
3rd- Powerful person begins to believe the flattery, even the ridiculous.
They become disconnected with reality and begin to play the part.
III. Herod’s Destruction
19But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death.
When Herod loses face among the Jews, he retreats to the coast and to the Roman city of Caesarea.
20Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country.
Very angry- to meditate war. We are not told why Herod was angry with them.
They found someone close to the king, and sought to gain the King’s favor.
21So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them.
This was probably a day when sporting games were performed in honor of Caesar.
Josephus- “He put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of wonderful contexture, and early in the morning came into the theater…at which time the silver of his garment, being illuminated by the first reflection of the sun’s rays upon it, shone after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently on him.”
Herod orchestrates this event perfectly. He goes for maximum effect.
He arranges to be there as the sun is rising. Show business at it’s best.
Caesarea has a beautiful outdoor semi-circle theater.
Seats thousands. Stone construction covered with marble.
Seats face the ocean. Magnificent setting.
22And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
Josephus- He says, “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 unto us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a king, yet shall we henceforth own thee as a superior to mortal nature.’”
Josephus- Herod did not correct their blasphemous cries, but received them unto himself. He not only doesn’t stop it, but he receives and believes it.
Josephus- he “did neither rebuke them the people nor reject their impious flattery. A severe pain arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. And when he was quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life, in the 54th year of his age, and the 7th year of his reign.”
How could Herod accept this?
He wasn’t a god. He had just lost a prisoner in Jerusalem.
He didn’t even know where Peter was.
He didn’t know how he had escaped.
Pure nonsense to say that Herod was a god.
Pure nonsense to believe it.
23Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
24But the word of God grew and multiplied.
Because he was willing to receive the worship due to God. It was the more sinful in him as he was a Jew, and was acquainted with the true God, and with the evils of idolatry. He was proud, and willing to be flattered, and even adored. He had sought their applause; he had arrayed himself in this splendid manner to excite admiration; and when they carried it even so far as to offer divine homage, he did not reject the impious flattery, but listened stir to their praises. Hence, he was judged; and God vindicated his own insulted honor by inflicting severe pains on him, and by a most awful death.
Flattery- telling you something that isn’t true about you, or is exaggerated.
Done in order to gain something.
Webster’s- to praise excessively especially with motives of self interest.
Encouragement is good. Flattery is bad.
God shares so much with us, but He will not share His glory.
Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another.
The danger for a Herod is…
1. Success in having your own way. Talented, intelligent, good bloodline, good position in life. Advantages and hard work produce a level of success that surrounds you with people who will not tell you the truth about yourself.
2. People begin to flatter you, and you believe it.
Sometimes the method of self help groups & success seminars. They flatter you.
3. You believe the flattery, and begin to live it out. Self gain, promotion, focus.
4. This is the epitome of rejecting God and exalting yourself.
5. Turn to Matthew 6:19-34