Stealing God's Praise

Scripture – Acts 12:20-23: ²⁰Herod had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. ²¹On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. ²²They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” ²³Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Reflection: – Herod appears to have been a pretty unpleasant, self-centered sort of person. I think he enjoyed having power, even though he was in a mid-management position. The Roman Empire was in control of all the land. Herod still had to answer to them, even though he was the king of the Jews. My guess is he resented that. So he abused the power he had over the local people.

Here we see that the people of Tyre and Sidon depended on Herod for their food supply. So they tried to play up to him and pretend they really respected him.

On this particular day, he accepted the praise of the people as they equated him with God. Finally, the Lord had had enough. He was struck down, eaten by worms and died. What a nasty way to die! And it came about because he “did not give praise to God.”

I have to be careful about that. It’s easy to say, “Praise the Lord.” It’s harder to keep that clear in my own mind and heart. Today I will keep that consciously in mind. I will give God the praise that is His.