The Disease of Royalty

Acts 12:20 "And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied."

King Herod's got worms!

There is much said in these verses. Normally, what is taken away is that Herod the King died a gruesome death! Since Herod Agrippa is known to have died in 44 A.D. it is this exact time that the Lord blessed the budding church. Keeping in mind my last commentary on "the angel of God" ( Jesus Freed Peter), it was Jesus who smote King Herod! Why?

Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God..."

I know what the theologian in you is thinking "This was not Jesus. He's in heaven. This was a true angel; not Jesus." That may be the case, but I see it otherwise. Others have commented to that effect, but my commentary is as valid as the next on spiritual matters. I believe it was Jesus, jealous of the adoration of a false king, who smote Herod. That's not only poetic justice, but is symbolic of the way we will be judged when our time comes!

Acts 10: 42 "And he (Jesus) commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he (Jesus) which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead."

Most say "Jesus is all about love. He can't punish evil by sending people to hell!" Jesus is "good" for "only God is good" (Matthew 19:17). However, being God, and a just God, Jesus will be our judge just as he judged Herod. Jesus didn't "send Herod to his death"; Herod  elected death, both temporal and eternal for he had the ultimate opportunity to accept Jesus just as you and I do!

Jesus judges the "quick" (living) as he judged Herod, and Herod will face Jesus again at the "Great White Throne Judgment". Jesus will judge "the dead".

From Acts 12:20 "they came with one accord to him (Herod)" It is to be remembered from Acts 2:1 that before the Holy Spirit came upon the Christians in Jerusalem, and later occasions, the Christians were all of "one accord".  It seems that the Spirit of Jesus manifests himself when his disciples are in unity. Compare that to those around Herod: they were of one accord. There were those in unity in sin. Herod was a type of antichrist. He is symbolic of the Antichrist of the last days.

Just as his subjects worshiped Herod in one accord, The people of the Tribulation Period will worship the Antichrist in one accord. Herod sat on his throne before the people and those around him had "another God besides him" (Exodus 20:3). Herod relished this type of worship!  Herod had been "displeased with them" (Acts 12:20). It is inferred that because he was no longer "displeased" after they worshiped him, calling him a god (verse 22), he became highly pleased!

Herod sinned the same sin as did King Saul. Saul saw fit to make the decisions of Samuel, the Chief Priest, and he in effect relished in how he was able to exalt himself (1 Samuel 13). Herod was religious, but not spiritual. He did believe in God, but he didn't obey nor revere God. Herod as did Saul before him revered himself. He relished in the idea that his subjects appointed him God!

Their is an unpardonable sin. It's rejection of Jesus, even his Holy Spirit.

Mark 3:29 "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation."

"Blasphemy" is failure to revere Jesus Christ. Herod blasphemed by worshiping "another god before God".   He probably still believed in God, but he enjoyed being god. His god was truly himself! Herod didn't have a problem with worshiping man-made idols. He worshiped his own flesh. He felt pride in the adoration being received as he sat upon his royal throne!

We all sit on our thrones as well. Upon his throne sat Herod in his royal apparel. His were robes and jewelry, I'm certain, but he had other royal apparel as well! He had self-esteem, pride, pleasure, wealth, lust and many other robes which are the apparel of sinners. It wasn't his robes and wealth, which damned him, but his self-worship! What royal robes do you wear if you make Jesus jealous? The same royal robes worn by Herod. Just as Christians are of "the royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9) akin to Jesus, sinners are royal priests of Herod and wear his royal apparel. If it's not Christ we worship, it's an antichrist. Just as Herod is an antichrist, anyone who blasphemes against God is an antichrist!

Jesus judged Herod. He died a mortal death. Because of his blasphemy I would expect Herod to have died a spiritual death as well on that day. He failed to become a servant to Jesus. He never submitted to Christ. Right now his robes are gone and someday he will stand naked in front of Jesus (as did Adam). God had mercy on Adam because he was sorry and humbled. I don't think with Herod I saw that humility. God allowed Adam to live. Herod was eaten of worms and died, both a mortal death and spiritual death. Death is the great equalizer. It destroys other gods!

"But Herod was evil!" you say. "He deserved hell!" That's not your decision. Unless you bow to Jesus on bended knee and confess your sins and turn to him, your own destiny is standing right there alongside Herod, not in adoration any longer, but hate for being misled!

Romans 14:11 "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."

Herod will bow to Jesus! You will too! Herod never made the living sacrifice required to serve Jesus. Someday he will acknowledge on his knees begging in front of Jesus: "Please forgive me! I beg for mercy. You are the true and only King!" To that will come the response:

 Matthew 7:23 "And then will I (Jesus) profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

With that said, Herod will get off his knees. It's too late then for him to turn from god to servant! He will cry and scream out of fear. What's more those who failed to learn from Herod's error, will walk beside him. They will hate their own Herod. They will hate their own god... their own "Self"!

Those who endeavor to be kings, fail to see the King! Whosoever makes himself a god, will never be with God!