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Reading the 12th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, I realised that there are certain things God will simply gloss over, but there are others that move Him into taking certain drastic actions! One such is taking His glory.

The chapter opened with the murder of James (brother of John) by Herod (v.2), and there is no record of any intervention by God.

When Herod saw that this pleased the Jews he arrested Peter as well, intending to keep him confined till the Passover is over (v.4). Herod obviously knew how important the Passover was to the Jews and did not want to offend them with any bloodshed.

Digression:

The Jews celebrate Passover to commemorate their deliverance from Egypt. Following the Passover meal are seven days of unleavened bread, considered to be holy and not to be violated by any execution. These commemorate the days that the Israelites had to leave Egypt in so much hurry that they could not wait for their bread to rise; and had to eat it unleavened.

Leviticus 23:4-8

“These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed time. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord`s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it.“

(NKJV BIBLE)

The believers made earnest prayer for Peter when he was imprisoned (v. 5) and Peter was delivered by an angel on the night before he was supposed to be brought out (v.6-11). Again, this was a very quiet intervention, with no record of God doing anything to Herod. 

The situation, however, changed dramatically in vs. 21-23 where we read:

So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.

(NKJV BIBLE)

Herod got away with murder, then followed it with an attempted murder. These, I believe, emboldened him to begin to see himself as invincible, and ultimately spelt his doom.

Why did God not intervene when James was being murdered? Why did He deliver Peter from prison, and on the night before his presentation to the Jews for probable murder? Why was He so drastic when Herod decided not to give Him the glory?

I have absolutely no answers to these questions; but one lesson I have learnt is that it is very dangerous to become arrogant, and begin to feel so invincible that we think we are gods.

We take God’s glory when we do that, and that is a challenge to God’s authority.

He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5).

*VERSE TO REMEMBER*

“For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5)

*PRAYER*

Father, please help me not to take Your grace, Your mercies, and Your blessings for granted. In Jesus’ name.

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