The occasion of the text in Acts 12:20-25 was for peace overtures made by certain cities to King Herod to have a grain trade agreement since they were dependent on him. This is not so dissimilar of our own political environment in this world today. This chapter opens with Herod’s attempt to destroy the church and closes with his own destruction. In addition, we see a believer who is smitten for his deliverance and an unbeliever smitten for his death. It seems that Herod appeared on stage before an audience wearing a robe shining in the morning sun. Suddenly he was smitten with pain in his side and had to be carried off. After suffering excruciating pain, he died. His was the story of a man who came to the end of his own road and what dangers he caused to be waiting there.
Romans 1:28 reflects on men who became set in their own way. Realize that our conscience can be calloused when it’s too late to respond to the Holy Spirit’s bidding. As in the cases of many who do not turn to God and serve him, Herod enjoyed wrong without considering that there were consequences that lay ahead. He had everything but that everything he lived for was worthless. How unfortunate this is for so many people who engulf themselves in the wrong things in this world and come to the end of the road facing the next world.
Refer with me to Matthew 12:36,37 and Revelation 20:11-15 that details about people suffering for their sins. Do not be mistaken. The sins unbelievers commit are on record in heaven. However, the motivation they had for committing their sins centered around the rejection of Christ. In the case of Christians, sin does not rob them of heaven, but it could rob them of their greater reward just as it increases the damnation of unbelievers. Herod had no intention of serving God which meant that his sin involved other people while excluding God.
Herod schemed his own failure. It is quite a comparison to the Scripture in Psalm 2:1-5. Notice in verse 24 of Acts 12 is the powerful word “but” which stands in contrast to the world as the church succeeds under God’s blessing and direction. Herod stood before those people seeking their approval only to trade that moment for an unhappy eternity. The patience of God should not be mistaken for sanctioning. Eventually we will all come to the end of our road.
The purpose of this blog is to draw attention to several contrasts. The first is a contrast between the unbeliever and the believer. The second contrast is a consequence to be experienced by the unbeliever versus the believer. The third contrast is to take notice that a patient God is not to be trifled with because his patience will run out. The fourth contrast is that we make our life what it is and that we are not merely reading a script forced upon us.
We generate what we experience in this life and what we will experience in the next life. Most importantly, the fifth contrast is that God out of his infinite love calls us to serve him, honor him, and worshiped him. What a privilege we have coming into that eternal atmosphere already functioning for some here on earth! We can rejoice that God has made a way for us to accept it.
Glorify God with me that the consequence in contrast between Herod and believers is so remarkable that it is only what Christ could accomplish.
Christian Writer 