Acts 12:19-24 Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing 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. On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.
In the above focus we see a conundrum to our rational minds. We see a wicked king who has gained great respect from the Jewish people for persecuting God’s anointed, the Lord Jesus’ closest followers and friends. These people who Herod is harassing are God’s special people, chosen by Jesus as his apostles. James and Peter were with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Herod received no immediate retribution for beheading James; therefore, without adverse consequences, he imprisons Peter, intending to behead him also after the Passover. Of course, Jesus the Christ knew this kind of thing would happen to his followers, but it had to hurt his heart as Herod was carrying out his wicked deeds, persecuting the people Jesus loved and protected while on earth. For Herod to be so bold against Jesus’ followers and the Father’s plan of redemption, one would think that God would strike Herod dead on the spot. But we do not see this quick retribution in Herod’s life, and for that fact, neither in the elite priests’ lives. They seem to have gotten away with their attempt to thwart God’s plan of redemption for all humans. However, God does punish Herod with death after he accepted honor from people for a speech he gave to the leaders of Tyre and Sidon. They were probably praising Herod profusely because they were in desperate need of the grains that were produced in Israel. Therefore, after Herod’s oration to them, They shouted, This is the voice of a god, not of a man. Herod’s acceptance of their praise without honoring God brought immediate retribution from God. Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down. For us it seems as if God should have struck him dead the minute he decided to persecute the church of the living God. He was interfering with God’s salvation plan, a mystery hidden in God’s heart from the beginning of time. This mystery of redemption of mankind through faith in Jesus the Lord, the Son of God was the primary purpose for mankind’s existence. God’s intentions were to make humans his sons and daughters. Therefore in historical accounts of humans, we see the fall, the battle between good and evil, the struggle of faith, and the law given to reveal the righteousness of God. We see the dispersion of his chosen people to other lands because of their idol worshipping. Later, Jesus comes to earth and gives his life for the redemption of mankind. Subsequently, after Christ's resurrection from the grave, the Holy Spirit comes to infill believers to do Christ’s work. All of this was in the heart of God from the beginning, but Herod boldly interferes with this plan without any adverse consequences. Later, however, by accepting praise from people as if he were a god, Herod received immediate retaliation. In the above focus we are exposed clearly to the sovereign will of God. He will do what He wants when He wants to do it. Man’s thoughts about life and how things should be in a rational world are not necessarily part of God’s planning for human beings. Our wisdom and knowledge are not acceptable to God. As Paul wrote, For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. (1 Corinthians 3:19) We would strike Herod down immediately for touching God’s anointed: James and Peter. But God does not retaliate because of Herod’s destructiveness to the nascent church of God. Instead, He chooses to strike Herod down for a different reason, one that we might consider to be just the nature of a narcissistic man who has a lot of power. For us accepting self-indulgence praise from people seems minuscule compared with interfering with God’s plan of redemption for humans.
To perceive God’s mysterious plan for humankind is sometimes difficult for us. We often see a mishmash of events in the historical accounts of humans. When we look at God’s chosen people's history, we see they had 39 kings who ruled their two kingdoms: Judah and Israel. The nineteen kings who ruled Israel all were wicked. A rational question we might ask is how can a chosen people whose spiritual father is Abraham have only wicked kings as their rulers? This does not make sense to us. We would design a redemption plan with better people. And in Judah, considered the good kingdom, only eight kings out of twenty rulers were considered good by God. The Jews' history is like scrambled eggs, seemingly a mess, a hodgepodge of good and evil. But as with Herod at his death, the sovereignty of God cannot be questioned. Paul states very clearly that the wisdom of God is beyond the understanding of the wisdom of men and women. Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him. God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom. (1 Corinthians 1:20-22) We see that man cannot detect God by analyzing the history of mankind, not even in looking at God’s chosen people, the Jews. Man desires to find God through his own wisdom or knowledge. The Greeks look for him through their rational minds; the Jews want a sign so that they might have knowledge that He exists. But as with the focus this morning, God does not kowtow to the wisdom of the understanding of mankind. God should have destroyed Herod for persecuting the body of Christ, but instead God chose to kill a narcissistic man for accepting unwarranted praises of men. But the foolishness of preaching about faith in Christ’s work exceeds the wisdom and knowledge of the rational mind. It seems out of place in a world where men and women attain good things by their efforts. A free gift of eternal life from the hand of God seems unreasonable, ignoring the involvement of the human race other that faith in Jesus and his works. However, for those who acknowledge Christ’s work through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we know this fabulous redemption to life eternal did not come through the wisdom, knowledge or understanding of the minds of humans. As Paul states about the mysterious plan of God, We speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:6-10) The Spirit of God has come to mankind to reveal clearly the message of redemption. The result of that message is so great that it exceeds our imaginations: no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love him.
As we experience the vicissitudes of life, we sometimes question the goodness of God, for life can become very difficult. We can find James' words as an affront to our present situation, not being sympathetic enough to our struggles in life. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:2-5) We find our wisdom concerning the way things ought to go for believers is being tested. Why are the Herod’s in our lives still allowed to pester us. Why are our foes: sickness, adversity, troubles of all sorts allowed by God to be in our lives. Why not kill them off! God is the universe maker. Why does He allow such things in his chosen people’s lives? Why allow James to be beheaded by a wicked man, and then he receives no retribution for such an evil deed? Why can be our cry. But as with the apostles, we are the first-fruits of the inheritors of eternal life with God as his children. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:16-18) We, as all who are redeemed, are God’s first-fruit or new creatures, born again. And with Paul, who understood well that we have been made holy, we still must move forward in our walk with Christ. Even though our lives may seem difficult, beyond our endurance, our assignment is to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) We ARE CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH with the promise in our lives that God will bless us with eternal life and with honoring us in heaven as Jesus Christ is honored. All of creation will know our stature when we are with God, as Jesus is lifted up in the domain of the heavenly’s, we too will be lifted up as children of the Eternal Father. Jesus has won for us an eternal covenant with God. A promise for us that goes beyond our imagination. This is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord. (Isaiah 59:21) Breakfast companions, can you believe this promise to you? Your children and your children's children will be present with God forever, honoring God and his redemptive plan. Yes, all of this is difficult to see with the rational mind, the limited understanding and knowledge within humans who are caught in the milieu of time. But God is sovereign: He will do what He desires and when He desires. Herod’s demise came, but in God’s time, not based on our understanding. When all seems fruitless and dying in you, hear Paul’s response when young Eutychus, who was listening to Paul’s ministry, fell three stories from a windowsill, seemingly lying there dead. Paul goes to him and proclaims: HE IS ALIVE. (Acts 20:10) Regardless of the circumstances in your life, the sovereign Lord proclaims, YOU ARE ALIVE IN ME! Rejoice in that resurrection life today, thanking God for his eternal plan for your soul.
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