Saturday, November 1, 2014

Do you know the penalty for trying to steal God's glory? Acts 11-12

Acts 12:21-23
" On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died."

The above passage is written about King Herod.   In chapter 12 we read of a several events about this kings' life.   He was responsible, according to the first verses in the chapter, of killing James, the brother of John, one of the first disciples and an Apostle.   Herod then, seeing that this pleased the Jews, put Peter in jail.  When God miraculously set Peter free, King Herod had the guards killed that were supposed to be watching Peter.   Herod continued to persecute the church.    It should be noted, that for any one of these particular "crimes" or abuse of power, we would have wanted God to strike Herod dead.   But, God, in His mercy and grace allowed the man continue to lead and abuse others.   However, in the above passage we read that Herod is struck dead because of his pride and failure to give glory to God.   Pride is the ultimate sin against God.   It was pride that caused Satan to be tossed out of heaven.  It was pride that caused Eve to eat the fruit.  It was pride that caused Cain to kill Abel.  It was pride that caused David to commit adultery AND to kill Uriah to cover it up.   It was pride that caused Peter to deny he knew Christ.   It was pride that caused Ananias and Sapphire to SAY they sold their land for the money they were giving the church, when indeed they sold it for more.    Pride is what makes us lie, steal, promote ourselves, but ultimately steal the stage from God.    Like a junior high boy who pushes others out of the way to get noticed, we attempt to move God off the spotlight and steal it ourselves.  It is the thing God hates and must destroy.    God allowed Herod to do some wicked things and He used those wicked things to accomplish His mission.   Yet, He would not allow King Herod to steal glory from God.  Like King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel, who also tried to steal God's glory and God caused him to eat grass in the field, like a cow, for seven-years, God destroyed Herod.   Don't attempt to steal God's glory.  

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