Acts 12:20-25 - Agrippa judged

 After Peter's deliverance, we learned that King Agrippa I left for Caesarea. Acts 12:20 indicates that he and the people of Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon, were engaged in a diplomatic skirmish. The issue was about the supplies of grains that the people of Phoenicia received from the province of Galilee. Hence they were keen to pursue peace with the King.

The Phoenicians managed to win over Blastus, Herod's Chamberlain, or a trusted personal servant in their pursuit for peace with the king. So a day was set where the king would give them a royal audience.  

Overrating himself, Herod put on a pompous display on that day. He wore a glittering robe, ascended a special seat made for the occasion and was making an elaborated speech to the people.

As Agrippa I was making his speech, the people kept hurling flattery at the the king. They attributed his speech to that of a god and not human. And Agrippa did not refute their impious flattery.

So verse 23 tells us, "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." He stole God's glory hence the Divine judgment fell on him.  He was struck dead. The worms were reckoned to be the final devourer of the mortal bodies.

With Agrippa's death, Luke again gave another summary indicating that the church grew. This chapter concluded with the return of Barnabas and Saul from their relief mission. Here we also see the introduction of John Mark, an important addition to the ongoing story of the advancement of the Gospel.

Agrippa sought to steal God's glory. His downfall and death was precipitated by his inability to recognize that God alone deserves the glory.  He did not rightly appraise himself. Neither did he have any regard for God. Hence his acceptance of the impious flattery of the people which led him to his tragic end.

According to the grace given to each of us, let us have a sane estimate concerning ourselves. Who we are and what we can potentially become are all due to God's grace.

Let's not for a moment think that our achievement is an act of our own ingenuity. Who we are is God's gift to us. And by His grace what we become will be our gift to God.