THE DEATH OF HAROD AGRIPPA

Acts 12:20-23 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Herod the Great was ruler of Palestine during the days of Jesus' birth. The Herod noted here was the grandson of Herod the Great. He was identified, and distinguished from the other Herods, as Herod Agrippa who ruled the tetrarchy of Judea for approximately seven years, beginning in the year of A.D. 37. These were the formative and growth years of the church of Christ, which began on the Day of Pentecost following the death of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Although the lesson text is relatively short, it is the only biblical description of the events leading up to the death of this ruler, Herod Agrippa.

For some reason that is not given in the lesson text, Herod was highly displeased with them (the inhabitants) of Tyre and Sidon. With the help of some biblical historians it seems possible that some preferences and administrative actions, that he took, jeopardized the businesses that existed in these seacoast cities, which relied heavily on commercial trade and traffic for their livelihood. For these reasons, or possibly other reasons, Herod was highly displeased with them. The words translated here indicate a displeasure that was extremely hostile. Fearing some military action against them, the leaders of the people of these two cities united together and sent representatives desiring a peaceful reconciliation of any differences that may have come between them and their ruler, Herod.

It seems that the main reason they desired peace was because their country was nourished by the king's country. Tyre and Sidon were seaport cities having little land to grow life-sustaining crops of fruits, grains, and vegetables. They were dependant on the interior countries of Palestine over which Herod Agrippa also ruled. Therefore, he had the power to restrict their food supplies, a fact that jeopardized their existence. In order to avoid the catastrophe this would bring, the leaders of Tyre and Sidon, either by bribery or some other means, gained a friendship with Blastus, the chamberlain of Herod. In this position, Blastus was a personal guard of Herod, and as such, he no doubt was his trusted friend and advisor, and could assuredly influence Herod to show favor to the inhabitants of these two cities.

Many bible scholars speculate as to the reason Herod came to speak to the people of Tyre and Sidon, but whatever the occasion, it is evident that the things he said to them was to their favor. Dressed in his royal apparel, (he) sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them that seemed to please their every desire. His speech could have assured these inhabitants that he would do nothing to adversely affect the commercial livelihood of their seacoast location, and that he would continue to supply them with food from the interior provinces to sustain their physical lives. This is evidently what they desired to hear. And when they did, the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. In the writings of Josephus, he records this reply by the people to Herod on this occasion. They shouted "Be thou merciful unto us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a king, yet shall we henceforth own thee as a superior to mortal nature."

Because the people looked upon Herod as an immortal being, and because he sought such praise and honor from the people, God, at once, intervened to prove Herod was a mere mortal. The lesson text tells us that immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. Josephus continued his historical record of this occasion by saying that Herod "did neither rebuke them [the people] nor reject their impious flattery. A severe pain arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. And when he was quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life, in the 54 th year of his age, and the 7 th year of his reign." What a great lesson for all ages. Human respect, but never divine adoration, is to be paid to our governmental leaders.