Acts 12:21-23

DISCOURSE: 1774
THE EVIL OF PRIDE

Acts 12:21. 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.

IN almost all the instances of judicial punishment recorded in Scripture, we see a remarkable correspondence between the punishment, and the sin on account of which it was inflicted: and it seems to be especially designed of God, in order that he might be the more manifestly “known in the judgments which he executeth.” In the passage before us, we are informed, that Herod was greatly offended with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but, at the intercession of his own chamberlain, he forgave them. On this occasion he delivered to them an oration, probably in part at least on the subject of his own clemency: and they, struck with the splendour of his appearance, and perhaps with the force of his eloquence, or, more probably, desiring to conciliate him by flattery, exclaimed, that the voice which they heard, was the voice of a god, rather than a man. With these plaudits Herod was highly gratified: and instantly God, by the instrumentality of an angel, smote him with a disease in his bowels, so acute and terrible, that, as the Jewish historian informs us, he was constrained to acknowledge before that very assembly, that God had punished him for not rejecting with abhorrence their impious acclamations, and that they would soon see an end of their god.—Accordingly, the worms that were thus formed in his body, preyed upon his vitals, and devoured him in the space of about five days: so that his degradation was as manifest as his pride had been presumptuous.

We propose to consider more fully,

I. His sin—

Whether the excellence of his oration was real or imaginary, his crime was the same; “He gave not God the glory of it.” Now this is, in truth, as common a sin as any that can be named: for where is there a person possessed of either natural endowments, or acquired distinctions, who does not pride himself in them, instead of giving the glory of them to the Lord? The female thinks but little of God, when her beauty is admired; or the man, when he is celebrated for his strength and valour. The man of learning, or of skill in arts, or who has advanced himself by successful industry to great opulence, readily accepts the adulation paid to his talents and success; little thinking that it is “God alone who has made him to differ” from others, or “given him the power to get wealth.” Perhaps the generality will allow this to be an infirmity incident to our nature; but few, if any, conceive of it as an heinous sin; whereas it is, in reality, a sin of awful magnitude. It is,

1. A denial of God’s goodness—

[God is “the Author of every good and perfect gift,” in creation, in providence, and in grace. Whatever we possess, we must say with the Apostle, “He that hath wrought us for this self-same thing, is God [Note: 2 Corinthians 5:5.].” If any person have a right to ascribe glory to himself, methinks it is the conqueror, whose valour overcomes his enemy: but God in a particular manner charged his people, when they should be brought into the quiet possession of the land of Canaan, not to imagine that “their power, or the might of their hand, had gotten them that wealth,” but to acknowledge it all as given them by their God [Note: Deuteronomy 8:7; Deuteronomy 8:11; Deuteronomy 8:18.]. When therefore we withhold these acknowledgments, we do, in fact, deny that they are due to God, and impiously assume to ourselves the honour that is due to him alone. In a word, we tread in the very steps of Herod, and commit the sin which brought on him such tokens of God’s displeasure.]

2. An invasion of his prerogative—

“God has made all things for himself;” and “his glory he will not give to another.” But, if we take to ourselves the glory which is due to him, we put ourselves, as it were, into his place, and become a god unto ourselves. This may appear too strong a representation; but it is the very construction which Jehovah himself puts upon such conduct. The city of Tyre was greatly enriched, and raised to a high rank among the surrounding nations: and the governors, instead of acknowledging the providence of God in their elevation, ascribed it wholly to themselves, and confided in it as a source of continued security. Hear now how God speaks to them respecting it: “Son of man, say unto the Prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord God; Because thine heart is lifted up, and them hast said, ‘I am God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas;’ yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God [Note: Ezekiel 28:2. Compare also Habakkuk 1:15.].” Nor let it be imagined that this is done only by an actual assumption of these honours to ourselves: Herod did not claim the honours that were ascribed to him; but he was pleased with them; and acquiesced in the judgment of his admirers, instead of reproving it. Paul and Barnabas, when divine honours were offered to them, rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, and expostulated with them in the strongest terms [Note: Acts 14:9.]: and it was Herod’s sin that he accepted the flattery, instead of reprobating it with indignation. In like manner the receiving with complacency the flattering unction of human applause, trifling as it may appear to us, is a very heinous sin in the sight of God.]

The evil of his sin may be further seen in the greatness of,

II.

His punishment—

Pride, above all things, provokes “a jealous God;” and the whole creation are ready to vindicate the honour of his injured Majesty. As, in the plagues of Egypt, frogs and lice were ready to inflict punishment on the hardened monarch, so, in Herod’s case, “worms” sprang forth, as it were, into existence, to avenge the quarrel of Jehovah. Nor shall such an impious disposition ever pass unpunished.

1. God has punished it in many instances—

[See where man has made himself the author of the great things which have been wrought by him; how strongly has God resented it [Note: Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 37:23.]! — — — See where man has made himself the end of his own actions; how fearfully has God manifested his indignation against the offending person [Note: Daniel 4:30.]! — — — See where only an undue complacency has been felt, as arising from the possession of the things which God himself has given; even that has excited great displeasure in the breast of the Almighty, and caused him to inflict the heaviest judgments [Note: Isaiah 39:3. with 2 Chronicles 32:25.] — — —]

2. He will punish it wherever it is indulged—

[If such a disposition be habitually indulged, God regards it as a proof of hypocrisy [Note: Habakkuk 2:4.]: and, though he is ever ready to give grace to the humble, he will assuredly resist, and abase, the proud [Note: James 4:6; Daniel 4:37.] — — — Though it break not forth into gross inconsistencies of conduct, yet, if it be harboured in the heart, we shall be held in utter abomination in the sight of God [Note: Proverbs 16:5.] — — —]

Reflections—
1.

What need have we to watch the motions of our hearts!

[God looks at the heart, and “searches it,” and sees every thought of it [Note: Ezekiel 11:5.], and puts the true construction upon every motion of it, and will call us into judgment for all its most secret imaginations [Note: 1 Corinthians 4:5.]. Alas! how many proud, conceited, self-complacent thoughts has he there beheld! Do we not then need to humble ourselves before him, and to “pray, that the thoughts of our hearts may be forgiven us [Note: Acts 8:22.]?” — — —]

2. How careful should we be of using any flattering words!

[Men flatter others because they know that flattery is pleasant to the carnal mind: but it is that very pleasure which offends God, and brings down his judgments on the soul. How cruel then is it to expose a brother to such a danger! Would we put poison into his hands just to gratify his palate, when we knew that it would speedily put an end to his existence? How then can we seek to gratify his mind at the expense of his soul? This is a thought peculiarly important for those who hear the Gospel faithfully administered: they are apt to forget that ministers are men of like passions with themselves; and that God particularly forbad that a novice should be admitted into the ministry, “lest being lifted up with pride, he should fall into the condemnation of the devil.” Bear in mind, brethren, that flattery is an ordeal which few can bear [Note: Proverbs 27:1.]; and that he who makes use of it, “spreads a net for his brother’s feet [Note: Proverbs 29:5.].”]