Our passage today takes place in 44 AD. Since it is believed by historians that the crucifixion most likely took place in either 30 AD or 33 AD, we can see that anywhere from eleven to fourteen years have elapsed since Christ died and rose again. Following his embarrassing loss of the prisoner Peter, Herod returns to the resort town of Caesarea where he has a palace. "Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there." (Acts 12:19)
"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." (Acts 12:20) Herod has bigger fish to fry at the moment than chasing down the Apostle Peter. There are important political conflicts to settle. He has the ability to cut off the trade routes to the port cities of Tyre and Sidon, plus he has the ability to block food from going out of Palestine into those cities. The political leaders of those areas really have no choice but to settle their quarrel with Herod.
Herod loves to put on a show. He has been prevented from putting on a big production in Jerusalem by publicly trying and executing the Apostle Peter, so now he takes advantage of the situation with Tyre and Sidon to make a big deal of himself in Caesarea. "On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people." (Acts 12:21) The historian Josephus describes the royal robes as being "made wholly of silver", likely meaning that the fabric has a metallic sheen or reflective quality to it. I have the feeling that Herod had these robes made especially for this occasion. It's a sunny day and the shiny robes produce an impressive effect, according to Josephus, "The silver of his garment was illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it. It shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently on him." Satan has always tried to imitate Christ, and in this moment he attempts to imitate Him through the ungodly Herod, creating the illusion of a "transfiguration" such as Christ experienced on the mountain. (Matthew 17:2)
The reflective robes have the desired effect on 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." (Acts 12:22-23) Herod accepts worship as if he is a god. He doesn't point worship to the one true God but instead basks in the praises of his people. Because this blasphemy is the last straw, Luke tells us that an angel of the Lord strikes him with a malady that leads to his death.
Josephus tells us that after Herod fails to rebuke the people for their improper worship, "A severe pain also arose in his belly...His pain became violent. Accordingly he was carried into the palace, and the rumor went abroad that he would certainly die in a little time...And when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life, being in the fifty-fourth year of his age, and in the seventh year of his reign."
Josephus is not always regarded as an accurate historian, but obviously something in Herod's stomach or bowels led to his death, and there is no contradiction between the accounts of Luke and Josephus. Luke says Herod was immediately struck by the angel as he accepted the praise of his people, but he does not say that Herod died immediately. Josephus says it took five days for him to die, and I see no contradiction between that and Luke saying "he was eaten by worms and died". It might be expected that it would take several days or even longer for a heavy infestation of worms to cause a person's death. Some modern historians attribute Herod's fatal malady to the eating of unclean meats, especially pork, which if not cooked thoroughly can infest the eater with several types of worms. Herod Agrippa's grandfather, Herod the Great, also perished of a terrible and painful malady of the bowels which included the presence of worms. This does seem to indicate that the problem is not hereditary but caused by some type of uncleanness. Both these men were quite wicked and unclean in spirit, so there is a sense of poetic justice about their manner of death.
The man who intended to put a halt to the growing church by executing Peter instead dies himself in an excruciating manner. Luke feels that Herod got what he deserved and he wants us to understand that God always has the last word. Justice will be served at the proper time and in the proper way by the God who will not be mocked and by the God who avenges His people.
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