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Prepare Your Heart
To the best of your ability, get rid of all distractions. Take a few minutes to breathe deeply and quiet yourself in the Lord’s presence. Then, ask the Lord to speak to you in this time. Let Him know that you will listen and make whatever adjustments He will reveal to you.
Read God’s Word
A Verse for Today
Slowly and reflectively read the following verse(s) and listen to what God will say to you through His written Word. Consider writing down any insights He reveals to you.
Acts 12:22-23 (CSB): “The assembled people began to shout, ‘It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!’ At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.”
Reflecting on God’s Word
In Acts 12:20-23, we read that Herod had been angry at the people of Tyre and Sidon. With his almost completely unchecked power, the people of Tyre and Sidon would be helpless against Herod’s actions should he desire to harm them.
On a particular occasion, Herod stood to speak as the people of Tyre and Sidon listened. Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, wrote that Herod wore a silver robe that reflected spectacularly in the sun as he spoke (Antiquities of the Jews [19. 8. 2]). The people of Tyre and Sidon used that occasion to lay it on thick. They flattered Herod after his speech by saying: “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!”
Whether or not Herod caught on to their ulterior motives for saying such a ridiculous thing, he loved what they said. He loved that, at least in their words, they were saying that he was a god and not a mere mortal. The people of Tyre and Sidon were playing him like a fiddle, but he didn’t care. He loved what they had said.
This clearly crossed the line with the Lord. The Bible says that: “At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.” Josephus tells us that he died five days after the speech in severe pain in his stomach area.
What’s the lesson for us to learn here? Simply that God will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42:8). He alone is God, and we are not. We can do absolutely nothing apart from Him (John 15:5).
The account in Acts 12 makes us abundantly clear that God despises it when we take credit for what He made possible.
So, give Him glory. Enjoy that you are being used by God. But never take the credit to yourself when others celebrate what you’ve done. Point them to Jesus who made it possible.
Spend Time in Prayer
- Ask God to help you to understand that you are nothing (and can do nothing) apart from Him.
- Ask God to help you quickly point to Him when others would seek to applaud you.
Going Deeper
If you want to dig a little deeper into what it means and why it’s wrong to steal God’s glory, consider reading the following GotQuestions article:
“Why will God not give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8)?”
Sharing
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Matt Ellis is the pastor of White Hall Baptist Church in Richmond, Kentucky (whitehallbaptistchurch.org)
Matt’s Musings 