King Herod Agrippa had a privileged upbringing in Rome. He enjoyed having power and wanted popularity but was self-centred: he was his own god. The Jews liked him because he appeased them, but he disliked minorities such as the coastal people of Tyre and Sidon, and also Christians. Having failed to secure Jewish approval, because God foiled Peter's execution (Acts 12:6-11), Herod's servant Blastus provided him with another opportunity to be popular.

Blastus was bribed by envoys from Tyre and Sidon to encourage Herod to see them. They desperately needed food, because Herod had stopped their supplies of grain to their towns as a punishment. But bribing the servant only secured an audience, not food. So when Herod made a public presentation, probably telling the people how kind and generous he was, the sycophantic envoys shouted out their praise. When Herod heard them saying that he was a god, he bathed in the glory of their compliments and thought very highly of himself (Romans 12:3).

God took a different view. Herod was a king but he had no right to accept such praise. By God's command his health failed, and he died. Josephus, a Jewish historian at the time, is less graphic about his illness but faithfully records the early death of the king. It is a true event in which God shows that He, and not any other authority has ultimate power. Herod refused to believe that, and God took away both his authority and his life. But He did trust the church to preach the gospel: and so the church grew as many people put their trust in Jesus.

Isaiah 42:8 says, "I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols." God is offended by all sin but to accept praise that belongs to Him, is dangerous foolishness. Peter refused to accept such adoration (Acts 10:25-26): so did Paul and Barnabas (Acts 14:11-18). Accepting, for ourselves, what belongs to God, was Achan's sin (Joshua 7:11, 20-21), King Saul's sin (1 Samuel 15:17-23), and the sin of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10). They all died. That peculiar mix of pride and blasphemy is obnoxious to God. If it lurks in you, repent and root it out quickly. If you have promised to give to God and have held back, repent and do what you promised (Ecclesiastes 5:4). God is well able to build His kingdom but unless you give Him what belongs to Him, He will do it without you.