I am trying to remember where I read earlier (more correctly listened to as the Bible was read to me) where God killed this man, in the New Testament, ( I think I was listening to Acts). The man took credit that belonged to God. He allowed people to pay homage/ honor to him that belonged to God and what happened to him was scary.

Never mind I found it. Acts chapter 12.

Now I’m asking that every believer take some time out to read this chapter in particular verses 21-23 and here is why…

King Herod lost his life after people gave him the honor that belonged to God because he didn’t redirect that praise to God.

²¹ On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. ²² They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” ²³ 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 12:21-23 NIV

Let’s make it plain. He preached a sermon (delivered a public address) and because the people wanted peace with him due to the fact that they relied upon his country for their food supply, they gave him an honor that didn’t belong to him.

²² They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.”

Acts 12:22 NIV

Did they really mean it? Not having lived during that time, it’s hard to say. But I will venture out to say that they were just trying to appease him because prior to this there was a lot of quarreling that had been happening back and forth.

Prior to this, King Herod had killed some of his guards because Peter had divinely been released from jail and the guards couldn’t account for his whereabouts. Then, he moved from Judea to Caesarea in order to deal with an issue that he had been having with the people of Tyre and Sidon.

¹⁸ In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

Herod’s Death

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. ²⁰ 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 12:18-20 NIV

This leads me to believe that the people of Tyre and Sidon didn’t really feel about King Herod what they said, but that they just wanted peace in the situation so they said what they felt he would respond to.

They blew his ego up stating that his was the voice of a god and not of a man.

We are told that, but he didn’t redirect the praise given to him, to God to whom the praise belonged. So IMMEDIATELY, the angel of the Lord struck him down. The scripture says he was eaten by worms and died.

Let’s pause here for a second and look at what happened to him.

The medical term for what he was plagued with is called Trichinosis (worms in the body). It says IMMEDIATELY he was struck with this.

This means he had diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, and probably some fatigue. They did not have Pepto Bismo back in the days of King Herod. While they had doctors in those days, we must remember that they did not have access to the information that we have today. So, they might not have been able to identify this gastrointestinal infection that King Herod IMMEDIATELY was struck with as being caused by intestinal worms. Plus, we are told that the angel of the Lord struck him with it.

Now it’s important that we pay attention to this because we don’t want to put the men or women of God (our beloved leaders in the faith) or any of the governmental leaders that some are so supportive of in a position that will cause God to be angry with them by giving or attributing to them an honor that belongs only to God.

This includes not kissing anyone’s rings or bowing before anyone.

This is a very serious matter, and it could very well be that one reason why those taking the lead over us are falling.

Are we guilty of swelling them up with pride because we are honoring them instead of honoring, praising, and thanking God for the gifts HE gave us in men (and women)? Are we guilty of creating in them Big EGOs?

You see, God said in Isaiah that he is not sharing his glory with anybody. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Isaiah 42:8
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

⁸ I am the Lord; that is My name! And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to graven images.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah+42%3A8&version=AMPC;NIV

In 1 Corinthians 1 God said that he chose the weak and ignoble, not the strong and wise, and this was so that no one could boast. But if we were going to boast it would be about how great GOD is.

1 Corinthians 1:31
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

³¹ So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+corinthians+1%3A31&version=AMPC;NIV

Now, there are times when the messages we receive, imparted into us is so great, that we just want to shout and in our gratitude we want to show our gratefulness to the deliverer of the message.

But look at what happened when the Apostle John tried to show his appreciation for all that was imparted unto him.

Revelation 22:8-10
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

⁸ And I, John, am he who heard and witnessed these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell prostrate before the feet of the messenger (angel) who showed them to me, to worship him.
⁹ But he said to me, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] a fellow servant along with yourself and with your brethren the prophets and with those who are mindful of and practice [the truths contained in] the messages of this book. Worship God!

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+22%3A8-10&version=AMPC;NIV

In Revelation 22:8, John fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown him all that he wrote and the angel told him “Be careful. Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and your brothers who are prophets and those observing the words of this scroll. WORSHIP GOD.“

The angel said that he is a fellow servant.

Let me remind you that Jesus took a towel got on his knees and washed the feet of the apostles. Jesus told them that they were to serve. But today we see the leaders being served. Today, we find people following man instead of following God.

If we care about our leaders, the men and women of God who are taking the lead among us…

then we need to be careful to not place them in positions where pride can take root in them.

God’s word tells us to honor them in 1 Thessalonians 5:12.

We do this by respecting them; showing our appreciation for them; by acknowledging them. In 1 Timothy 5:17, we are told that those who lead effectively are worthy of double honor.

Acts 28:10 gives us an example of how to honor these ones. The Apostle Paul spoke of having received many gifts and being loaded with the things that they need.

They were honored in that their needs were met through gifts of appreciation.

But kissing someone’s ring is worship and not honor and Worship belongs only to God.

I’m going to say it again.

WORSHIP BELONGS TO GOD.

Unless you are assisting the needs of a leader you do not need to be up in their face like a hand servant (Butler, maid).

Jesus picked up the towel and served. He didn’t tell the disciples to serve him. Jesus set the example that we were to follow.

Consider seriously Matthew 18:4 and Matthew 23:12.

This is just a reminder for us all, especially when we have some good leaders. We want to respect them. We want to honor them. We want to cover and refill them after they have poured out so much on us.

What we don’t want to do to our leaders is what was done to Moses.

Leading the Israelites was so difficult and frustrating that Moses re-acted out of annoyance and it cost him his ability to go into the Promised land. He too had to die in the wilderness. Smh.

Seriously check it out… 
Numbers 20:12 God said to Moses, ” because you didn’t trust me to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

This is serious. 
And something that, in love, we need to pay attention to.

There is so much more that I can write about this. But, I think that it would be best if I stopped here.

I want to end by saying this…

This is the second time now that I have been shown a medical issue that one in the Bible experienced and died of that was experienced as a form of discipline for a behavior.