Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king's chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king's country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. But the word of God increased and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark.
Tyre and Sidon - "Had to import grain from the fields of Galilee, which produced large supplies (1 Kings 5:9)." (Ryrie)
Tyre - "An ancient Phoenician town, about halfway between Sidon and Acre, built partly on the mainland partly on an island which lay half a mile off the coast. Affording excellent shelter for shipping, it was the most famous port of the ancient world, the island containing two harbours well protected by breakwaters. Alexander the Great was occupied seven months in reducing it; and, after various vicissitudes, it passed into Roman hands." (Walker)
Sidon - "About twenty miles north of Tyre. A natural breakwater, in the shape of a rocky reef, rendered it a capital harbour. It rivalled Tyre as a centre of merchandise and, at times, surpassed it. Like Tyre, it fell to Alexander; and, later, to the Romans. Herod is known to have favoured Berytus (Beyrout), a maritime port twenty miles north of Sidon, and this may possibly have been the bone of contention between them." (Walker)
took his seat upon the throne - "According to the Jewish historian, the spectacle took place in the theatre. The 'throne' in question (margin, judgment seat) would be the royal dais fixed in the theatre for the king to preside in state over the proceedings." (Walker)
an angel of the Lord struck him down - "Josephus states that Herod was struck down while delivering his oration and, after five days of suffering, died (A.D. 44)." (Ryrie)
"Josephus tells us that the attack took hold of him suddenly as he stood receiving the worship of the people, and that he had to be carried away, writhing and groaning in pain." (Stam)
"The escape of Peter was soon discovered, and the soldiers, being responsible with their lives, according to Roman law, were of course greatly distressed. Herod sought for his prisoner, but he was beyond his reach. The keepers were put to death by the king. He followed the footsteps of his cruel grandfather, who had the children of Bethlehem killed. He then left Jerusalem for Caesarea, where he had a magnificent palace. Some difficult existed between him and the people of Tyre and Sidon. The Phoenician cities were dependent on Palestine for food, as their land was but a narrow strip along the seacoast. They were therefore forced to make peace, which they did through Blastus, their friend and the king's chamberlain. Most likely the interest of Blastus was gained by a bribe. It also seems that Herod must have cut off the supply of the Phoenicians. They could not buy nor sell. Thus they were forced to bow before the king. In all this, he appears as a type of the man of sin, whose character Herod foreshadows. Then a day came when an audience was granted unto the people. The king appeared in royal apparel. Josephus, the Jewish historian, informs us that his garment was made of the brightest silver, which, with the sunlight falling upon it, dazzled the eyes of the multitude. He sat on his throne, the bema, or judgment seat. Then he made an oration, most likely announcing to the ambassadors of Tyre and Sidon that he was now reconciled. The scene must have been a brilliant one. The people were carried away by the magnificent spectacle and flattering oration of the king, and cried out, 'it is the voice of a god and not of a man.' No doubt the aim of Herod was this very acclamation. He had planned it all. The zenith of his glory seemed reached. Monarchs were then deified, and Augustus, the emperor, was also worshipped. He gave not the glory to God, but usurped His Glory, and the result was a sudden judgment. What happened to Herod is mentioned by Josephus. He, however, tries to shield the king, though he speaks of Herod's wickedness. He says that sudden pains attacked him, which were produced by the sight of an owl, a bird he dreaded, and which was sitting on one of the ropes of the awning of the theatre. The Word of God gives us the true account. It was the angel of the Lord that smote him, and he was eaten of worms. A most awful and loathsome disease took hold of him, and literally he was eaten, after a few days, of worms. 'He was seized with violent internal pains, and carried to his palace. There he lingered five days in extreme agony; being eaten of worms, the case of his intestine disorder. The coming antichrist, too, will claim divine honors and assume the place of God. His end is foreshadowed in Herod's awful fate and the place which is beyond, 'where the worm does not die.''" (Walker)
"It is evident from the record in Acts that Herod's speech was delivered not merely to the princes of Tyre and Sidon, but to the general public, and the fact that the throng in Jerusalem could extol this false 'king of the Jews' as 'a god' while continuing to reject their own Messiah, indicates the length to which Israel's apostasy had gone. But the homage paid to Herod as a god by his hearers at Jerusalem was not only significant of their apostasy at that time; it was also typical of the future result of their apostasy; their subjugation to the 'Man of Sin' in the end time." (Stam)
But the word of God increased and multiplied - "It should also be noted that whereas Peter, upon his previous deliverance by an angel, had been commanded to go back into the temple at once and continue preaching, he now withdraws from the scene and throughout the rest of Acts Paul is the chief actor. Surely all this indicates a change in dispensation, as do the other departures from the kingdom program which we have already noted, beginning with the conversion of Saul." (Stam)
Tyre and Sidon - "Had to import grain from the fields of Galilee, which produced large supplies (1 Kings 5:9)." (Ryrie)
Tyre - "An ancient Phoenician town, about halfway between Sidon and Acre, built partly on the mainland partly on an island which lay half a mile off the coast. Affording excellent shelter for shipping, it was the most famous port of the ancient world, the island containing two harbours well protected by breakwaters. Alexander the Great was occupied seven months in reducing it; and, after various vicissitudes, it passed into Roman hands." (Walker)
Sidon - "About twenty miles north of Tyre. A natural breakwater, in the shape of a rocky reef, rendered it a capital harbour. It rivalled Tyre as a centre of merchandise and, at times, surpassed it. Like Tyre, it fell to Alexander; and, later, to the Romans. Herod is known to have favoured Berytus (Beyrout), a maritime port twenty miles north of Sidon, and this may possibly have been the bone of contention between them." (Walker)
took his seat upon the throne - "According to the Jewish historian, the spectacle took place in the theatre. The 'throne' in question (margin, judgment seat) would be the royal dais fixed in the theatre for the king to preside in state over the proceedings." (Walker)
an angel of the Lord struck him down - "Josephus states that Herod was struck down while delivering his oration and, after five days of suffering, died (A.D. 44)." (Ryrie)
"Josephus tells us that the attack took hold of him suddenly as he stood receiving the worship of the people, and that he had to be carried away, writhing and groaning in pain." (Stam)
"The escape of Peter was soon discovered, and the soldiers, being responsible with their lives, according to Roman law, were of course greatly distressed. Herod sought for his prisoner, but he was beyond his reach. The keepers were put to death by the king. He followed the footsteps of his cruel grandfather, who had the children of Bethlehem killed. He then left Jerusalem for Caesarea, where he had a magnificent palace. Some difficult existed between him and the people of Tyre and Sidon. The Phoenician cities were dependent on Palestine for food, as their land was but a narrow strip along the seacoast. They were therefore forced to make peace, which they did through Blastus, their friend and the king's chamberlain. Most likely the interest of Blastus was gained by a bribe. It also seems that Herod must have cut off the supply of the Phoenicians. They could not buy nor sell. Thus they were forced to bow before the king. In all this, he appears as a type of the man of sin, whose character Herod foreshadows. Then a day came when an audience was granted unto the people. The king appeared in royal apparel. Josephus, the Jewish historian, informs us that his garment was made of the brightest silver, which, with the sunlight falling upon it, dazzled the eyes of the multitude. He sat on his throne, the bema, or judgment seat. Then he made an oration, most likely announcing to the ambassadors of Tyre and Sidon that he was now reconciled. The scene must have been a brilliant one. The people were carried away by the magnificent spectacle and flattering oration of the king, and cried out, 'it is the voice of a god and not of a man.' No doubt the aim of Herod was this very acclamation. He had planned it all. The zenith of his glory seemed reached. Monarchs were then deified, and Augustus, the emperor, was also worshipped. He gave not the glory to God, but usurped His Glory, and the result was a sudden judgment. What happened to Herod is mentioned by Josephus. He, however, tries to shield the king, though he speaks of Herod's wickedness. He says that sudden pains attacked him, which were produced by the sight of an owl, a bird he dreaded, and which was sitting on one of the ropes of the awning of the theatre. The Word of God gives us the true account. It was the angel of the Lord that smote him, and he was eaten of worms. A most awful and loathsome disease took hold of him, and literally he was eaten, after a few days, of worms. 'He was seized with violent internal pains, and carried to his palace. There he lingered five days in extreme agony; being eaten of worms, the case of his intestine disorder. The coming antichrist, too, will claim divine honors and assume the place of God. His end is foreshadowed in Herod's awful fate and the place which is beyond, 'where the worm does not die.''" (Walker)
"It is evident from the record in Acts that Herod's speech was delivered not merely to the princes of Tyre and Sidon, but to the general public, and the fact that the throng in Jerusalem could extol this false 'king of the Jews' as 'a god' while continuing to reject their own Messiah, indicates the length to which Israel's apostasy had gone. But the homage paid to Herod as a god by his hearers at Jerusalem was not only significant of their apostasy at that time; it was also typical of the future result of their apostasy; their subjugation to the 'Man of Sin' in the end time." (Stam)
But the word of God increased and multiplied - "It should also be noted that whereas Peter, upon his previous deliverance by an angel, had been commanded to go back into the temple at once and continue preaching, he now withdraws from the scene and throughout the rest of Acts Paul is the chief actor. Surely all this indicates a change in dispensation, as do the other departures from the kingdom program which we have already noted, beginning with the conversion of Saul." (Stam)
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