Atos 12

Atos 12

Piper adds "In John 5:44 Jesus said to the glory-seeking Pharisees, "How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?" In other words, you can't believe in Jesus and be devoted to glory-seeking among men. Faith is God-exalting. Glory-seeking is self-exalting. They can't go together. If you are seeking the praise of men, you are on a collision course with God. That's exactly what Herod was seeking and that's just what happened....The point of this is to make clear to everyone who will listen that God and not Herod is to be honored and glorified. If a man lifts himself up against God, he becomes weaker than a worm. It is insane to commit treason against the Creator of the universe. You can't win. Daniel gave the same message about kings. In 2:21 he said, "God changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings." And when Nebuchadnezzar boasted, "Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?" a voice came from God and said, "You will eat grass like an ox . . . until you have learned that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he wills" (Da 4:30, 32). (Sermon) Took his seat on the rostrum - Herod ascended the steps to the Bema or the Judgment Seat (see picture of ancient bema) where he would be elevated above the Jewish crowd, a position he clearly continually craved. Herod was almost certainly seated in the amphitheater (built by his grandfather) and still existing today on the sea coast (see picture). Rostrum (Judgment seat) (968) (bema from bainō, "to step, ascend"; see also Wikipedia) (see also Judgment by the Saints) in its most common NT use refers to a raised platform on which an official is seated when rendering judgment on certain legal cases or athletic events. It is a platform before which someone would walk up to receive judgment; (figuratively) the administration of justice, given from "a tribunal-chair" (throne) at which there is a meting out rewards and punishments. Pilate sat on a judgment seat (bēma) in Christ's trial (Mt 27:19; Jn 19:13). Gallio sat on a judgment seat (Acts 18:12-17). All believers must stand before the judgment seat of God/Christ (Ro 14:10+; 2 Cor 5:10+). This divine judgment will reward our works – not judge our sins, for that judgment occurred 2000 years ago on the mighty Cross when the humble Lamb bore ALL our sins, His temporal death giving us eternal life! However, it is a mistake to assume God "doesn't care" about the small matters (decisions) of life. Far from it! Each and every scene of life is a "partnership invitation" from God to live with Him – not just for Him! (Cp Lk 16:10 with Eccl 12:14, 1Cor 4:5) NET Note on rostrum - The judgment seat (βῆμα, bēma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. And began delivering an address to them - One can almost imagine his proud, pompous proclamation. We do not know the content of his speech, but we do know the intent of it -- to impress the crowds that they might praise him, which they did to his demise! Delivering an address is one word in Greek - demegoreo (1215)(demos = people + agoreuo = to speak in the market place from agora = market place) means simply to make a speech and is in the imperfect tense picturing the speech as going on and on (Typical politician!!!) A T