A MISSIONARY MAKER: 15th Sept 2010

Acts 12:19-25 – Herod’s Death

“It is what you don’t say that will get you”
Here is a great example of how the Bible records a historic event.
The writers give the basic facts but emphasize the main point they are trying to get across. They leave out the facts that are unnecessary and simply include enough information to help me learn the lesson.
History’s recording of the event gives me more information:

On the second day of the festival, Herod put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a truly wonderful contexture, and came into the theater early in the morning; at which time the silver of his garment was illuminated by the fresh reflection of the sun's rays upon it. It shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him. At that moment, his flatterers cried out [...] that he was a god; .. Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery. But as he presently afterward looked up, he saw an owl sitting on a certain rope over his head, and immediately understood that this bird was the messenger of ill tidings .. After he said this, his pain was become violent…. And when he had been quite worn out by the pain in his belly for five days, he departed this life, being in the fifty-fourth year of his age, and in the seventh year of his reign." (Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 19.343-350).
I edited out even more facts.
The Bible simply summarizes this by telling me he dies immediately and was ate by worms.
‘Immediately’ explains that this happened pretty much straight away [5 days].

Ate my worms being a metaphor.
They are not suggesting he dropped to the ground and was attacked by killer worms.

Again it is important that I understand the cultural context of the writers. Hebraic descriptions are primarily functional and secondarily decorative.
So what is the point of the story?
It is what you don’t say that will get you. By not denying the crowds ‘impious flattery’ Agrippa implied that he was indeed God.
I must learn as a leader to correct others even if I like what they say but it is untrue. I am not being humble or modest when I am doing this. I am simply being truthful.
Truth sets us free.
It is not simply words that are the overflow of the heart must sometimes silence can be as well.
Herod’s silence gives us another indication of his major struggle… pride.

Josephus also stated that Herod was so concerned that no one would mourn his death, that he commanded a large group of distinguished men to come to Jericho, and he gave order that they should be killed at the time of his death so that the displays of grief that he craved would take place. Fortunately for them, Herod's son Archilaus and sister Salome did not carry out this wish.