How does Acts 12:22 connect to the First Commandment in Exodus 20:3? Setting the scene - Herod Agrippa I, seeking public approval, addresses the people of Tyre and Sidon from his throne (Acts 12:20-21). - Verse 22 records the crowd’s acclaim: “The people began to shout, ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man!’” (Acts 12:22). - Immediately afterward, “an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give glory to God” (Acts 12:23). The First Commandment revisited - “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) - Spoken directly by the LORD at Sinai, this commandment sets an absolute boundary: all worship, glory, and ultimate allegiance must belong to Him alone. Connecting the passages - The crowd’s cry in Acts 12:22 violates Exodus 20:3 by elevating a mortal king to divine status—placing “another god” before Yahweh. - Herod’s silence is consent. By accepting divine honors, he personally breaks the First Commandment. - God’s swift judgment in Acts 12:23 demonstrates His unwavering defense of His exclusive deity, reinforcing the seriousness of Exodus 20:3. Patterns of Scripture - Isaiah 42:8: “I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another…” - Acts 14:11-15: When the crowd calls Paul and Barnabas “gods,” they immediately reject the praise, preventing a breach of the commandment. - Revelation 19:10: Even an angel refuses worship, directing glory to God alone. These passages echo the same principle: any diversion of worship from the true God is intolerable. Lessons for today - Guard the heart from idolizing leaders, celebrities, or institutions; even good gifts become “other gods” when they displace the LORD (1 John 5:21). - Give glory to God promptly and publicly; withholding it invites discipline (Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6). - Cultivate humility—recognizing every success as God-given prevents self-exaltation like Herod’s (1 Corinthians 4:7). Summary Acts 12:22 illustrates a live-action violation of Exodus 20:3. The people exalted Herod as a deity, and Herod accepted the praise. God’s immediate judgment in verse 23 underscores His exclusive right to worship, vividly reaffirming the First Commandment’s timeless authority. |
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