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Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. ² He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. ³ Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. (ESV)

Timothy had a good reputation, and this is a priceless thing. Proverbs 22:1 says, ”A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favour is better than silver or gold.”

‘Timothy replaced John Mark and became a true son in the faith to Paul. God has the right person ready at the right time, so be patient.’ Warren W. Wiersbe

It is important for us to understand that Timothy’s circumcision was not about his salvation, but was rather, as someone put it, ‘cultural sensitivity for the sake of evangelism.’ It’s an example of Paul’s clearly stated principle, ”For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹ To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. ²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

We further note here that the wise decision of the Jerusalem council, wisely and sensitively communicated, led to church growth in both depth and numbers (5).

PRAYER: Lord, please give us your wisdom in our dealings with all people, that we may put no unnecessary obstacles in their road to faith in Jesus.

³⁶ And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” ³⁷ Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. ³⁸ But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. ³⁹ And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (ESV)

The early Christians were not ‘stained-glass window’ saints. They were real, flesh and blood human beings. They could see things differently, and in the case mentioned here, Paul and Barnabas differed sharply. It seems typical of what we know of Barnabas, that he would want give his cousin, John Mark, a second chance. But Paul’s reasoning was understandable. He was unhappy that Mark had ”deserted” them (38) during their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13), although we do not know why he did so. Whatever, God over-ruled in this ”disagreement” so that there were now two missionary teams where previously there was one.

Tom Hale writes helpfully about this:

‘In one way, we are sad to read about the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. We see their weakness. They are men like ourselves. Disagreements can arise even between good and godly men, and cause them to separate.

But, in another way, we can see a good side to this event. Paul and Mark were evidently not compatible with each other. It would have been unwise to force Mark to travel with Paul. We can guess that Mark’s spiritual development might have been thwarted if he had remained under Paul’s authority. But Barnabas believed that, in time, Mark would become a mature and effective disciple. Barnabas, more than Paul, would be able to help Mark grow spiritually. Thus we can see that it was to Mark’s benefit that he and Barnabas went off in one direction, while Paul and Silas went off in another..

We know that in the end Barnabas’ assessment of Mark proved to be correct. Later on, Mark became an important colleague of Peter. He wrote the New Testament Gospel of Mark. And even Paul’s opinion changed as time passed, because some years later Mark became one of Paul’s closest colleagues (Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 23).’

PRAYER: ‘Lord God, help me to be one who sees the best in others, believes the best about them, and reaches out to help and encourage the weak and straying.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. ²⁴ Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, ²⁵ it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: ²⁹ that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

³⁰ So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. ³² And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. ³³ And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them.³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. (ESV)

Verse 28 shows the correct order for blessing and progress in church life. In the first place, we need to become attuned to what is ”good to the Holy Spirit”, and then get our own hearts in tune with Him. It must become good ”to us” also. We need to lead the church with ‘God-ideas’ and not merely ‘good ideas’.

‘Notice the conjunction of the Holy Spirit with the persons who issued this letter, Acts 15:28 . Here is convincing proof that the Spirit of God is a person; that He presides in the Church; and that He is willing to become our guide and teacher whenever we are perplexed.’ F.B. Meyer

In Acts 15 we can see that a wise decision, wisely and sensitively communicated, led to a blessed outcome, in a spirit of brotherly kindness. My wife, Jilly, noted that there is a repetition of ”the brothers” throughout the passage (and also in 36-40). Let’s repeat that this was no doctrinal compromise, but a practical accommodation for the sake of Christian cross-cultural fellowship

 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. ³ So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. ⁷ And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, ⁹ and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

¹² And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. ¹⁵ And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

¹⁶ “‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
     and I will restore it,
¹⁷ that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord,
    and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
     says the Lord, who makes these things ¹⁸ known from of old.’

¹⁹ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, ²⁰ but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. ²¹ For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (ESV)

Once more we see, in this chapter, a repeated emphasis on what God Himself has done.

It’s important to see that the gospel of grace alone was affirmed (9,11). Both Jews and Gentiles must come the same way. They share the same Saviour, the same salvation. Gentiles did not have to be circumcised in order to be saved. However, this watershed council in Jerusalem did call on Gentile believers to make a few practical concessions that would make table fellowship possible between Jewish and Gentile Christians.

‘It was difficult for the orthodox Jews to see that their glorious religious system, given by God, had been fulfilled in Christ and was now out-of-date. (That is why the book of Hebrews was written.) Rather than abandon it, they tried to blend the old religion with the new (Matt.9:14-17).

When sincere Christians disagree, they must get together, see what God is doing in His church, and find out what the Word has to say about it. Peter, Paul, and Barnabas told what God was doing among the Gentiles, and James related it to the Word (Amos 9:11-12).

In the decision, there was no compromise doctrinally, but there was consideration practically. In the decree, the church asked the Gentiles not to deliberately offend the Jews. You will find the expansion of this principle, the basic principle of love, in Romans 14-15 and 1 Corinthians 8-10.’ Warren W. Wiersbe

⁸ Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. ⁹ He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, ¹⁰ said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. ¹¹ And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” ¹² Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. ¹³ And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. ¹⁴ But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. ¹⁶ In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. ¹⁷ Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” ¹⁸ Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.

¹⁹ But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. ²⁰ But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. ²¹ When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. ²³ And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

²⁴ Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. ²⁵ And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, ²⁶ and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. ²⁷ And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. ²⁸ And they remained no little time with the disciples.

‘Lystra was situated in the highlands, amid a wild, mountainous country. In Paul’s audience here he saw a cripple who had faith to be healed, Acts 14:9 . What quick insight God gives the soul that lives in fellowship with Him! There was an old tradition that the gods had frequented this very region. Jupiter, the father of the gods, was the guardian deity of Lystra. There was, accordingly, an especial reason for the excitement among these simple and untutored folk. Man has ever longed for a daysman, and believed that there might be commerce between heaven and earth. Oh, that we were as quick to worship and adore the Son of God!’ F.B. Meyer

It’s been pointed out that the desire of the people to worship the men of God was more dangerous than the outright persecution. But the latter quickly came. Crowds are notoriously fickle. The change of mood at verse 19 seems, to my mind, to be as sudden and dramatic as that in the synagogue in Luke 4 (see especially verses 22 and 28-30 of that chapter). The ministry of Jesus continues!

In spite of what happened to Paul, and the trauma of it all (19,20), his instinct was to carry on. Even though they had previously suffered in these places (21-23), they retraced their steps, and encouraged the new disciples. They were outwardly focussed. We note that the appointment of elders was performed with all due seriousness.

For these men, their only boast was in God. They did not seek to glorify themselves, either in the world or the church (see Rom.15:17-19).

‘…when they returned home, they told the church what the Lord had done, not what they had suffered. Paul and Barnabas put Christ first, others second, and themselves last. They had a job to do, and they were determined by God’s grace to do it.’ Warren W. Wiersbe

⁴⁴ The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. ⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. ⁴⁶ And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷ For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
    that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

⁴⁸ And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. ⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. ⁵⁰ But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. ⁵¹ But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. ⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. ² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.³ So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. ⁴ But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. ⁵ When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, ⁶ they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, ⁷ and there they continued to preach the gospel.

As I read this, I thought, ‘We are in ‘gospel country’ here’, with the Jews acting out of ”jealousy” and stirring up opposition. (Also, verse 51 takes us back to the words of Jesus in Mt.10:14). We see that the Word of God divides people, in terms of their responses to it. This is no less true today than back then. Jesus specifically said that He had not come to bring ”peace” but a ”sword”(Mt.10:34). But even amidst suffering, nothing could extinguish the Spirit-filled joy of ”the disciples” (13:52). Opposition did not deter the evangelists, even though it might eventually necessitate moving on. The little word ”So” at the beginning of verse 3 is telling after what we see in verse 2. Such persevering courage is God-given

‘The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success.” David Sarnoff

‘Paul was a man on the move but not a man easily moved because of difficulties.’ Warren W. Wiersbe

¹³ Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, ¹⁴ but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” ¹⁶ So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:

“Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. ¹⁸ And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. ¹⁹ And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. ²⁰ All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²² And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ ²³ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. ²⁴ Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

²⁶ “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. ²⁷ For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. ²⁸ And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹ And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead, ³¹ and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. ³² And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, ³³ this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

“‘You are my Son,
    today I have begotten you.’

³⁴ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

³⁵ Therefore he says also in another psalm,

“‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

³⁶ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, ³⁷ but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. ³⁸ Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, ³⁹ and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

⁴¹ “‘Look, you scoffers,
    be astounded and perish;
for I am doing a work in your days,
    a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”

⁴² As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. ⁴³ And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. (ESV)

‘It was very natural that the missionary party should sail for Cyprus, partly because it was the first and nearest outpost of the great heathen world that lay to the west, and partly because Barnabas was a native of the island and had owned land there, which he had sold for the benefit of his poorer brethren in the church, Acts 4:36 .

In visiting a new city, it was the custom of the Apostles to go first to the Jewish synagogue, where such was to be found. “To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile,” was the divine order, Romans 2:10 . The journey from Cyprus to the mainland was easily made; but the journey up to this inland city of Antioch was very perilous, 2 Corinthians 11:26 .

Acts 13:16 gives us the Apostle’s favourite attitude, Acts 21:40 ; Acts 26:1 . Ye that fear God, referred to the Gentile proselytes. This first address contained the seed-thoughts of the Apostle’s ministry. He loved to show that the gospel was the white flower that grew on the ancient stock of Judaism. Whatever his starting point, he was sure to come, by a direct path, to Jesus Christ. Observe throughout how Paul attributes all of the great events and movements of history to the direction and agency of God. God chose the fathers; God gave Saul; God brought unto Israel a Savior.’ F.B. Meyer

This is a God-centred sermon. Notice how many times ”God” or ”he” is referred to. It shows how God has acted in and through Jesus, fulfilling ancient prophecies, to give forgiveness of sins to His people. This was the repeated apostolic pattern in addressing the Jews. (But note, v.39, this is an inclusive message: ”…and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”) Every person who trusts in Christ is freed from every sin – thanks be to God! Salvation is ”through” and ”by” Jesus (vv.38,39).

We see that, initially, there was a warm response to this message. But it was not to be the whole story.

‘The doctrine of justification by faith, so closely associated with the work of Paul, is here stated for the first time. In Jesus there is forgiveness. For those who trust in Him past sins are absolutely put away, never to be named again, never to be brought up at any future judgment day. Our record is as clear as the sand which has been swept smooth by the ocean waves. We are not only forgiven, but justified. We are treated as though we had never sinned, and are justified from all things. It is a present fact. You may not feel justified or forgiven, but if you are trusting in Jesus, you are at this moment as certainly and as fully justified as have been the saints in heaven.’ F.B. Meyer

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them

⁴ So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. ⁶ When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. ⁷ He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰ and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. (ESV)

It seems that fasting, worship and prayer were part of early church life. This mission to the Gentile world was no mere human enterprise. The initiative was the Lord’s. Note that the ‘setting apart’ was first ”for” the Holy Spirit and then for His work. The Holy Spirit spoke, and the Holy Spirit sent. ””The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become,” said Henry Martyn. We are not told how the Holy Spirit spoke, only that He did. But the inference may well be that it was through one of the ”prophets”,

It is interesting to note the diversity of the ‘leadership team’ in this missionary sending church. But it was not about fulfilling any diversity quota/agenda. It was how the Lord had set up and resourced this church for the mission He had for them to fulfill. He builds the church, and He provides His own leaders for the work.

I am intrigued by the little note about Manaen being Herod’s friend. How influential was that friendship in gospel terms I wonder? May Jesus lead us in building ‘bridges’ of genuine friendship with unbelievers, that He may cross these bridges into their lives. May God also bring us into contact with people like Sergius Paulus, who are hungry for God’s Word (7). Not only did he hear the Word, but he saw a sign and wonder, and ”believed” (12).

‘This is one of the greatest chapters in the New Testament, making a new departure in the ministry of the gospel, which henceforth begins to pass out to the uttermost part of the earth, Acts 1:8 . It is likely that the mother church at Jerusalem was too conservative to lend herself to the pressure of the Holy Spirit, urging to world-wide evangelization, and that he had to employ the more mobile church at Antioch, which was more susceptible to the passion for humanity, since it stood out on the edge of the great heathen world, like a lighthouse on the shore of a desolate sea… We should ever seek to co-operate with Him in discovering and setting apart chosen men and women for His work.’ F.B.Meyer

PRAYER: O Holy Spirit, keep me ever in step with you, I pray.

²⁰ 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. ²¹ On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. ²² And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” ²³ 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.

²⁴ But the word of God increased and multiplied.

²⁵ And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark. (ESV)

‘What a contrast between Peter’s deliverance and Herod’s death! Be not afraid of the reproach of men, for “the moth shall eat them up like a garment,” Isaiah 51:8 .’ F.B. Meyer

There is warning here for any who are used by God, or who desire to be: we must not take the glory to ourselves.

A chapter which opens depicting a seemingly mighty Herod, closes with a picture of his utter weakness. God, and no human king, is in power. Herod goes; God’s Word grows!

PRAYER: Lord, in all my service for you, may I never fail to give to you all the glory