20-22 But things went from bad to worse for Herod. Now people from Tyre and Sidon put him on the warpath. But they got Blastus, King Herod’s right-hand man, to put in a good word for them and got a delegation together to iron things out. Because they were dependent on Judea for food supplies, they couldn’t afford to let this go on too long. On the day set for their meeting, Herod, robed in pomposity, took his place on the throne and regaled them with a lot of hot air. The people played their part to the hilt and shouted flatteries: “The voice of God! The voice of God!”
23 That was the last straw. God had had enough of Herod’s arrogance and sent an angel to strike him down. Herod had given God no credit for anything. Down he went. Rotten to the core, a maggoty old man if there ever was one, he died.
24 Meanwhile, the ministry of God’s Word grew by leaps and bounds.
25 Barnabas and Saul, once they had delivered the relief offering to the church in Jerusalem, went back to Antioch. This time they took John with them, the one they called Mark.
God is righteous and He declared His vengeance on His enemies at his own time. God sent an angel to strike down king Herod, who tried to lift himself up above the Lord. God is the Lord of the church, and He used miraculous way to deliver His servant, and He also used miraculously way to defeat His enemies. On the other side, the ministry of God's words prospered, and Jesus' Name was exalted.
Dear Holy Spirit, You are the Lord of the church. You are poured out on the people of God; You empowered the ministry of the church; You speak to your servants; You lead them to go through sufferings and persecutions; You guided the church to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth; You purify the church of God; and You judge and defeat your enemies. Dear Holy Spirit, keep us humble before You that we can listen to your voice, obey your instruction, and by your power proclaim the Name of Jesus and carry out the works of Jesus among the unbelievers of the world.
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