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the Lord of life and glory, though his mercy and divine power were
revealed before them in works that no man could do. But they were
ready to bow down and worship, as a God, the haughty king, whose
splendid garments of silver and gold were worn over a corrupt and
cruel heart. They did not attempt to penetrate his vain display, and
read the depravity and deceit of his character, and the wickedness of
his daily life.
Herod knew that he deserved none of this praise and homage; yet
he did not rebuke the idolatry of the people, but accepted it as his due.
The glow of gratified pride was on his countenance as he heard the
shout ascend: It is the voice of a God, and not of man! The same voices
which now glorified a vile sinner, had, but a few years before, raised
the frenzied cry of, Away with Jesus! Crucify him, crucify him! Herod
received this flattery and homage with great pleasure, and his heart
bounded with triumph; but suddenly a swift and terrible change came
over him. His countenance became pallid as death, and distorted with
agony; great drops of sweat started from his pores. He stood a moment
as if transfixed with pain and terror, then, turning his blanched and
livid face to his horror-stricken friends, he cried in hollow, despairing
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tones, He whom you have exalted as a God is struck with death!
He was borne in a state of the most excruciating anguish from the
scene of wicked revelry, the mirth, and pomp, and display of which
he now loathed in his soul. A moment before, he had been the proud
recipient of the praise and worship of that vast throng—now he felt
himself in the hands of a Ruler mightier than himself. Remorse seized
him; he remembered his cruel command to slay the innocent James; he
remembered his relentless persecution of the followers of Christ, and
his design to to death the apostle Peter, whom God had delivered out
of his hand; he remembered how, in his mortification and disappointed
rage, he had wreaked his unreasoning revenge upon the keepers of the
prisoner, and executed them without mercy. He felt that God, who
had rescued the apostle from death, was now dealing with him, the
relentless persecutor. He found no relief from pain of body or anguish
of mind, and he expected none. Herod was acquainted with the law of
God, which says, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” and he
knew that in accepting the worship of the people he had filled up the
measure of his iniquity, and had brought upon him the just wrath of
God.