Read Acts
12:20-24 & Isaiah 14:9-15
Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and
stayed there. 20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they
now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support
of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace,
because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. 21 On the
appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a
public address to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not
of a man.” 23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel
of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
A Taunt to the King of Babylon: The realm of the dead below is all astir to
meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you—all
those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones—all
those who were kings over the nations. 10 They will all respond, they will say
to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” 11 All
your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your
harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. 12 How you have
fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to
the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I
will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I
will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount
Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like
the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the
depths of the pit.
The humour continues – albeit in an ironic black
comedy kind of way – as Herod reaches the pinnacle of earthly glory only to be
reduced to a pile of worms. It echoes with the taunt against the King of
Babylon in Isaiah 14, written when Babylon was in the height of her power and
Israel was suffering under her oppression.
- Why do you think God did this? Do you agree that this account is humorous in a slightly morbid kind of way? If so, what is the significance of this?
If you have a bit longer :-)
It has been said that tyranny can deal with
anything except ridicule.
- Do you agree with this?
- If so, do you think humour could be better employed to combat ruthless tyrannical behaviour today?
- In this vein, have you heard of/seen the film “The Dictator” by Sachan Baron Cohen? If so do you think this is a good example of how to use humour subversively? If not why not? (I haven’t seen it so can’t comment. Generally, however, I am not the hugest fan of other stuff he has made. I feel like in principle he is onto something, I’m just not totally sure I like how he does it. What do other people think?)
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