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Too Big For Our Britches – Acts 12
Too Big For Our Britches – Acts 12
Someone’s momma said: “When a man becomes too big for his britches it will be exposed in the end”. So it happened to Herod.
This Herod of Acts 12 is Herod Agrippa II. He was granted rule over most of the Judean area. BUT, Judea was an outlying small province in the Roman empire. As such, it had very little real importance to Rome. Hence, this ‘king’ was just a little pawn in a bigger game.
Yet he was an even smaller pawn in an even bigger game: the game of LIFE. God is the giver of life. In HIM we live and move and have our very being. God is the great KING – the eternal king – the King over all the earth – the king of kings. NO one is bigger than God.
Herod was not too big to fail! Authority is heady stuff, and most of us simply can’t handle it. The oft-repeated storyline is about people being in positions of authority only to abuse such and think that they then are ‘above the law’. Yet, no one is above God, not even kings.
Kings have been raised up and destroyed by God. Mary stated: 49 "For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. 50 "And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. 51 "He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. 52 "He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. (Luke 1:49-52).
Jesus said to Pilate: "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin." (John 19:11).
The arrogance of the king of Babylon, who, in his day, was the most powerful ruler in the known world. In his day, but his day was going to end as God would raise up the Medes to overthrow him (Isa. 13:17f). Then Israel would “take up this taunt against the king of Babylon, and say, "How the oppressor has ceased, And how fury has ceased! “The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, The scepter of rulers” (Isaiah 14:4-5).
The humiliation of Nebuchadnezzar lasted until he recognized that God rules in the kingdoms of men (Dan. 4). Then, the last king of the Babylonians saw ‘the handwriting on the wall’: “This night you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting.” GOD brought him to an end! (Dan. 5).
In the end, they all die and will give an account unto God. They were in great positions to do great things, but what they really were will be exposed in the end.
Us too. But this idea isn’t new! It was written thousands of years ago: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
How are your britches fitting?
Hugh DeLong
There is a Scottish English phrase that embraces the same motif: "He thinks he's big, but a wee coat fits him."
