by Tim Hall

All the trappings of human glory were conspicuously present. The king was arrayed in his royal robes, his golden crown positioned just so. The throne was placed in a prominent position so that all could marvel at its craftsmanship and splendor. The anticipated event was an oration, an occasion at which the king would directly address the people.

It may or may not have been a good speech; people are frequently given to flattery when it comes to a dignitary. Regardless, when Herod had finished his oration, the people "gave it up" for their king. "The voice of a god and not of a man!" they proclaimed. Why should Herod object? It was a review worthy of a king, whether accurate or not.

God's review of the speech is not known. But His review of the man is stated in Acts 12:23: "Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died" (New King James Version). A case of worms? Not a very dignified cause of death!

Herod's mistake continues to be a common one in our day. Though few ascend to the position of king, many of us live as kings. And to whose credit is that? "My own," we boast. "I've worked hard all my life, and I'm now enjoying the fruits of my labors." The American work ethic is well-known. Among the advanced societies of earth, Americans work the most hours and take the fewest days off. Along with that dedication to hard work often comes a sense of self-sufficiency. And that is our undoing.

Romans 1 contains a description of the progression of sin. The statement ends with a list of heinous sins like sexual immorality, wickedness, maliciousness, murder, evil-mindedness, etc. (v. 29). But how did these arrive at such an ungodly position? Verse 21 gives us a clue: "Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened." A failure to glorify God is where this long slide began. Neither were they thankful; why should they be if they were the masters of their own fate? No, they never developed long-term goals to become evildoers, but that's the road we travel when we glorify no one other than ourselves.

In my library is a hymnal that was published in 1923. Isaac Watts' beloved "At The Cross" is found in this book, and its first line ends, "Would He devote that sacred Head for such a worm as I?" Another hymnal in my library, published in 1994, de-worms Watts' song. "For such a one as I" is now the close. It's a subtle change, but doesn't it say something about sophisticated Americans? "We're not worms; we're proud, hard-working kings . . . er, folks."

Royal apparel; thrones; orations: That was then. Today it's designer-label clothing, status-symbol vehicles and diplomas. The outward trappings change with the times. But the temptations to godlessness remain the same.