Acts, Chapter 12

Please, first read this chapter.

Verses 1, 2 “It was about this time that king Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword”.

James, dear James, he went straight into the loving, powerful and open arms of his dear Master.

But Herod, poor Herod. In a moment we will learn about his sad and shameful end. He had human splendour and power, yes, but he was totally empty of guilt-experience, had no need for forgiveness, and was without God in the world.

Verses 3, 4: “When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the feast of unleavened bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover”.

In judging Peter he wanted the co-operation of the Jews. But proceeding during ‘the feast of unleavened bread’ and the commemoration of the Passover, would have the Jews furious. To them those particular days were a reminder of their ancient forefathers who were set free from their Egyptian squads of taskmasters. And this Peter, now under guard in prison, must never ever get free.

Verses 5, 6 “So Peter was kept in prison, but . . . the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains and sentries stood guard at the entrance”,

Where was the power? Was it in Herod, on his throne? Was it in four squads of soldiers? Was it in the chains? Or was it in a solid prison gate? Where was the power?

In the midst of all that, Peter was restfully sleeping.

The power, as always, was and is with eternally Almighty God. Never was there, there never will be an alternate power, to take it up against Almighty God and be successful. It is such a precious blessing to be at peace with Him. I am sure Peter was, and so was this church of praying people.

Verses 7, 8: “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, ‘Put on your clothes and sandals’. Peter did so. ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me’ the angel told him.”

It was not a rude awakening, it was real. Soon he was out of prison but Peter imagined he was in fairyland.

Verse 9: “Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.”

Verses 10, 11: “They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him Then Peter came to himself and said: ‘Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating’ “.

Peter was so very human. Still with the angel of God, it took a walk the length of one street, it did need the disappearance of the angel before Peter could come to himself. But was he then alone? No! In the darkness of the night, in a silent street the God of Peter was there, with him. There, for a moment let us walk with them.

Verse 12, 13: “When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door”.

Yes, a servant girl. A servant girl had that privilege. God will use servant girls as well as He would use a Peter and Paul. In the Church of the Lord Jesus both are essential and may be pleasing to Him.

Verses 14, 15: “When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed: ‘Peter is at the door!’. ‘ You are out of your mind’ they told her. When she kept on insisting that it was so, they said, It must be his angel’.

They were a praying congregation. They knew Peter was securely locked up. They knew they had a mighty God. But where was He when Peter and some others were taken prisoner? Yes, true, they were mere human, BUT GOD!

Verse 16: “But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.”

There must have been a loud chorus of voices. Peter needed to calm them before he could explain.

Verse 17, 18: “Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. ‘Tell James and the brothers about this’, he said, and then he left for another place.”

Where did Peter go? The Bible does not tell us. Of one thing we can be absolutely certain; God was already there, before Peter did reach that ‘other place’. No one could interfere with God’s plan for Peter’s life and ministry

Verses 18, 19 “In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.”

Do you see that stark difference between two worlds? The world where Herod rules? And the other, where God reigns. When they awoke the guards still found the chains rattling on their own wrists and ankles, but no prisoner at the other end of the chains. In the spot where prisoner Peter was, the evening before, there now was only thin air. How could they account for this, when Herod cross-examined them? They were not guilty but still they were executed. That was Herod’s world.

“Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there for a while.

Verse 21, 22: “On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted ‘This is the voice of a god, not of a man.

Verse 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”.

Herod! On your throne, dressed in royal robes. You were in the world where God reigns. Like many others who loudly and proudly proclaim ‘There is no God!’ you died, because God only is God, most Holy, eternal and Almighty.

The day when you, and all the others were born, was the day when God knew the day and the way of your death. Herod, God is still on His throne, your throne fell vacant and you have returned to dust. A powerful angel of the Lord released Peter out of your clutches and a powerful angel of the Lord struck you down. Now you are on the one and same level with your guards, whom you have killed”.

Verses 24: “But . . . the Word of God continued to increase and spread”.

Until, the year 2010 when it is continuing and spreading still. PRAISE BE TO GOD!