Acts 12:1–10
1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.
2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
3 When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
4 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.
5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
6 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.
7 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.
8 Then the angel said to him, "Put on your clothes and sandals." And Peter did so. "Wrap your cloak around you and follow me," the angel told him.
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.
10 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.
The circumstances
v3, we read that the Jews were celebrating Passover, the Festival of Unleavened Bread. They were celebrating the deliverance of their people through God’s intervention
King Herod imprisoned Peter who was proclaiming God’s redemptive
act of salvation for all humanity through Jesus Christ
Prayer
v5. The church was earnestly praying for Peter’s release
The word “earnest” comes from the idea of being stretched out before God in passionate prayer
Does “earnest prayer” characterize a part of your life? Why, why not?
The escape
Peter was guarded by four squads of four soldiers each on a rotating basis
Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers, with sentries standing guard at the entrance of his cell. By earthly means, there was no chance of escape.
v 7, an angel suddenly appears, and light enveloped his cell. The angel gives Peter a quick shove and tells him to “Quick, get up!”
Then the angel tells Peter to put on his clothes and wrap his outer garment around him. Now being fully dressed and released from his chains, Peter follows the angel out of the prison. On their way out, they pass through two guard posts, and when they approach the iron gate, it opens by itself. Peter is free!
While Peter is walking through the city streets of Jerusalem, the angel leaves him.
Upon his release, Peter heads to the home of Mary where many people were gathering to pray. When Peter knocks on the door, the servant Rhonda answers. She recognizes Peter’s voice and is so overjoyed that she runs back in without opening the door and exclaims, “Peter is at the door!”
Why was the church surprised when Peter interrupted their prayer meeting?
Acts 12:24-25
But the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark
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