Wake Up, Peter! – Acts 12

Joy:  You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #101.  Today we’ll read Acts chapter 12 together:  Herod puts Peter in prison; his angelic release surprises the group of praying believers; and Herod’s pride leads to a gross death.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So, refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

Getting Old Isn’t All Bad

Proverbs 20:29 says, “The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is gray hair.”  I’m going to assume that goes for old women too and I am finding this to be true.  Admittedly, there are days when I miss my younger days…I didn’t ache so much and I wasn’t afraid anything was gonna break.  Today, I cautiously think before I jump. 

But there is indeed a splendor in growing old.  There’s such an accumulation of experiences and a relentless going-forward.  It feels sometimes that life is one of those little flip books.  As I flick the pages rapidly, the images of the people in my life – especially young people – change dramatically.  They grow taller and they exchange going to camp for going to work.  In a seemingly short period of time. 

Sarah and Wynter

I was touched this past weekend by a virtual wedding in which two such young people took part.  The bride, Sarah, is literally one of my favorite people in the whole world. I have watched her grow into a beautiful young woman, full of grace and kindness. She smiles easily while hiding a deep ocean of thoughts, anxieties, and curiosities.  And wisdom.  I’m pretty sure it was just yesterday that she did grade school and church camp and now she is a college graduate and a wife.  And, then there is Wynter.  No, he wasn’t the groom but the officiant.  This rough-and-tumble young boy has grown into a bear of a man who loves the Lord with an off-beat, wonderfully approachable style.  And he marries people now. 

I am wondrously amazed and impressed with both of them and so many more who have shared space with me, and then marched past me on their way to taking their places in the world.  I agree with Solomon: There is splendor in being a part of that.

Acts Chapter 12:

James Martyred and Peter Jailed

About that time King Herod violently attacked some who belonged to the church, and he executed James, John’s brother, with the sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was praying fervently to God for him.

Peter Rescued

When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists. “Get dressed,” the angel told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.”  So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the angel did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision.

After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.” As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was called Mark, where many had assembled and were praying. He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.  She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.

You’re Out of Your Mind!

“You’re out of your mind!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his angel.”  Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place. At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

Herod’s Death

Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country. On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them. The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!” At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God spread and multiplied. After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.

Closing Thoughts

Again, you have to endure my staccato bullet points…there are so many moments in which attention in this chapter must be paid.  Don’t miss that the angel had to shake Peter awake.  This was not a man who was wringing his hands and fretting about his impending execution at Herod’s hand.  He had confidence and faith in his God, not necessarily that he would be saved from his sentence, but that he was found worthy, if necessary, to die for Christ.  That is peace; that is true rest.  And Rhoda?  Can’t you just see her?  I imagine she is young and very high energy.  She’s so shocked and excited at seeing Peter at the door, she loses her head! 

Keep Knocking

And Peter just keeps knocking, knocking, knocking.  “Uh, Rhoda, ya wanna come let me in?  The bad guys are out here, Rhoda.  Rhoda?”  Next, I don’t want you to be confused about the mention of James twice.  These are two different Jameses.  The first is James, the brother of Andrew, which makes him the first apostle to be martyred.  The second James was Jesus’ brother who was the leader of the church in Jerusalem.   Finally, the reason that Herod ordered the execution of the soldiers had to do with the rules of the day.  If a guard allowed his prisoner to escape, he received the same doom that the prisoner was destined for.  I imagine that made for some very attentive guards, don’t you? 

Prayer

Let’s pray.  Father, thank You for the miracle of Your angelic prison break!  We praise You because Your Power was greater than Herod’s and You answered the prayers of Your saints.  And that those things are still true today.  Thank You for the encouragement that this chapter affirms in us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.