Peter Sleeps in Chains Between Roman SoldiersBible World
12:5Acts 12:5
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Peter was shut up in prison by Herod Agrippa to please the Jews and put to death after James had been killed with the sword, bound to two soldiers and watched in shifts behind barred doors so that no human rescue was possible. While he lay awaiting execution, the whole church gathered and prayed to God for him without ceasing, continually and earnestly day and night, unitedly and persistently with fasting and tears and deep searching of heart. God heard those prayers and sent His mighty angel to deliver him from Herod's hands and design before the appointed death, loosing his chains, opening the prison doors and leading him safely past the guards and the iron gate to the praying believers. The deliverance shows that holy angels watch over and guard God's people as His powerful helpers, and that united fervent intercession prevails even when human help is hopeless and death seems certain.
Herod's Persecution and Imprisonment
The ruler who held Peter was Herod Agrippa, who governed Judea under Claudius the Roman emperor and also held the position of tetrarch of Galilee. He was professedly a proselyte to the Jewish faith and apparently very zealous in carrying out the ceremonies of the Jewish law. He persecuted the church to obtain the favor of the Jews and so make secure his offices and honors.
That persecution meant vexing certain of the church, spoiling the houses and goods of believers, and imprisoning leading members. He had cast James the brother of John into prison and had him killed with the sword to please the Jews, as another Herod had caused the prophet John to be beheaded. Seeing the Jews were well pleased, he imprisoned Peter also, bringing great grief and consternation to the believers.
Peter was imprisoned for proclaiming Jesus after the resurrection in defiance of human law. Herod intended to put him to death to satisfy the Jews, his execution had been appointed, and he awaited execution while the Jews gathered to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt. The believers kept praying even after the day of execution had been appointed.
He was kept under heavy, secure guard so that human rescue or escape was impossible: he was chained to two soldiers, while other soldiers guarded him in shifts and the doors were barred. The soldiers' strength could not prevail against God, and divine power was about to prevent his blood from being shed. The confinement sets the scene for divine power to turn the limits of human help into an occasion for triumph.
Church's Earnest United Prayer
While Peter was kept in prison the whole church prayed to God for him without ceasing, continually and earnestly and fervently. Their prayer was united and persistent, offered day and night by believers gathered together in a house.
That continual prayer was joined with fasting. It was earnest prayer joined with tears and fasting, and with deep searching of heart. They prayed in this way because they believed Peter was needed and essential for the Christian work and the gospel cause. Without special help from God they felt the church could not endure but was in danger of being destroyed and might become extinct.
They continued appealing for help even after the day of execution had been appointed. They prayed on when human means offered no chance of rescue and escape by human power seemed impossible. They kept making prayer without ceasing even while expecting he would have to suffer death.
Angelic Deliverance and Application
While Peter lay in prison awaiting execution, angels watched over and guarded him, for holy angels minister to God's people. God employs angels to communicate with human beings, sending them as powerful helpers and guides to His chosen messengers on earth, with instruction given to men by immortal messengers. Their guarding presence surrounded Peter even as the prayers of the church rose to heaven when human means offered no chance of rescue.
God heard and answered those continual prayers by delivering Peter from prison before his planned execution. He was brought out from under Herod's guard and power and from Herod's hands and design to put him to death, and He freed him from prison and from Herod's plan to kill him. He came to the believers gathered in a house in prayer, filling them with joy and praise, yet when his voice was heard at the gate those who had prayed were astonished at the answered prayer.
God sent His mighty angel to deliver His servant, proving His care for the true and faithful by sending messengers from heaven to open the gates and set him free. At the presence of the angel the prison doors flew open and his bands were loosed. He was awakened by the angel's touch and amazed by the light so that he thought he saw a vision, and being so astonished he thought not of his garments until told to gird himself and put on his sandals. The angel led him safely past armed guards, locked doors, and an iron gate, able to deliver God's servant from prison and the threat of death.
God had work for Peter to do, so divine power rescued him from his persecutor who intended to put him to death. Herod later faced God's judgment and died after exalting himself before a crowd, remembering that rescue as he faced judgment for persecuting Christ's followers.
That united day-and-night intercession for Peter when made a prisoner and condemned to death stands in contrast to Paul in his own danger. No such interest was manifested for one looked upon as an apostate from Moses and a teacher of dangerous doctrines, so that Paul owed his escape from violent death not to the elders whose counsel had brought him into danger but to the watchful sympathy of a relative.
God's servants obey God rather than men and do not desist from preaching when threatened, forbidden, or thrust into prison, for Peter was imprisoned for proclaiming Jesus after the resurrection in defiance of human law. Those who take their stand to stem prevailing iniquity when the message goes with a loud cry will likewise meet reproach, persecution, and strait places for obeying the truth.
The account of the angel taking the prey from the enemy who had determined to destroy him, read slowly and solemnly, makes an impression on the minds of children and youth that influences character far more than older persons imagine and keeps the narrative vividly before the mind for life. Youth must therefore be taught how to read and understand the Scriptures, led from truth to truth up higher and higher, with Scripture interpreting Scripture, one passage being the key to other passages, so that Scripture itself becomes the educating power holding thoughts in captivity to Christ.
Peter was shut up in prison by Herod Agrippa to please the Jews and put to death after James had been killed with the sword, bound to two soldiers and watched in shifts behind barred doors so that no human rescue was possible. While he lay awaiting execution, the whole church gathered and prayed to God for him without ceasing, continually and earnestly day and night, unitedly and persistently with fasting and tears and deep searching of heart. God heard those prayers and sent His mighty angel to deliver him from Herod's hands and design before the appointed death, loosing his chains, opening the prison doors and leading him safely past the guards and the iron gate to the praying believers. The deliverance shows that holy angels watch over and guard God's people as His powerful helpers, and that united fervent intercession prevails even when human help is hopeless and death seems certain.
Herod's Persecution and Imprisonment
The ruler who held Peter was Herod Agrippa, who governed Judea under Claudius the Roman emperor and also held the position of tetrarch of Galilee. He was professedly a proselyte to the Jewish faith and apparently very zealous in carrying out the ceremonies of the Jewish law. He persecuted the church to obtain the favor of the Jews and so make secure his offices and honors.
That persecution meant vexing certain of the church, spoiling the houses and goods of believers, and imprisoning leading members. He had cast James the brother of John into prison and had him killed with the sword to please the Jews, as another Herod had caused the prophet John to be beheaded. Seeing the Jews were well pleased, he imprisoned Peter also, bringing great grief and consternation to the believers.
Peter was imprisoned for proclaiming Jesus after the resurrection in defiance of human law. Herod intended to put him to death to satisfy the Jews, his execution had been appointed, and he awaited execution while the Jews gathered to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt. The believers kept praying even after the day of execution had been appointed.
He was kept under heavy, secure guard so that human rescue or escape was impossible: he was chained to two soldiers, while other soldiers guarded him in shifts and the doors were barred. The soldiers' strength could not prevail against God, and divine power was about to prevent his blood from being shed. The confinement sets the scene for divine power to turn the limits of human help into an occasion for triumph.
Church's Earnest United Prayer
While Peter was kept in prison the whole church prayed to God for him without ceasing, continually and earnestly and fervently. Their prayer was united and persistent, offered day and night by believers gathered together in a house.
That continual prayer was joined with fasting. It was earnest prayer joined with tears and fasting, and with deep searching of heart. They prayed in this way because they believed Peter was needed and essential for the Christian work and the gospel cause. Without special help from God they felt the church could not endure but was in danger of being destroyed and might become extinct.
They continued appealing for help even after the day of execution had been appointed. They prayed on when human means offered no chance of rescue and escape by human power seemed impossible. They kept making prayer without ceasing even while expecting he would have to suffer death.
Angelic Deliverance and Application
While Peter lay in prison awaiting execution, angels watched over and guarded him, for holy angels minister to God's people. God employs angels to communicate with human beings, sending them as powerful helpers and guides to His chosen messengers on earth, with instruction given to men by immortal messengers. Their guarding presence surrounded Peter even as the prayers of the church rose to heaven when human means offered no chance of rescue.
God heard and answered those continual prayers by delivering Peter from prison before his planned execution. He was brought out from under Herod's guard and power and from Herod's hands and design to put him to death, and He freed him from prison and from Herod's plan to kill him. He came to the believers gathered in a house in prayer, filling them with joy and praise, yet when his voice was heard at the gate those who had prayed were astonished at the answered prayer.
God sent His mighty angel to deliver His servant, proving His care for the true and faithful by sending messengers from heaven to open the gates and set him free. At the presence of the angel the prison doors flew open and his bands were loosed. He was awakened by the angel's touch and amazed by the light so that he thought he saw a vision, and being so astonished he thought not of his garments until told to gird himself and put on his sandals. The angel led him safely past armed guards, locked doors, and an iron gate, able to deliver God's servant from prison and the threat of death.
God had work for Peter to do, so divine power rescued him from his persecutor who intended to put him to death. Herod later faced God's judgment and died after exalting himself before a crowd, remembering that rescue as he faced judgment for persecuting Christ's followers.
That united day-and-night intercession for Peter when made a prisoner and condemned to death stands in contrast to Paul in his own danger. No such interest was manifested for one looked upon as an apostate from Moses and a teacher of dangerous doctrines, so that Paul owed his escape from violent death not to the elders whose counsel had brought him into danger but to the watchful sympathy of a relative.
God's servants obey God rather than men and do not desist from preaching when threatened, forbidden, or thrust into prison, for Peter was imprisoned for proclaiming Jesus after the resurrection in defiance of human law. Those who take their stand to stem prevailing iniquity when the message goes with a loud cry will likewise meet reproach, persecution, and strait places for obeying the truth.
The account of the angel taking the prey from the enemy who had determined to destroy him, read slowly and solemnly, makes an impression on the minds of children and youth that influences character far more than older persons imagine and keeps the narrative vividly before the mind for life. Youth must therefore be taught how to read and understand the Scriptures, led from truth to truth up higher and higher, with Scripture interpreting Scripture, one passage being the key to other passages, so that Scripture itself becomes the educating power holding thoughts in captivity to Christ.