Acts 12:9
And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.
On the last night before his planned execution Peter was led out of a humanly hopeless imprisonment following an angel without knowing the rescue was real, thinking he was dreaming or seeing a vision and obeying almost mechanically in bewildered amazement. Roused from peaceful sleep by heavenly light and the angel's touch and voice, with chains fallen from his wrists, he girded himself, bound on sandals, cast his garment about him and followed in silence past motionless guards and through bolted doors and the iron gate that opened of its own accord out into the street. He knew his freedom was no delusion or dream but blessed reality only after the light faded and the angel left him alone in the dark street, coming to himself dressed and free with swollen wrists loosed from manacles. God sent His angel to deliver him from Herod's power and intended death because He still had a work for Peter to do. The leading shows holy angels are still sent on missions of mercy to guide, protect and set God's servants free even when those rescued do not at first understand, and that God can overcome every precaution meant to ensure their death.
Herod's Prison Rescue
Judea was governed by Herod Agrippa under the Roman emperor Claudius, and he also held Galilee, professed to be a proselyte zealous for Jewish ceremonies, and persecuted the church to gain favor and secure his offices by plundering believers, imprisoning leaders, beheading James the brother of John, and then imprisoning Peter when that pleased the Jews. Peter lay in a humanly hopeless imprisonment on the last night before his planned execution, bound between guards with chains, guards, and barred doors ruling out escape, and expecting to die for Christ the next day. The doors, bars, chains, and guards remained in place yet he was gone, showing the escape was not by human power.
He went out and followed the angel without knowing the rescue was real, thinking he was dreaming or seeing a vision. Bewildered, amazed, and dumb with astonishment, he obeyed almost mechanically, and his obedience and the deliverance itself were real, not a vision. Asleep in peaceful sleep of perfect trust, he was roused only by the angel's touch and voice and by heavenly light filling the cell, then dimly conscious that the chains had fallen from his wrists he rose, girded himself, bound on sandals, cast his garment about him and followed. So astonished that he forgot his garments until told, he had to be directed to gird himself and put on his sandals.
Usually talkative, he kept his wondering gaze riveted on the angel of great glory, stepping over motionless guards and passing through heavily bolted doors and gateways and the iron gate that swung open of their own accord without creaking or rattling and closed noiselessly behind them, with no word spoken and no sound of footsteps. He followed the angel gliding ahead encircled by dazzling brightness out into the open street and through one street until the mission was accomplished. He recognized the reality only after the heavenly light faded and the angel suddenly left him alone in the dark, silent street with the cool night air on his brow. Coming to himself in a familiar part of the city, recalling falling asleep bound between soldiers with sandals and outer garments removed, and finding himself fully dressed and girded with swollen wrists free from manacles, he knew his freedom was no delusion, dream, or vision but the blessed reality that the Lord had sent His angel to deliver him from prison and death at Herod's hand.
God sent His angel to rescue Peter from Herod's power and intended death because He still had a work for Peter to do. Herod, whose heart had grown harder and who was little troubled by Christ's resurrection, had taken James and then Peter intending to put him to death. After the deliverance he was later visited with divine judgment and smitten before a great multitude while exalting himself, dying a horrible death.
Heaven's Ministering Care
Acts 12:9 shows a holy angel sent on a mission of mercy to minister to God's people, rescuing Peter when he was doomed to death in Herod's dungeon, as holy angels have in all ages ministered to God's people. God's angel appeared to Peter and led him safely past the armed guards, through the prison doors, and out through the iron gate, though Peter at first thought he was seeing a vision. God's protecting presence delivered His servant from danger, leading him safely past guards, through doors, and out the gate without realizing the rescue was real.
The angel leading Peter out illustrates that God's chosen messengers on earth are taught of God, and that instruction is often given to men by immortal messengers who serve as their powerful helpers and guides. It shows the close connection between heaven and earth in the angel leading Peter to safety out of prison while he thought he was seeing a vision. Heavenly messengers can act in earthly events to lead to safety, and though unseen, angels continue to guide, direct, protect, comfort, and draw people to Christ.
Angels actively open prison doors and set God's servants free, as Peter followed the angel leading him out while thinking he was seeing a vision and not yet realizing the deliverance was real. Angels can act directly to deliver God's people even when those they rescue do not immediately understand what is happening. The angel took the prey out of the hands of the enemy who had determined to destroy him.
The suddenness of the awakening to the angel's presence and the extraordinary events left Peter bewildered and uncertain that his deliverance was real. Heaven notices and cares for people in their trials and for ordinary human needs, for the angel attended to Peter's clothing and protection from the night air. Awakened by the angel's touch and amazed by the light, with bands loosed and prison doors flying open before the mighty angel, Peter was so astonished that he forgot his garments until told to gird himself and put on his sandals. God always has care for the true and faithful, sending His messengers from heaven to open the gates and set His servant free in answer to the prayers made in his behalf.
Acts 12:9 shows Christ manifesting Himself to Peter by delivering him from prison by the hand of an angel. This fulfills His promise that He will love those who love Him and manifest Himself to them, just as He manifested Himself to John banished on Patmos and to Stephen at his martyrdom. It proves that Christ will likewise manifest Himself to believers if they are faithful, so that neither death nor life nor any other creature can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
Lessons for Faithful Witness
Peter's deliverance shows that God could overcome the precautions meant to ensure his execution, for he lay in a prison where chains, guards, and barred doors ruled out escape by human means and believed the time had come to die for Christ, yet God's angels guarded him. The doors, bars, chains, and guards remained in place, yet Peter was gone, proving his escape was not achieved by human power. The same opening of prison doors to free His servants shows that God can deliver them as readily as He can release His life-giving word from suppression.
That miraculous deliverance from prison and death, together with the striking down of his persecutor by God's judgment, became known in many lands and led many people to believe in Christ. The account of Peter following the angel to safety without realizing the rescue was real, thinking he saw a vision, parallels Wesley's deliverance when an angel in human form came to him, the mob fell back, and he escaped unharmed.
The deliverance is to be taught to families, children, and youth as proof that angels of God come from heaven right into the prison house to rescue those who suffer in prison for truth's sake, taking their prey out of the hands of the enemy who determined to destroy them. It shows that angels are commissioned to guard and watch over people, coming in and going out of their houses, and that God is constantly working in behalf of His people. Fathers and mothers are to give God credit for this working, teach their children to do justice and judgment and to walk humbly with God, and place themselves under His protection rather than under the powers of darkness. When the chapter of Peter's rescue is read slowly and solemnly, with Scripture interpreting Scripture and truth leading to truth, the narrative stays vividly before the mind for a lifetime and makes an impression on youth that shapes character far more than older persons imagine.
Peter had been imprisoned by Herod for proclaiming Jesus after the resurrection though human law forbade it, then was miraculously led out by an angel, which means believers must obey God rather than man and not desist from preaching even when thrust into prison and forbidden. This applies to the time when iniquity prevails and the message goes with a loud cry, when those who stem the current and carry aggressive truth will face reproach, persecution, and strait places for refusing to submit to laws and powers opposed to God. Even then they must bear the message wherever they are and let their light shine.