[ACT:12:1-23].
Lesson 323 - Senior
Memory Verse
"I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found" (Psalm 37:35, 36).
Cross References
I Herod's Persecution of the Apostles
1. James is the first Apostle to be martyred, [ACT:12:1-2]; [ACT:8:1]. 2. Peter is next apprehended by Herod to please the Jews, [ACT:12:3]; [GAL:1:10]. 3. Herod imprisons Peter, intending to slay him after Easter, [ACT:12:4]; [MAK:14:2].II The Deliverance of Peter in Answer to Prayer
1. Prayer without ceasing is made for Peter, [ACT:12:5]; [LUK:18:1]; [ROM:1:9]; [1TS:5:17]; [2TM:1:3]. 2. Peter, sleeping, chained and under guard, is wakened by an angel, [ACT:12:6-7]. 3. Peter, freed from chains, is commanded to follow the angel, [ACT:12:8].III Peter's Return to the House of Prayer
1. Freed in the street, he awakens to his deliverance by an angel, [ACT:12:9-11]. 2. Coming to the house where many are praying, he knocks, [ACT:12:12-13]; [ACT:10:30]. 3. Rhoda demonstrates more faith than the others, [ACT:12:14-17]; [LUK:18:17].IV The Miserable Death of Herod
1. The soldiers executed on account of Peter's strange escape, [ACT:12:18-19]. 2. Herod makes a great speech to the people at Caesa, [ACT:12:20-22]. 3. The king is eaten by worms, because he gave not God the glory, [ACT:12:23]; [JOB:24:20].Notes
Men Pleasers
Herod who killed James, the first of the Apostles to be martyred, was the grandson of Herod who ordered all the babies in Bethlehem slain in an attempt to kill Jesus. "And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also." What a servant of hell is he who would stoop even to murder that he might please the people! Herod Antipas killed John the Baptist to please the daughter of Herodias. Pilate delivered Jesus to the multitude to be crucified that he might please the chief priests and rulers of the people. Felix left Paul in chains to show the Jews a pleasure, and Festus was more willing to please the Jews than he was to render true judgment. Those who strive to please men often displease God. The attitude of the Apostles was, "We ought to obey God rather than men" [ACT:5:29]). Even the workman who is in the employ of another must remember the instruction of the Word of God, which says to obey, "not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ" [COL:3:22-24]). The Lord is interested in the labourer's doing a good day's work, whether his employer is looking or not. Too often it is the tendency of a workman to try a little harder if he is being watched. The Lord is always watching; and regardless of what is done, a child of God is to do it as to the Lord and not unto men. Though one may be receiving wages from man, if he labours "as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men" he has the promise of God that "whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord" [EPH:6:6-8]). Sometimes in the Lord's work, men take pride in doing the jobs that noticed, and neglect those labours that behind the scenes. Jesus said we have no reward of our Father, which is in Heaven for that which is done to be seen of men. The silent labourer who does his work without directing anyone's attention to it will have a greater reward than he who labours to be seen of men.Persecution
It was at Easter, or the Passover time, that Herod sought to vex the Church. This was ten years after the first persecution in which Stephen was martyred and the Church, with the exception of the Apostles, was scattered. Now the enemy was striking at the very heart of the Church, the twelve Apostles. Yes, among the three who were favoured of Christ, James was slain and Peter was put in prison to await execution. Godly men suffer persecution. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" [2TM:3:12]). Paul, speaking of the persecutions, which he endured, added, "But out of them all the Lord delivered me" [2TM:3:11]).Deliverance
"The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry" [PS:34:15]). Prayer was made without ceasing by the Church while Peter was in prison bound with two chains, between two soldiers. This was double the usual precaution of chaining the prisoner to one soldier. Sixteen soldiers watched to make the prisoner secure as the day approached when Peter was to be executed. But God heard the prayer of the righteous and sent His angel to deliver Peter. How often the Lord has used these celestial beings to upset the plans of wicked men!Angels
Once before, when Peter was in prison with the other Apostles, the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and released them without the keepers; realising they were gone. Imagine the guards' astonishment when the officers came and found them guarding an empty prison. An angel of the Lord rolled the stone away when Jesus came forth from the tomb. "And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men" [MAT:28:4]). God sent His angel and delivered Daniel from the mouths of the lions. Of the angels, Paul asks, "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" [HEB:1:14]).Our Trust in God
God sometimes lets us be tried, but never more than we can bear. He permitted Daniel to be cast into the den of lions, but locked the mouths of the lions. The three Hebrew children were thrown into the fiery furnace, but the fire had no power over their bodies. Peter was held in prison almost to the hour of his planned execution, but God sent His angel of deliverance. Through these examples God teaches His children to put their trust in Him. We may be taken to the very doors of defeat, but if we hold fast we shall emerge through the gates of victory.Unbelief
It is hard for most of us to realise to what length God goes to look after His own. When an angel smote Peter on the side and led him out of the prison, Peter thought he was dreaming. When Rhoda told the disciples that Peter was at the gate they said, "It is his angel." They had come together to pray for Peter's deliverance, but when Peter was delivered they were surprised. It is almost unbelievable the way God answers prayer and works miracles. When we see how God works with such little faith on the part of His own, we wonder what would be the results if we had more faith and really believed the promises of God? Jesus said: "Verily I say unto you, If you have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive" [MAT:21:21-22]). Another time Jesus told a man, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" [MAK:9:23]). May our hearts be like this man who, with tears, cried out, "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" [MAK:9:24]). Let us be as the Apostles who said unto the Lord, "Increase our faith" [LUK:17:5]).Pride
Arrayed in royal apparel and seated upon his throne, Herod was lifted up with pride because of the oration he had made. He was thinking of himself higher than he ought to think when he heard the acclamation of the people, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." It was an angel of the Lord who smote Peter on the side and released him from his prison cell; but when an angel smote Herod he was eaten with worms and died. "Vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt" [JOB:11:12]). What is man that he should be lifted up when he can have nothing but what God gives to him or enables him to get? God has said, "Pride, and arrogancy, . . . do I hate" [PRO:8:13]). "The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD" [OBA:1:3-4]). Pride drove proud Nebuchadnezzar from among men, to dwell with the beasts of the earth. Pride cause proud Saul to lose his kingdom and go to suicide's grave. Pride sent proud Haman from the king's court to the gallows. Pride thrust proud Lucifer from Heaven to hell. And pride sent Herod from his throne to a horrible death. "No flesh should glory in his [God's] presence" [1CO:1:29]). May God help us to keep humble before Him! "We are unprofitable servants" [LUK:17:10]).