[ACT:12:1-23].
Lesson 323 - Junior
Memory Verse
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
Notes
Herod Agrippa
By the Romans King Herod was made the ruler of Palestine. He was not one of the Jewish people; but in the few years that he ruled he sought to gain their favour. One way that he could please the Jews was to mistreat the followers of Jesus Christ. Herod began to stretch forth his hand against them. It had been almost ten years since Stephen had been killed (). During that time, the disciples had scattered into all parts of the land, spreading the Gospel wherever they went [ACT:8:1]). Churches were established in Samaria and in Antioch, where the disciples were first called "Christians" [ACT:11:26]). Saul of Tarsus had been converted (). Peter had been sent to the home of Cornelius and had preached about Jesus, and the Gentiles had received the Gospel [ACT:11:1]). No doubt the Jewish officials had hoped to frighten the disciples by persecution and threatening words [ACT:5:40]). But instead of stopping the work of the disciples, they caused the Gospel to be spread all the more.James
Our lesson today tells about the first Apostle to be a martyr. A martyr is one who give his life for his Christian faith rather than deny his belief in Jesus. James was the first Apostle to be martyred. He was the brother of John, and a son of Zebedee [MAK:1:19]). He was a fisherman when Jesus called him. Along with his brother, he immediately left his father and the ship to follow Jesus [MAT:4:22]). Later James was called to be one of the twelve Apostles [MAT:10:2]). He was one of the three who were very close to Jesus. James was with Jesus at the time of His transfiguration (Lesson 114). James was in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus as He prayed in agony. He as one of the three to whom Jesus had said, "Watch with me" [MAT:26:38]). After Jesus had ascended into Heaven, James was obedient to Jesus' command to wait for the promise of the Father [ACT:1:4]). He went with the others to an upper room in Jerusalem to pray [ACT:1:13]). There they received power to be witnesses for Jesus [ACT:1:8]).Persecution
This was the James whom Herod killed with a sword. We are told that it was considered a disgrace to be beheaded with a sword, and that that was the way James was killed. No doubt Herod had hoped that by bringing death and disgrace to this Apostle who had been close to Jesus, the others would not be so bold in their preaching. At the same time, Herod's actions would please the Jews, and he would gain favour with them. To James, it meant that his sudden death would be sudden victory and he would be with Jesus, whom he loved very much.Peter
When Herod saw that James' death had pleased the Jews, he caused more persecution. This time he had Peter seized and put in jail. It was at the time of the unleavened bread, the keeping of the Passover, at our Easter time. Peter was well guarded in prison and Herod planned to keep him there until after Easter. This was not the first time that Peter had been in prison because of his preaching of the Gospel. One time the authorities had released him, along with John, because they could find "nothing how they might punish them" [ACT:4:21]). The Apostles were commanded to preach no more in the name of Jesus (). Another time, an angel of the Lord opened the prison and freed the Apostles [ACT:5:19]). They had been imprisoned because they had continued to preach about Jesus. They were taken before the Sanhedrin. Peter and the others said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." This time they were beaten before they were released [ACT:5:40]). Perhaps Herod knew of the time when Peter had escaped, even though the prison was "shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors" [ACT:5:23]). This time Herod ordered Peter to be put in the inner prison with 16 soldiers to guard him.Prayer
Peter was in a serious situation. There was no earthly help for him. There was no law and no lawyer to have him freed. But there were some of his friends who were praying. The disciples gathered at the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark. There they prayed without ceasing for Peter. No doubt, day and night, all the time he was imprisoned, prayers were offered in his behalf. When a problem seems to be hopeless, some people think there is no use to pray. Others give up after they have prayed once or twice. May we learn a lesson from this that "with God all things are possible" [MAK:10:27]). The days went by, and Peter was still in prison. Finally there was just one more night before Peter was to be brought before the people for trial. Peter was not afraid or worried about what would happen to him. He knew that the Lord's people were praying for him. No doubt he had been praying, too. Usually God's people prayed like Jesus prayed: "O my Father, . . . thy will be done" [MAT:26:42]). Peter probably felt as Paul, who said: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" [PHL:1:21]). Peter was ready to live or to die for Christ.Deliverance
That night, all was dark as Peter went to sleep, chained between two soldiers. Suddenly there was a light in the prison, and the angel of the Lord appeared. Peter thought he was seeing a vision but he did as the angel told him. As he arose, the chains fell from his hands. Peter put on his shoes and coat and followed the angel. They went past the first and the second ward. As they came to the outside gate, it opened of its own accord. After they had passed through the iron gate, leading to the city, the angel left Peter. Then he realised that it was not a vision. He was delivered from prison. There were no sirens sounding, no guards shouting his escape. All was quiet, because God had sent the angel to perform this miracle. Peter said, "Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews."Faith
Peter decided to go to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where he knew the people of God were praying. He wanted to be with the people who had prayed for him. He wanted to tell them how God had answered their prayers and delivered him. When Peter knocked at the door, a young woman by the name of Rhoda asked who was there. When she recognised Peter's voice, she was so excited and happy that she forgot to open the door to let Peter in. Rhoda went to tell the others. They had prayed for Peter many days without ceasing. When their prayer was answered and he was delivered, it seemed too good to be true. They could scarcely believe that it was Peter who continued to knock outside the door. When they saw him, they were astonished. God had worked such a miracle! Peter held up his hand to quiet them, and he testified of his deliverance. Peter left and went to another place, after he had asked the disciples to tell James. No doubt this was the James who was regarded as overseer of the Church at Jerusalem. (See [ACT:21:17-18].) When the people of God have prayed for us, and God delivers us, it is only right that we should let them know what the Lord has done. Peter wanted James and the other brethren to know that he was safe because God had delivered him. Does it not seem strange that these praying people were astonished when Peter was released by the angel? Perhaps God gave this lesson as an example for us. Do we always have faith to believe that our prayers are answered? In the Bible we read, "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" [MAK:11:24]). To a father who brought his demoniac son to be healed, Jesus said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" [MAK:9:23]). These are the words of Saint John: "This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hearth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (I [JHN:5:14-15]). May this lesson help us to pray more, and to have more faith when we do pray.No Mercy
The next morning there was a great stir in the prison. Peter was nowhere to be found. Apparently the soldiers had slept as the angel set Peter free. The iron gate must have gone back in place as miraculously as it had opened of its own accord. Peter was not to be found. The jailers were questioned before Herod. None knew anything about Peter's escape. When they could not account for Peter, Herod ordered them to be killed. This man who had planned to put Peter to death was soon to die. Herod had no love for the disciples. In persecuting them, Herod was fighting against God. But there came a time when God was against Herod.Smitten by God
For some unknown reason, Herod was displeased with the people of Tyre and Sidon. They had made friends with Blastus, who held a place of honour close to Herod. They wanted to be at peace with Herod, so arrangements were made for him to talk to them. There was a certain time set when Herod would deliver a speech to them. He was dressed in his royal apparel as he sat upon his throne in view of the people. Apparently they liked his speech, because they gave a great shout, saying, "It is the voice of a god, and not of a man." Herod like those words of flattery, and did not deny them. He liked the honour for himself and did not give the glory to God. But Herod's glory did not last long. As he sat there before the people, he was smitten by God. His disease was a horrible one, and it has been said that he was in great pain. In his suffering he soon died. These two men in our lesson represent the two kinds of people in the world. Those, like Herod, who have no regard for God and who persecute His people, must endure the judgments of God. If Herod had prayed, his life could have been changed. Those, like Peter, who have a concern for God and His work, have been delivered through prayer. "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."