Acts chapter 12 is one of those chapters that you want to scream and say "God that is not fair!" Herod the king decides to kill one of the apostles - James, the brother of John with a sword. It was a political move The story is set back is Jerusalem and the contrast is clear - between God in heaven and an earthly king.
The earthly king is Herod - the nephew of Herod who killed Jesus and grandson of Herod the Great who had ordered all the babies to be killed when Jesus was born.
The occasion was an important Jewish festival and Herod wanted to do something to win favour with the Jews.
James, the brother of John was one of Jesus' closest followers and he had a prophecy hanging over his head. Back in Mark 10 James and John had asked Jesus if they could sit on his right and left hands when he established his kingdom. Jesus' reply "Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:" They did not understand what Jesus meant at the time but after his crucifixion, when Jesus drank the cup of the wrath of God and was "baptized" in death, they must have realised what he had meant. So Herod killed James and then decided to arrest Peter as well (verse 3). His act of murder masquerading as religious observance was evidently a hit with the people. This time though he decided to put him in prison and wait under after the Passover was over. He made sure that 4 guards of soldiers were put in charge of watching Peter - remember in chapter 5 Peter has escaped in a similar situation.
Peter was sleeping between 2 guards bound in chains and there were guards on the door when an angel woke him up. He told him to get up quickly and his chains fell off. After he had dressed the angel told him to follow him. The angel proceeded to lead him out of the cell and then out of the prison into the street. At this point the angel left Peter. Up to now he had thought it was all a dream but suddenly he realised the Lord had sent the angel to bring him out of prison and out of Herod's clutches. Notice that Peter did nothing to bring about his release - it was all God's work. In chapter 11 I noted that "the hand of the Lord" was evident and here again it is too.
Peter went to the house of John Mark - why - because the church was meeting there and praying for him to be released. When he knocked at the door Rhoda came to answer but didn't believe it was him standing there. She went in and told the rest of the people who thought she was seeing things. Peter continued to knock on the door and when they went to answer it realised that he had indeed escaped from prison and was standing before them. Peter motioned to them not to say anything as by now the soldiers were probably searching the streets for him. This is actually the last mention of Peter in the book of Acts.
The following day Herod was angry and ordered the soldiers guarding Peter to be put to death.
At this point in the chapter we read of a treaty that the people of Tyre and Sidon wanted to make with Herod. These cities were dependent on Herod for food and are willing to do whatever to get Herod to provide them with this.
On a particular day Herod called all his people together. He was dressed in a beautiful silver robe and when he took his seat on the throne in the open air theatre he mirrored the rays of the sun. He was shining like a god so much that the people shouted "The voice of a god and not of a man." They were worshipping him. Herod was just a man, and he did not give God the glory for his status. So God struck him - he caused worms to eat him alive.
What a difference between his death and Jesus' death. Jesus was nailed to the cross of Calvary. Isaiah 53 verses 4 and 5 tell us he was "smitten by God and afflicted." Why? So that we might be healed. He gave God the glory even as he breathed his last. He was raised to life and ascended to the right hand of God in heaven. No-one and nothing can thwart his plans for salvation and judgment. Nothing can stop his salvation message from spreading.
"But the word of God grew and multiplied" what a wonderful verse! Throughout Acts we read these words over and over again. Even in the midst of persecution God's word grew and increased. Is it any wonder that we still suffer today? We would love things to be different in our lives at times. We all want an easy ride but that is most definitely not the way God plans things.
"A servant is not greater than his master, if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." John 15 verse 20
As Nancy Guthrie says in her commentary on this chapter - we would love things to have been different. We wonder why was James killed and not Peter. I am sure his mother asked that question too. Why do God's people suffer today? Ultimately we must look to God for his vindication. He has planned salvation to be made available to all people but it is our choice whether we accept or reject it.
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." John 10 verses 28 and 29
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