Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Acts 12:12 The Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me.
ANGELS AS GOD'S MINISTERS (3)
After Herod killed Jesus, he imprisoned Peter. "Constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church" (Acts 12:15). In fact "many were gathered together praying" (Acts 12:12) in the house of Mary, Mark's mother. They were praying for God to save Peter's life, if it was His will, for, in their judgment, Peter's leadership was still needed, now especially that James had been taken from them. That night was a time for earnest prayer, because on the very next day Herod intended "to bring Peter out before the people" (Acts 12:4, 6).
Peter must have felt safe in God's hands that night. For he "was sleeping, bound with chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison" (Acts 12:6). There was no way he could possibly escape, was there?
It was time for God to send one of His spirit creatures, an angel, to set Peter free. But Peter was sleeping. This was no problem. "He struck Peter on the side and raised him up" (Acts 12:7). But Peter was chained to two soldiers. This was no problem. "His chains fell off his hands" (Acts 12:7). But what about the guards? This was no problem. Peter followed the angel "past the first and second guard posts" (Acts 12:10). But what about the iron gate? This was no problem. The gate "opened to them of its own accord" (Acts 12:10).
It all happened so fast that Peter "thought he was seeing a vision" (Acts 12:9). It was all like a very pleasant dream, but he fully expected to wake up in prison, chained between two soldiers. But when he came to himself and was fully awake, there he was, walking down the streets of the city. The angel was nowhere to be seen. Yet it was now all clear in Peter's mind. God had answered the prayers of His people. Peter said: "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people" (Acts 12:11).
