Acts 12

• Peter’s miraculous escape from prison
  • Herod’s actions (Acts 12:1-4)
    • Who Herod Agrippa I was
      • Nephew of Herod Antipas
        • Herod Antipas beheaded John the Baptist
      • Grandson of Herod the Great
        • Herod the Great had all the male babies of Bethlehem killed at the time of Jesus’ birth
      • Not a Jew and the Jewish people resented that fact
    • Killed James to seek favor with the Jews
      • Jesus told of James’ fate in Matthew 20:23 “Jesus said to them, ‘You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.’”
    • Had Peter arrested with the intent of killing him
      • Peter is chained with two chains
      • Peter is guarded by two guards
      • Sentries are standing guard at the entrance
  • God’s intervention (Acts 12:5-10)
    • Through delay (Acts 12:4b)
      • This was the time of the Passover and by Jewish law a trial could not be held nor could they hold an execution
    • Through prayer (Acts 12:5)
      • “but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”
    • Through deliverance of an angel (Acts 12:6-10)
      • Peter is roused from sleep
      • Chains fall off
      • He dresses
      • Follows the angel
        • This is a maximum-security prison
  • Peter understands (Acts 12:11)
  • Response to answered prayer (Acts 12:12-19)
    • Peter goes to a praying church to share the news
    • Rhoda’s response
    • The church’s reaction (Acts 12:15-16)
    • Peter takes prudent action (Acts 12:17b)
  • Herod faces a violent death (Acts 12:20-24)
    • The reason for Herod’s anger with the people of Tyre and Sidon is not revealed nor is it vital to the story
    • Josephus says the occasion of celebration is the games which gave honor to the Roman Emperor. Herod was heaping honor upon himself that really belongs only to God
    • For this Herod was stricken and experienced a horrible death

Lessons learned from this passage

• God does answer prayer
• You cannot dishonor God without consequences
• The Holy Spirit works in unexpected ways