Acts 12 Commentary
James, one of Jesus’ core team, dies, beheaded by Herod. Peter is next. But the church reacts differently. They gather and have an overnight prayer session for Peter.
The connection between prayer and Peter’s release is clear. Of course, we cannot conclude that prayer could have saved James’s life had the church reacted quickly and in like fashion. But we can definitely enjoy Peter’s release as an answer to prayer.
The more we think about it the more sadness disappears. These martyrs transitioned in peace and full of joy. And if you think about the prospect of a full and well-run race, and the fact that an item of great value has been put on the altar of ultimate worship, from a human, sadness is replaced by a prayer for more grace. Grace to do even a fraction of this kind of worship!
Probably, Peter’s dream of the blessed reunion with his Master is interrupted by the angel. Jesus has sent an angel to rescue Peter. Martyrdom must wait. We blame the praying saints for this!
The LORD has always answered each time His children have knelt down to pray.
And what a rescue! Chains fall off, gates open by themselves, and guards tranced or simply immobilized intellectually and physically, how do you comprehend these events! And this power is nothing comprehensible. Nothing close to invisible yet physical elements of force like magnetism or mechanical thrusts. This kind we don’t understand!
It would be interesting to hear what science says about Peter’s release!
All these impossible events happen until Peter is physically safe and can take control of his brief destiny. He reports himself to the praying saints at Mary’s house – the mother of John Mark. The Spirit directs him there because the church must know. But the world remains confused. Herod’s plan has flopped. Sixteen security personnel die, probably. Peter’s head is this important to Herod!
Not too long after this, Herod would face his own painful death, not inflicted by a human, but occasioned by God. His crime? He attempts to take God’s glory for himself. Interesting! The murder of James isn’t bad enough!
Attempting to take a slice of God’s stage is a step too far. No atonement is available for this kind – the kind that insults the Holy Spirit and provokes God to anger. Herod, after all, is all human. No invisibility at all. It’s stupid to fake it. We all know mortals don’t have it.
Check James’ death and Herod’s death. Observe the differences. The apostle James is beheaded but we know he transitions peacefully, joyfully, and with eyes fixed on the glories of his Master. He is missed by his spiritual family, many of whom also belong to his physical family. Yet what comfort they have in the thought that James is actually alive though dead! John 11 verses 25 and 26.
Herod’s death is a slow and painful exit from a world he believed was everything. It dawned on him that the power he held on to wasn’t exactly what it was. Hitherto, he could order the termination of a life, (James’), but he held no such powers of existence over his own. Another power existed. He feared he didn’t know anything about this power. If he did, he decided to ignore Him. He faced gloom and uncertainty.
We all die. However, it matters what you die with. James transitioned with faith in Jesus. Herod, on the other hand, died under the judgment of a higher power whose name he had decided to insult. God forbid it; let our story be different.
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