ACTS

ACTS 12

• Acts 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 
  2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 

Here we see the old devil working through Herod to try to stop the preaching of the word that would save souls from sin and grant eternal life to those that receive the word of truth. Satan has always tried to stop what is good for all human beings. He usually tries persecution first and then he will try to send in false teachers to water down the gospel or cover it up entirely so that people will be satisfied with a "religion" and not really believe to the saving of their souls. This religion can be anything. It can even be in the name of Christianity but without the fruits. There is only one way of salvation and it is still the same today as it was then; repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Old things pass away and all become new. We stop serving sin and the world and we start serving Jesus Christ. We are actually born again by the spirit of God. 

We read first of Stephen being stoned to death by those who rejected his message of Jesus Christ and the resurrection from the dead. We saw that Saul consented and agreed to the death of Stephen. We saw Stephen cry out to God not to lay the sin to the charge of those that were killing him. We saw also that Stephen got a glimpse of Jesus standing on the Father's right hand just before his soul went to join them. We saw that Saul was later converted and became Paul the apostle. Now we see the brother of John the apostle being killed by the sword of Herod. He probably didn't do the actual killing but ordered it done and was just as guilty of his death, even more so than the one doing the actual killing. 

• Acts 12:3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 

When we read of the Jews being pleased with the death of James let us remember that it didn't mean all Jews living at that time. It was mostly the Jewish leaders or religious Jews that rejected Jesus Christ. We must remember that the apostles were Jews, most of the followers of Jesus at this time were Jews and Jesus Himself was born from a Jewish woman. We must never use these scriptures to justify anti-Semitism. 

After the killing of James, They were in the days of unleavened bread which was a Jewish holiday. We can research the required holidays if we want to look them up in the Torah recorded in the Old Testament in our English bibles. God's law was given by Moses to Israel before the coming of Jesus to fulfill the law.  

• Acts 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. 

This could have been referring to the pagan holiday of Ishtar or else the King James translators used the word Easter instead of Passover. Easter is really a name of Ishtar and is an old pagan holiday. It is derived from a Babylonian title of Ishtar, the queen of heaven. There is reference to this queen of heaven abomination in Jeremiah 7 and chapter 44. I'm thinking it was the KJV using this term to indicate the Passover because by the time the KJV was translated, Easter had preplaced the Passover for the Christian church but it was used to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus rather than any pagan holiday. 

• Acts 12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 
• 6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 
• 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 
• 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 
• 9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 

Poor Peter was so bewildered at this that he thought he was dreaming or in a vision. God is answering the prayer of people praying fervently in the same mind and one accord. This type of prayer gets answered. God wants us to love one another and agree in prayer. This is my opinion and the reader can disregard it if necessary but I believe that when a group of people agree on one thing it is probably in the will of God so it can be answered. If one disagrees then maybe what is prayed for might not be the will of God. Instead of quickly calling the dissenter a doubter, we need to talk it out and find out what makes him or her disagree. We need to seek the will of God when we pray and then agree with the same mind and one accord. 

• Acts 12:10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 

I notice that God's angels only come and stay around when needed. The minute we are safe and can make it on our own with the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us, the angel departs. 

• Acts 12:11 And when Peter was come to himself, he 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. 

Some times things happen so fast that we really do not realize what is happening until the hour is past.

• Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. 
• 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 
• 14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 
• 15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. 

Remember before we criticize these people for unbelief even though they were praying fervently for this very thing to occur, that they had just been grieving at the death of James from this same king. They surely though Peter would suffer the same fate. Evidently they believed in ghosts and thought that it was his ghost or spirit which is translated angel here. 

• Acts12:16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. 
• 17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. 

This was referring to another James who was a natural brother of the Lord Jesus. He was the head of the church at Jerusalem. Peter was never the head of the church as some suppose. "Upon this rock" when taken with other scriptures that refer to Jesus as the rock or cornerstone shows us that Jesus was referring to Himself as the rock upon which the church is built. It could be also that Jesus was referring to the rock of truth that He was discussing with Peter. 

• Acts 12:18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 
• 19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and there abode. 

I have noticed the difference here between Peter's escape from prison and the apostle Paul's. Paul must have been a wonderful person after his conversion for he refused to leave the prison even though an angel freed him and made it possible. He stayed so that the guards could not be put to death. He was not concerned with escaping himself but saving the lives and souls of the prison guards. 

I don't say this to criticize Peter because Peter was in a daze and didn't really know what was happening. He probably didn't realize anyone would be put to death if he escaped. Since Paul use to be part of the people that imprison and put people to death, he would have known what would become of a guard who allowed a prisoner to escape. 

• Acts 12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country. 
• 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 
• 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 
• 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 

We see here the law of reaping and sowing. Herod could have believed and saved his own soul but instead he continued to try to put to death the servants of God. In the end when he sought to exalt himself as being equal to God, he was killed by an angel of the Lord. We will never get away with harming those that belong to the Lord whether they be Jews or Gentiles. Unless we repent, we will perish. Repentance and turning to Jesus Christ is the only way to avoid the wrath of God for sin. 

• Acts 12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 
• 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark. 

Now we return to the accounts of  the deeds of Barnabas and Saul. At some point, Saul's name was changed to Paul but both are one of the same. This same John Mark is the one which Paul and Barnabas disputed over later when Paul thought Mark was not faithful but Barnabas disagreed. We read more about that in the chapters that follow. DC

Acts 13