To God Be the Glory

Acts 12

There’s a lot of emotion wrapped up in this chapter. You feel the weight of sorrow as Herod’s hatred for the church intensifies, and he puts James to death by the sword. And you feel the anger of injustice as the Bible records that this action “pleased the Jews.”

But you also feel the anticipation of God’s power. Herod arrested Peter and kept him in prison, “but earnest prayer was made for him to God by the church.” I love that statement! Even before you read what happens next, you get the sense that God’s going to come through in a mighty way in response to the earnest prayers of His people! And He does!

The account of Peter’s rescue is awe-inspiring, and at the same time, somewhat humorous. The angel has to poke Peter in the side to wake him up, like trying to rouse a six-year-old boy to get up for school. Of course, Peter thinks he’s seeing a vision. The chains simply fall off his hands. He follows the angel out of the prison in a daze. They pass the first and second guards completely undetected. The iron gates opens on its own. Peter’s half-way down the street before he realizes this is no dream at all, but God’s deliverance!

You also have to smile at the scene where Peter knocks on the door of the house where the church is praying for him, yet they don’t realize God’s already answered their prayers! Bottom line, as Herod’s death shows: To God be the glory!