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It was both exciting and dangerous to be a believer in Jerusalem at Passover time in 34 AD.

Jesus had been crucified in that same city exactly one year before. After Jesus’ resurrection, the Christian movement had rapidly expanded throughout Israel in spite of intense persecution. After the martyrdom of Stephen, many believers left Jerusalem and took their faith with them as they scattered.

Acts (the New Testament’s fifth book) is the “history book of the early Church”. As chapter 12 opens, things are looking bleak for the apostles and Christian remnant left behind in Jerusalem. It appeared that King Herod (and his soldiers) were in firm control and that the life of Peter (a key apostle) was in peril.

Herod’s Persecution
In the first five verses, we read that Herod arrested some Jerusalem believers and decapitated James (one of the 12 apostles). This was the same cruel, sadistic Herod who had decapitated John the Baptist a few years earlier. The jealous Jewish religious elite was cheering him on so he arrested Peter too.

Sixteen soldiers were assigned to guard this prize prisoner! The next day, Herod intended to hold a public trial (similar to the one Pilate held for Jesus) to condemn Peter and curry more favor. Peter must have wondered if he was going to lose his head too. Meanwhile, the believers were “earnestly praying” for him behind locked doors in a Jerusalem home.

Peter’s Rescue
The following passage (verses 6-17) is remarkable. As Peter sleeps, “an angel of the Lord” appears and awakens him (the 16 solders are fast asleep) and tells him to quickly get dressed. Peter’s chains fall off and the prison doors swing open. It all happens so quickly that Peter isn’t sure if it’s real or not. Once safely outside the prison, the angel leaves.

Peter hurries to the Christian home where believers are praying for him. When he knocks, a servant (Rhoda) hears Peter’s voice through the door. She is “overjoyed” but leaves him standing outside in the cold while she excitedly tells the others. At first these “prayer warriors” don’t believe her (remember Thomas’ reaction when he heard that Jesus had risen?). They struggled to believe their prayers would be answered so quickly. When Peter finally gets inside, he tells them what happened and then leaves for a safer place.

Herod’s Demise
The last segment (verses 18-24) describes the aftermath to these dramatic events. Herod does not take Peter’s unexplained disappearance well and executes his guards. He then travels north to Caesarea, a Roman city named after the emperor. While there, he bullies some of his subjects into submission. After the “Peter debacle” back in Jerusalem, he is rather enjoying this diplomatic victory.

Herod (dressed in his royal finest) delivers a speech and the people flatter him saying, “This is the voice of a god, not a man.” The king readily eats up this adulation (which proves that modern-day megalomaniac politicians are nothing new). God, however, is not impressed. The “angel of the Lord” (that had earlier saved Peter’s life) is now given a new assignment – to strike Herod with a fatal disease. Mighty King Herod is now “eaten by worms and died” (decapitation would have quicker and less painful).

What a dramatic reversal as the tables have been completed turned. The chapter began with Herod and his soldiers in control and Peter in peril. It now closes with Herod and his elite guards dead and Peter a free man. God had answered the prayers of his people and proved that He (and not Herod) was in control. The passage ends with this statement, “The word of God continued to spread and flourish.”

And it has continued to do so… to this day.

Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.