The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
June 18
Acts 12:1-23
Commentary by Nick Boork
June 18
Acts 12:1-23
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June 18 ~ Acts 12:1-23
Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant[a] prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” 12 So, when he had considered this, 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 girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” 16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
18 Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19 But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. 20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. 21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Scripture we see how King Herod persecuted the church and killed James the brother John. Then he proceeded to arrest Peter and put him in prison intending to execute him as well. However, God Almighty is on the throne! But why was James was not delivered from martyrdom? I have a real simple answer for this and that is it was his time to go to Heaven.
But what about Peter? Jesus prophesied that Peter was going to live to be old and at that time stretch forth his hands and be led to where he didn’t want to go. Obviously, it was not time for Peter to go home to Heaven. God had more things for Peter to do down here on earth. So when a tyrant like Herod rose up against Peter God intervened by sending angels to deliver him from prison. What’s kind of funny about this whole scenario is that it records that the church was praying for Peter to be set free from prison. When Peter shows up at the door of the house where they are praying Peter knocks at the door but nobody believes it’s really Peter. In other words, it seems like they really didn’t believe that God would hear and answer their prayers! Can any of us identify with that? I sure can, it’s just the nature of faith that you have mountaintops and valleys. Sometimes you’re full of faith and belief other times you struggle through your doubts and wonder if God is really going to answer your prayers. In this case, the Lord clearly answered the prayers of his people because Peter was set free from prison and was not martyred for his faith in Jesus yet!
King Herod gave a speech and the people responded by saying he was a god. The Bible says that because Herod did not give the glory to God, immediately he was struck down under judgment and died and was eaten up by worms. God is jealous about getting the glory. King Herod should’ve known better because he was a Hebrew and he knew that God almighty was the Creator of the universe yet he did not give him the glory when people began to praise him for his speech. What does this teach us? Always be careful to give God all the praise and glory for everything that he does through our lives and ministries. The Bible says God does not share his glory with anyone. Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) James the brother of John was martyred by King Herod.
2) The Lord has a perfect timing for all of us to go to Heaven.
3) Peter was arrested and was going to be killed but the church prayed for him.
4) God delivered Peter by sending angels to set him free from prison.
5) We should expect God to answer our prayers and not doubt.
6) Always be careful to give God all the glory when men begin to praise you.
7) King Herod came under the judgement of God and died because he didn’t give God the glory.
Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant[a] prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; and so he did. And he said to him, “Put on your garment and follow me.” 9 So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.
11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” 12 So, when he had considered this, 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 girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.” 16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
18 Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. 19 But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there. 20 Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king’s personal aide their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king’s country. 21 So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22 And the people kept shouting, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
OKAY, HERE'S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
In this portion of Scripture we see how King Herod persecuted the church and killed James the brother John. Then he proceeded to arrest Peter and put him in prison intending to execute him as well. However, God Almighty is on the throne! But why was James was not delivered from martyrdom? I have a real simple answer for this and that is it was his time to go to Heaven.
But what about Peter? Jesus prophesied that Peter was going to live to be old and at that time stretch forth his hands and be led to where he didn’t want to go. Obviously, it was not time for Peter to go home to Heaven. God had more things for Peter to do down here on earth. So when a tyrant like Herod rose up against Peter God intervened by sending angels to deliver him from prison. What’s kind of funny about this whole scenario is that it records that the church was praying for Peter to be set free from prison. When Peter shows up at the door of the house where they are praying Peter knocks at the door but nobody believes it’s really Peter. In other words, it seems like they really didn’t believe that God would hear and answer their prayers! Can any of us identify with that? I sure can, it’s just the nature of faith that you have mountaintops and valleys. Sometimes you’re full of faith and belief other times you struggle through your doubts and wonder if God is really going to answer your prayers. In this case, the Lord clearly answered the prayers of his people because Peter was set free from prison and was not martyred for his faith in Jesus yet!
King Herod gave a speech and the people responded by saying he was a god. The Bible says that because Herod did not give the glory to God, immediately he was struck down under judgment and died and was eaten up by worms. God is jealous about getting the glory. King Herod should’ve known better because he was a Hebrew and he knew that God almighty was the Creator of the universe yet he did not give him the glory when people began to praise him for his speech. What does this teach us? Always be careful to give God all the praise and glory for everything that he does through our lives and ministries. The Bible says God does not share his glory with anyone. Isaiah 42:8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) James the brother of John was martyred by King Herod.
2) The Lord has a perfect timing for all of us to go to Heaven.
3) Peter was arrested and was going to be killed but the church prayed for him.
4) God delivered Peter by sending angels to set him free from prison.
5) We should expect God to answer our prayers and not doubt.
6) Always be careful to give God all the glory when men begin to praise you.
7) King Herod came under the judgement of God and died because he didn’t give God the glory.
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll