Notes for the weekly discussion with my Bible Study group.
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Summary
- Acts 12 reflects Psalm 34:15–16. The Lord watches over those who do right and hears their cries. The Lord ignores those who do evil and will erase their memory from the earth.
- King Herod attacks the church and kills James, the brother of John, making James was the first of the apostles to be martyred. The Jews are happy with this so Herod also has Peter arrested. The church prays for Peter while he is in prison.
- Peter’s execution is scheduled for the next day. An angel of the Lord appears and tells to follow him. When Peter arises the chains fall off Peter’s wrists. Peter and the angel walked out of the prison, past the guards, and then stood by as the iron gate opened by itself. When they got to the street, the angel left.
- Peter realizes that God saved him and goes to Mary’s house. The people praying there are shocked and thankful to see him.
- The next day Herod discovers Peter escaped and has Peter’s guards executed.
- Herod goes to Caesarea to give a speech about two cities that are causing him trouble (Tyre and Sidon). The people attending the speech people cry out that Herod is a god, not a man. An angel then strikes Herod down with an infection because he kept the glory for himself instead of giving the glory to God (as mentioned in Isaiah 42:8).
- God’s message and the good news about the gospel continues to spread. Peter’s life was saved to go on and continue in ministry.
- At the end of Acts 12, the story of Acts transitions from the preaching and evangelism of the apostles to the missionary journeys of Paul.
