This is a sad, funny, surprising and interesting chapter all in one.
He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.
Acts 12:2-3
This is quite sad. James, the brother of Peter, is put to death. It seems to have happened quite suddenly and caught the church by surprise since there is little mention of anything surrounding it.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
Acts 12:5
After James was put to death, now the church is alert and aware of the real danger so they are praying hard for God to rescue him.
Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.
Acts 12:9
It is interesting that Peter could be physically walking out of the prison and not be sure if this was a vision. The visions that Peter had previously must have been extremely clear and realistic. Though perhaps part of it was due to him being quite sleepy, having just suddenly been awakened.
When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
Acts 12:12
It is somewhat funny that the church had been praying all night for Peter, presumably for his release, and yet thru cannot believe that their prayer was answered even when Peter arrives at the house they are at. See the next section below.
When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, "Peter is at the door!" "You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."
Acts 12:14-15
They shouted, "This is the voice of a god, not of a man." Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.
Acts 12:22-23 NIV
First the murder of James and then a prideful response and God determined that Herod's time was up. I wonder how long his death took - if it was the same day or a little bit later.
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