Church of God. But God confounded their wicked plans by miraculously freeing Peter from prison on what was meant to be the last night of his life, and when everything was made ready for his execution. Every precaution had been taken to prevent his escape; he was actually chained to two soldiers; a guard stood before the door of his prison, and a little further off there was placed a second guard; and the iron gate which led into the outer street was firmly barred and bolted. The unbelieving Jews were looking forward with jubilation to the coming morning, when the apostle whom they so bitterly hated was to be put to death; they never even thought of his rescue and escape as a possibility! However, man proposes, but God disposes. The Lord God exercised His almighty power, the chains fell from Peter’s hands, the iron gate was thrown open, and Peter, guided by an angel, passed out of the prison into the city, without anyone being able to stop him! This great miracle increased the number of believers, and was the cause of the further extension of the Church.
The power of prayer. Peter’s wonderful deliverance was the fruit of the common and persevering prayer of the Christians. The captivity and approaching death of its Supreme Pastor was a terrible trial to the infant Church. The faithful, however, did not give themselves over to sadness and discouragement, but prayed earnestly and confidently to the Lord of the Church to help them in their distress. The Christians of Jerusalem sent the sad news of the danger which threatened their common father to all the other Christian communities at Samaria, Joppe, Damascus, Antioch, and so forth; and everywhere the faithful joined together to pray in common for the head of the Church. The whole Church was on her knees supplicating Him who had said to her: “Lo, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world.” Scripture says that the faithful prayed without ceasing. They prayed by day and by night, and did not lose hope although the days were running by without, apparently, bringing help. Then — in the middle of the very last night — Peter was set free and given back to the sorrowing Church. When the need is greatest, God is nearest!
The sins of Herod Agrippa. Herod sinned grievously, 1. by mercilessly persecuting the Church of God; 2. by allowing divine honour to be paid him, without protest. Although he was a Jew and knew the true God, yet, blinded by a senseless pride, he complacently accepted the blasphemous flattery that he was a god and not a man! This filled the measure of his sins, and the punishment of divine justice overtook him. Hardly had he accepted the blasphemous adulation before he was seized with the most intense physical pains, and died after five days of terrible agony. Thus Almighty God proved to him and his flatterers that he was no supernatural being, but a truly miserable mortal man.
Sharing the guilt of the sins of others. The Jews, by expressing satisfaction at the murder of St. James, made themselves participators
