Now We Know For Certain

The events in Acts 12:1-19 occurred around 44 AD. Years after Stephen became the first martyr, the persecution of the early Christian church expanded beyond just the religious and political leaders in Israel.

Herod Agrippa I was the nephew of Herod Antipas, who killed John the Baptist, and was the grandson of Herod the Great, who killed the male children in Bethlehem in search of the infant Jesus. To capitalize on the growing animosity against the early church and gain favor with the religious leaders, Agrippa ordered the killing of James, the brother of John and one of the three leaders of the early church, making James the first apostle killed. Jesus had told James and John they would suffer (Matt 20:20-23) as He did. James was killed while John ended up in exile on the Island of Patmos. Besides beheading James, Agrippa also imprisoned Peter.

Luke shows the opposing forces at work in this week’s scripture.  Agrippa and the religious leaders trying to stop the early church through their persecutions were at war against the church’s bold prayers and God’s providence. Here are a couple of takeaways from this story: We learn God’s providence brings unexpected results, and most importantly, God is in control.

After an angelic and supernatural escape from prison, Peter said, “Now I know for certain…”(v.11). Assessing what happened, Peter learned the truth of what great things God can do amid one’s hardship and trials. For His sovereign plan, God may not choose to alter the circumstances (James died). Still, answers also come in unexpected ways (Peter) where over one’s lifetime, astonishing experiences can happen.  (v.16 “they were astonished…”)

“So when he (Peter) had considered this…”(v.12), Peter then stepped back and assessed God’s deliverance from what appeared to be a hopeless situation. We also need to step back while in the depths of trials or after getting past a problem. God's providence allows for such prudence on our part. Realizing his angelic escape was a miracle and not a vision, Peter went directly to his friends' house, where they were still passionately praying for Peter’s release. Peter saw that prayer played a significant role in changing his circumstance. Not just a toss it to the heavens prayer done in a passing moment, but lengthy prayers involving a community of believers (the church) whose prayers were earnest and focused on a specific person and request.

Finally, God is in control no matter the circumstance. Like Peter's or man's arrogance, like Agrippa and the religious leaders. There are times when we do not understand why a problem arises or times become difficult. Our life can go from times of spring and joy to personal winters of worry, uncertainty, and challenging times. There are times where God’s seeming hiddenness abounds, and you do not know God's higher purpose or reason for a season of difficulty while you bear its weight for days, weeks, months, or years.

God's special providence deals with human affairs on an individual level. God acts through particular events in remarkable ways.[1]  Miracles like Peter’s escape are an example. God intervenes in specific ways for His intentions in a person's life that will be mysterious at times and beyond our understanding. My son is a brain cancer survivor. Cindy and I believe God acted intentionally for a higher purpose in our son's life and responded to our prayers and the church’s prayers. We are still learning what that higher purpose is 24 years later.

The question is, do we trust God?

The believers in this story fervently did, and the result of their prayers was a miracle and the institutional powers abject failure to destroy the growing early church. Now we know for certain; God always has the last word.

[1] Thomas C. Oden, Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology (New York: Harper Collins, 1992),164.

-Dan Nickel