BK ST Oct 3 song 133
Chapter 10
“The Word of Jehovah Went On Growing”
Peter is delivered, and persecution fails to stop the spread of the good news

“Keep Following Me” (Acts 12:6-11) (scriptures at end)
     10 Was Peter anxious about the danger he faced? We cannot say for sure, but during that final night in prison, he was fast asleep between his two vigilant guards. This man of faith surely knew that whatever tomorrow might bring, he was safe with Jehovah. (Rom. 14:7, 8) At any rate, Peter could not have anticipated the amazing events that were about to unfold. Suddenly, a bright light filled his cell. An angel stood there, evidently unseen by the guards, and urgently awakened Peter. And those chains binding his hands—chains that had seemed so unbreakable—simply fell off!
         11 The angel gave Peter a series of terse commands: “Rise quickly! . . . Gird yourself and bind your sandals on. . . . Put your outer garment on.” Peter readily complied. Finally, the angel said: “Keep following me,” and Peter did so. They left the cell, walked right by the sentinel guards stationed outside, and made their way silently to the massive iron gate. How could they get through that? If such a thought even formed in Peter’s mind, it was short-lived. As they approached the gate, it opened “of its own accord.” Before Peter knew it, they passed through the gate and into the street, and then the angel vanished. Peter was left there, and the realization dawned on him that all of this had really happened. This was no vision. He was free!—Acts 12:7-11.
10, 11. Describe the way that Jehovah’s angel delivered Peter from imprisonment.

(Romans 14:7-8) None of us, in fact, lives with regard to himself only, and no one dies with regard to himself only; 8 for both if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. Therefore both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah.
(Acts 12:7-11) But, look! Jehovah’s angel stood by, and a light shone in the prison cell. Striking Peter on the side, he roused him, saying: “Rise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 The angel said to him: “Gird yourself and bind your sandals on.” He did so. Finally he said to him: “Put your outer garment on and keep following me.” 9 And he went out and kept following him, but he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real. In fact, he supposed he was seeing a vision. 10 Going through the first sentinel guard and the second they got to the iron gate leading into the city, and this opened to them of its own accord. And after they went out they advanced down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 And Peter, coming to himself, said: “Now I actually know that Jehovah sent his angel forth and delivered me out of Herod’s hand and from all that the people of the Jews were expecting.”

     12 Is it not comforting to contemplate Jehovah’s limitless power to rescue his servants? Peter was held captive by a king who was backed by the strongest governmental power the world had ever seen. Yet, Peter walked right out of prison! Granted, Jehovah does not perform such miracles for all his servants. He had not done so for James; nor did He do so for Peter later, when Jesus’ words about this apostle were finally fulfilled. Christians today do not expect miraculous deliverance. However, we keep in mind that Jehovah has not changed. (Mal. 3:6) And he will soon use his Son to free countless millions from that most unyielding of prisons, death. (John 5:28, 29) We can draw tremendous courage from such promises when we face trials today.
12. Why may we find it comforting to contemplate Jehovah’s rescue of Peter?

(Malachi 3:6) “For I am Jehovah; I have not changed. And YOU are sons of Jacob; YOU have not come to YOUR finish.
(John 5:28-29) Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.

“They Saw Him and Were Astonished” (Acts 12:12-17) (scriptures at end)
     13 Peter stood in the dark street, deciding where to go next. Then he knew. Living nearby was a Christian woman named Mary. Evidently a widow of some means, Mary owned a house that was large enough to accommodate a congregation. She was the mother of John Mark, whom the Acts account mentions for the first time here and who eventually became like a son to Peter. (1 Pet. 5:13) On this night, many in that congregation were at Mary’s house despite the late hour, praying earnestly. No doubt they were praying for Peter’s release—but they were not prepared for Jehovah’s answer!
     14 Peter knocked at the door of the gateway, which opened into a courtyard in front of the house. A servant girl named Rhoda—a common Greek name meaning “Rose”—came to the gate. She could not believe her ears. It was Peter’s voice! Instead of opening the gate, the excited girl left Peter standing in the street, ran back into the house, and tried to convince the congregation that Peter was there. They said she was mad, but she was not the type to be dissuaded. She kept asserting what she knew to be true. Giving in a bit, some suggested that it might be an angel who was representing Peter. (Acts 12:12-15) All the while, Peter kept knocking until, finally, they went to the gate and opened it.
     15 At the gate, “they saw him and were astonished”! (Acts 12:16) Peter had to quiet their happy hubbub so that he could tell his story, direct that it be passed along to the disciple James and the brothers, and then take his leave before Herod’s soldiers could find him. Peter went off to continue his faithful service somewhere safer. Except for his contribution toward resolving the circumcision issue, as mentioned in Acts chapter 15, he exits the account. The book of Acts next turns its focus to the work and travels of the apostle Paul. However, we can be sure that Peter strengthened the faith of his brothers and sisters wherever he went. When he left that group at Mary’s house, they were certainly in a joyful frame of mind.
13-15. (a) How did the congregation members meeting at Mary’s house react to Peter’s arrival? (b) To what does the book of Acts shift its focus, but what effect did Peter continue to have on his spiritual brothers and sisters?

(1 Peter 5:13) She who is in Babylon, a chosen one like [YOU], sends YOU her greetings, and so does Mark my son.
(Acts 12:12-15) And after he considered it, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John who was surnamed Mark, where quite a few were gathered together and praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to attend to the call, 14 and, upon recognizing the voice of Peter, out of joy she did not open the gate, but ran inside and reported that Peter was standing before the gateway. 15 They said to her: “You are mad.” But she kept on strongly asserting it was so. They began to say: “It is his angel.”
(Acts 12:16) But Peter remained there knocking. When they opened, they saw him and were astonished.

     16 Sometimes Jehovah gives his servants more than they could possibly expect, leaving them almost incredulous with joy. That was how Peter’s spiritual brothers and sisters felt that night. It is how we may at times feel when we experience Jehovah’s rich blessing today. (Prov. 10:22) In the future, we will see all of Jehovah’s promises being fulfilled on a global scale. The glorious realities will surely far exceed anything we can imagine today. So, as long as we remain faithful, we can count on many happy times ahead.
16. Why is the future sure to bring us many occasions for rejoicing?

(Proverbs 10:22) The blessing of Jehovah—that is what makes rich, and he adds no pain with it.

“The Angel of Jehovah Struck Him” (Acts 12:18-25) (scriptures at end)
      17 Peter’s escape also astonished Herod—but his was no pleasant surprise. Herod quickly ordered a thorough search, then had Peter’s guards interrogated. They were “led off to punishment,” likely execution. (Acts 12:19) Herod Agrippa will not be remembered for compassion or mercy. Was this cruel man ever punished?
     18 Agrippa may have felt humiliated over his failure to execute Peter, but he soon found solace for his wounded pride. A diplomatic function arose wherein some of his enemies had to sue for peace, and he was no doubt eager to make a speech before a large audience. Luke reported that in preparation, “Herod clothed himself with royal raiment.” The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that Herod’s garment was made of silver, so that when the light fell upon the king, he seemed to be lit up with glory. The pompous politician then gave a speech. The fawning crowd cried out: “A god’s voice, and not a man’s!”—Acts 12:20-22.
17, 18. What led up to the flattering of Herod?

(Acts 12:19) Herod made diligent search for him and, when not finding him, he examined the guards and commanded them to be led off [to punishment]; and he went down from Ju·de′a to Caes·a·re′a and spent some time there.
(Acts 12:20-22) Now he was in a fighting mood against the people of Tyre and of Si′don. So with one accord they came to him and, after persuading Blastus, who was in charge of the bedchamber of the king, they began suing for peace, because their country was supplied with food from that of the king. 21 But on a set day Herod clothed himself with royal raiment and sat down upon the judgment seat and began giving them a public address. 22 In turn the assembled people began shouting: “A god’s voice, and not a man’s!”

     19 Such glory belonged to God, and God was watching! Herod had a chance to avoid disaster. He could have rebuked the crowd or could at least have disagreed with them. Instead, he became a vivid illustration of the proverb: “Pride is before a crash.” (Prov. 16:18) “Instantly the angel of Jehovah struck him,” causing that puffed-up egomaniac to suffer a gruesome death. Herod “became eaten up with worms and expired.” (Acts 12:23) Josephus too noted that Agrippa was stricken suddenly and added that the king concluded that he was dying because of accepting the flattery of the crowd. Josephus wrote that Agrippa lingered for five days before he expired.♦
♦ One doctor and author wrote that the symptoms described by Josephus and Luke might have been caused by roundworms forming a deadly intestinal obstruction. Such worms are sometimes vomited up, or they crawl from the patient’s body at the time of death. Notes one reference work: “Luke’s professional exactness as a physician brings out the horror of [Herod’s] death.”
     20 Sometimes it may seem that ungodly people get away with all manner of wickedness. That should not surprise us, since “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) Still, faithful servants of God are sometimes troubled when evil people seem to escape justice. That is one reason why accounts such as this one are comforting. In effect, we see Jehovah stepping in, reminding all his servants that he is a lover of justice. (Ps. 33:5) Sooner or later, his justice will prevail.
19, 20. (a) Why was Herod punished by Jehovah? (b) What comfort may we find in the account of Herod Agrippa’s sudden demise?

(Proverbs 16:18) Pride is before a crash, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.
(Acts 12:23) Instantly the angel of Jehovah struck him, because he did not give the glory to God; and he became eaten up with worms and expired.
(1 John 5:19) We know we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the [power of the] wicked one.
(Psalm 33:5) He is a lover of righteousness and justice. With the loving-kindness of Jehovah the earth is filled.

    21 This account concludes with an even more encouraging lesson: “The word of Jehovah went on growing and spreading.” (Acts 12:24) This progress report on the expansion of the preaching work may remind us of the way that Jehovah has blessed the same work in modern times. Clearly, the record contained in Acts chapter 12 is not primarily about the death of one apostle and the escape of another. It is about Jehovah and his thwarting of Satan’s attempts to crush the Christian congregation and to quell its zealous preaching work. Those attacks failed, just as all such schemes must fail. (Isa. 54:17) On the other hand, those who side with Jehovah and Jesus Christ are part of a work that will never fail. Is that not an encouraging thought? What a privilege we have to help spread “the word of Jehovah” today!
21. What is the primary lesson contained in Acts chapter 12, and why may it comfort us today?

(Acts 12:24) But the word of Jehovah went on growing and spreading.
(Isaiah 54:17) Any weapon whatever that will be formed against you will have no success, and any tongue at all that will rise up against you in the judgment you will condemn. This is the hereditary possession of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is from me,” is the utterance of Jehovah.

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(Ac 12:6-11) Now when Herod was about to produce him, that night Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers, and guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 But, look! Jehovah’s angel stood by, and a light shone in the prison cell. Striking Peter on the side, he roused him, saying: “Rise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. 8 The angel said to him: “Gird yourself and bind your sandals on.” He did so. Finally he said to him: “Put your outer garment on and keep following me.” 9 And he went out and kept following him, but he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real. In fact, he supposed he was seeing a vision. 10 Going through the first sentinel guard and the second they got to the iron gate leading into the city, and this opened to them of its own accord. And after they went out they advanced down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. 11 And Peter, coming to himself, said: “Now I actually know that Jehovah sent his angel forth and delivered me out of Herod’s hand and from all that the people of the Jews were expecting.”

(Ac 12:12-17) And after he considered it, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John who was surnamed Mark, where quite a few were gathered together and praying. 13 When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to attend to the call, 14 and, upon recognizing the voice of Peter, out of joy she did not open the gate, but ran inside and reported that Peter was standing before the gateway. 15 They said to her: “You are mad.” But she kept on strongly asserting it was so. They began to say: “It is his angel.” 16 But Peter remained there knocking. When they opened, they saw him and were astonished. 17 But he motioned to them with his hand to be silent and told them in detail how Jehovah brought him out of the prison, and he said: “Report these things to James and the brothers.” With that he went out and journeyed to another place.

(Ac 12:18-25) Well, when it became day, there was no little stir among the soldiers over what really had become of Peter. 19 Herod made diligent search for him and, when not finding him, he examined the guards and commanded them to be led off [to punishment]; and he went down from Ju·de′a to Caes·a·re′a and spent some time there. 20 Now he was in a fighting mood against the people of Tyre and of Si′don. So with one accord they came to him and, after persuading Blastus, who was in charge of the bedchamber of the king, they began suing for peace, because their country was supplied with food from that of the king. 21 But on a set day Herod clothed himself with royal raiment and sat down upon the judgment seat and began giving them a public address. 22 In turn the assembled people began shouting: “A god’s voice, and not a man’s!” 23 Instantly the angel of Jehovah struck him, because he did not give the glory to God; and he became eaten up with worms and expired. 24 But the word of Jehovah went on growing and spreading. 25 As for Bar′na·bas and Saul, after having fully carried out the relief ministration in Jerusalem, they returned and took along with them John, the one surnamed Mark.