It is madness to fight with God, because He always wins.  See how this truth is played out in Acts 12 as Herod fights with God.

Teaching Notes:

You Can’t Fight God and Win

Acts 12:1-24

      Isaiah 45:9 says, “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker.”  Yet many evil men throughout history have tried to oppose God and His people. The one that comes to mind immediately is Pharoah. “And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ But Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go” (Ex.5:1-2). Well, we know the story. Pharoah tried to oppose God, but who won in the end? Pharoah ended up losing his power, his throne, first-born son, his army, and his life, while God ended up bringing His people safely out of Egypt.

      Another man who tried to fight God was a man we have been studying in Acts – Saul of Tarsus. In an almost insane, demon-possessed way, Saul went about ravaging the church, seeking to destroy this new sect who followed Jesus Christ.  Until of course Jesus Himself appeared to him, blinded him, pinned him to the ground and said, “Saul, it is hard for you to kick against the goads.”  In the end God won and Saul lost. There is no way to fight God and win. True, it may seem like someone is opposing God and getting away with it temporarily, but when ultimately it spells eternal disaster!

      In Acts 12 we see Herod opposing God and His people, and we see God coming out on top.  You see, Acts 12 is not really about Peter, although Peter is in the story. Acts 12 is not really about prayer, although prayer plays a role in the story. Acts 12 is not really about persecution, although all of those form subthemes in this chapter. The contest here is not between Herod and Peter, or Herod and the Church. The contest is between Herod and God!  Herod and God are the 2 Primary Players in this drama.  The overarching central idea of Acts 12 is The Triumph of God Over Evil Men. Notice the verses in which Herod and God show up in this chapter:

      Herod:  12:1-4, 6, 18-19; 20-23.

      God, the Lord:  12:5,7,11,17,23,24. 

      Notice, there are really 2 stories in this chapter:  1) The Story of Herod Imprisoning Peter and how God Rescues Him; 2) The Story of Herod Exalting Himself and how God Judges Him.  Herod and God are prominent in both stories. In both stories, God comes out the winner, and Herod the loser. There is an Angel of the Lord in both stories. In the first story, He rescues Peter; in the second story He kills Herod. Instead of Peter being killed by Herod, Herod is killed by Peter’s God! Let’s take a closer look at this chapter. In it we will see 3 things:  Herod’s Design; Herod’s Defeat, Herod’s Death.
1.   Herod’s Design:  12:1-4.

When Did This Story Take Place?  12:1 – “about that time”. About what time? About the time predicted by Agabus when the famine would take place over the Roman Empire. The events of Acts 12 took place in about 44 A.D. – Historians know that Herod Agrippa I died in 44 A.D. about 14 years after Pentecost.

Who Was Herod the King? 12:1. This is very confusing, because there are 4 different Herods in the New Testament. The first Herod we meet is Herod the Great who reigned from 37 B.C. to the birth of Christ. He was the one who had the infants in Bethlehem slaughtered. He had 9 wives, and killed 6 of them. Herod’s Son, Herod Antipas was the one who had John the Baptist beheaded. Herod the Great had another son, Aristobulus, who was one of at least 15 sons Herod killed. Before he died, Aristobulus fathered a son named Herod Agrippa. Realizing it was dangerous living in Jerusalem with people getting butchered right and left, Aristobulus’ mother shipped her son to Rome where he became friends with Caligula who later became the Emperor and appointed him King of Judea. This is the king in Acts 12.  Herod Agrippa II was the son of Agrippa I, and was the one who tried Paul in Acts 25. All of the Herods were Edomites, descendants of Esau. They practiced the Jewish religion only when it helped them gain power and wealth. All of them were evil men concerned only with their own selfish gain and power. 

Why Did Herod Kill James and Imprison Peter?  Because it pleased the Jews. You see, Herod ruled in Palestine where there were so many Jews, and endearing himself to the Jews meant he would increase in power and wealth. The Jews hated Christians, not only because of what they preached, but because of their amazing success and because they were including Gentiles into their fold. So, in order to get into the good graces of the Jews, Herod had James beheaded. So, this was a political move on Herod’s part. He wasn’t necessarily anti-Christian, he was just Pro-Herod. The best way he could promote himself was to kill the leaders of this new obnoxious sect called The Way. 

Now when Herod saw that killing James pleased the Jews, he was elated and decided to try it again. If it worked once, it’ll work better twice. So, now he goes straight to the top, intending to execute Peter as well. Peter was the Leader, the most powerful preacher, the most dynamic of the apostles. Herod is not concerned with justice in the least. He is only concerned with his own selfish and proud purposes. 

Why Didn’t Herod Execute Peter During the Passover?  There were 2 reasons. 1) according to Jewish law it was illegal to conduct trials or sentencing during the sacred Feasts. But probably more important to Herod, 2) It would not have been to his advantage. Herod wanted to wait until the Feast was over, when what he did would take center stage and he would become the great Benefactor of the Jews. 

Summary:  So, what is Herod up to? Promoting and exalting himself, seeking greater power, wealth, and prestige among the people. He’s perfectly willing to have innocent men executed in order to get those things. Herod is fighting against God and His people. 
2.   Herod’s Defeat:  12:5-19.

What Did The Church Do?  12:5. Notice the word “but”. This is the absolute game changer in this story. All things looked hopeless and impossible from the human standpoint. What could the church do against the armed might of Rome? Pray! And that’s what they did! So often we try prayer as a last resort. We would probably have been out picketing and writing our Congressmen, instead of praying. Alan Redpath often said, “Keep your chins up and your knees down – we’re on the victory side!” Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint on his knees! 

How Did The Church Pray? 12:5. Fervently: the Greek word can mean earnestly, unceasingly, or intensely. Literally it means “stretched to the limit.” It is used medically of stretching a muscle to its full capacity. The church was stretched out in intensity and anguish, praying with a total effort for Peter. Continually:  “was being made”. Speaks of ongoing prayer. Peter was arrested sometime during the Feast of Unleavened Bread which lasts 7 days. This prayer meeting could have been going on unceasingly for 7 days! “The Church” probably refers to the entire body of believers in Jerusalem – 10 to 20,000 believers. So where did they meet to pray? Probably in hundreds of homes around Jerusalem, like the home of Mary (12:12). Specifically:  “for him.” These believers weren’t asking God for 25 different things. No, they were all asking Him for 1 thing – deliver Peter from death. Hopefully: “to God.” They knew that with God all things are possible. Remember Peter had been imprisoned twice already (4:2; 5:17). Once before an angel of the Lord rescued Peter and the other apostles. He could do it again!

How Did God Answer Their Prayers?  12:7. He sent an angel. Heb.1:13 – Angels are ministering spirits sent out to render service to those who will inherit salvation. When Cornelius prayed, God sent him an angel also. We might be surprised at how many times God has sent us an angel in answer to our prayers and we never knew it!

When Did God Send The Angel to Deliver Peter?  12:6. “on the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward” (12:6). Now, the church has been praying for some time, perhaps as long as a week. God heard, but didn’t act. He waited, and waited, until the very last moment. Why? To glorify Himself in His saving power. Yes, we should pray, and pray continually. But all the while we need to remember that God will answer those prayers when it suits His purposes and brings Himself the most glory. God’s timing is always perfect! 

Where Was Peter When The Angel Came to Rescue Him?  12:6. Sleeping! Notice Peter is bound with 2 chains, he’s between 2 guards watching every move he makes, and there are 2 more guards at the prison door, with his cell locked. Talk about Maximum Security. Herod wanted to make sure that this one didn’t get away! But I love Peter’s peace, and trust in the Lord. Why isn’t Peter freaking out? Jesus had already told him that he wouldn’t die until he was old (Jn.21:18-19). Well, Peter isn’t old yet. He’s a middle-aged man. He doesn’t know how, but he knows that God is going to deliver him. And, even if he misunderstood Jesus’ promise, it’s still O.K. because in just a few hours he is going to be in the immediate presence of God! This is the peace that passes all understanding!  Peter is like that old saint sleeping through a horrible storm in a boat and someone said, “Are you worried?” He replied, “The psalmist said that the Lord never slumbers or sleeps, so if that’s true, there’s no sense in both of us staying awake!”

How Did the Angel Deliver Peter?  12:7-8. He struck Peter’s side – Peter was in a really deep sleep and nothing else would rouse him. Gave quick, rapid commands. “Get up quickly, put your clothes and your sandals, and cloak on, follow me.”  Everything is supernatural – the angel appears out of nowhere – the cell glows with light – the chains just fall off his hands – they appear to be invisible to the guards – the iron gate opens by itself. Incredible!  Peter appears to be so sound asleep that e thinks he is dreaming, walking in his sleep. But by the time he has left the prison and walked down a side street, he is finally awake enough to realize that this was no dream – an angel of the Lord had truly delivered him!

Why Was James Executed and Peter Rescued?  Was it because the Lord couldn’t save him? No! Both James’ martyrdom and Peter’s deliverance were a part of God’s sovereign plan. Mk.10:39. Rev.6:11. It wasn’t as if God fumbled the ball with James and scored a touchdown with Peter. If God allows James to die, it’s because He is going to glorify Himself by winning a different way. 

After Peter Was Released, Where Did He Go?  12:12. Mary, mother of John Mark. Some have speculated this was the home where Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples, and where saints met in Acts 1 while waiting for Spirit. Note that the church is meeting to pray in homes, not in specially constructed buildings or temples.

This whole scene is quite comical! God could get Peter out of prison, but Peter couldn’t get himself into a prayer meeting! It appears that Rhoda, a lowly servant girl, was the only one who had faith that God would actually answer their prayers. Just try to imagine that prayer meeting:  “Lord deliver Peter in Jesus’ name.” In comes Rhoda, “Peter is standing outside at the door!”  You’re out of your mind! “Lord rescue Peter from Herod!”  The whole time they are dialoguing back and forth, Peter is banging on the door. He’s probably afraid that he’s going to wake up the whole neighborhood, and the Roman soldiers are going to appear on this doorstep. This scene encourages me. Why? Because I think my prayers are often more fervent than they are believing, but that didn’t stop the Lord from answering. If we even have faith like a grain of mustard seed, we can move mountains. When they finally opened the door, he had to wave his hands to quiet them down. Peter knew he had to go into hiding, so he made sure the brethren told James, one of the principal leaders of the Jerusalem church. 

What Happened The Following Day?  12:18-19. Remember that 16 soldiers have been assigned to watch Peter, changing shifts every 6 hours. I would have liked to be a little fly on the wall and watch what happened when the new squad came in to relieve the old one. Everyone is yelling, “Where is the prisoner?” and no one has any answers. How could a prisoner bound by 2 chains, sleeping in the midst of 2 guards, with 2 more guards looking on, inside a locked cell, and a locked prison gate possibly escape? In those days, if a guard let a prisoner escape, he forfeited his life. So what does Herod do? He huffs off to Caesarea to lick his wounds and nurse his pride.

3.   Herod’s Death:  12:20-23.

What is the Historical Situation?  People from Tyre and Sidon, 2 Phoenician seaboard cities had come down to appease herod. Tyre and Sidon weren’t under Herod’s rule, but they were dependant on Herod for food, especially during this famine. For some unknown reason, Herod was very angry with them, and so they came down to flatter him and get on his good side so that they could continue to trade for food. It wasn’t easy getting an audience with the king, so they won over Blastus (probably by bribe) to get a hearing with the king. Blastus was the king’s chamberlain – his most trusted personal servant in charge of the king’s living quarters. The delegation knew they would have little or no chance of contacting the king during the day in courts, but they hope Blastus can get his foot in the door for them since he saw the king every day at the king’s home. 

What did Josephus write about this event?  “Agrippa put on a garment made wholly of silver, and of a contexture truly wonderful, and came into the theater. When the sun’s rays reflected upon it, it shone out after a surprising manner, and was so resplendent as to spread a horror over those that looked intently upon him; and presently his flatterers cried out, one from one place, and another from another that he was a god; and they added, “Be thou merciful to us; for although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature.” Upon this the king did neither rebuke them, nor reject their impious flattery. A severe pain also arose in his belly, and began in a most violent manner. He therefore looked upon his friends, and said, “I, whom you call a god, am commanded presently to depart this life; while Providence thus reproves the lying words you just now said to me; and I who was by you called immortal, am immediately to be hurried away by death.” 

What Does it Mean to be Eaten by Worms?  Josephus says he received a severe pain in his belly for 5 days and then he died. He may have died from intestinal roundworms. The medical term is “Ascaris Lumbricoides.” These worms grow 10-16 inches long and feed on the nutrient fluids in the intestines. Bunches of these roundworms can obstruct the intestines, causing severe pain, vomiting of worms, and death. Evidently the Angel brought this situation to pass as a judgment of God on him because he dared to take the glory that was God’s alone. Is.42:8 “I will not give My glory to another.” 

Summary: Herod began the chapter by fighting against God by killing God’s people. He ended the chapter by fighting against God by stealing the glory that was His alone. Notice this fitting conclusion to the chapter – 12:24 “But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.”  In spite of everything that Herod did to stop these Christians, God continued to cause His word to grow and multiply! The chapter opens with James dead, Peter in prison and Herod triumphing. The chapter closes with Herod dead, Peter free and the word of God triumphing. You fight against God – you lose! You can’t fight God and win! God wins every time! Even when Satan killed Job’s family and livestock and covered him with boils, God was just setting up the situation for a greater win. The Devil can’t win against God. Every temporary victory for him is just a set up for a greater defeat.

Lessons For Life:

1.  Be encouraged in Your Witness for Christ!  If you surrender to Jesus and serve Him, you win. If you fight against Him, you lose. You may feel small and insignificant compared to the powers of those who are set against God. But don’t worry. God’s truth will triumph still!

2.  Pray! Pray! Pray!  When things look bleak and hopeless, pray. Pray with other believers. Pray fervently. Pray continually. Pray specifically. Pray hopefully. You may not be able to change anything, but God can change everything! Let’s recommit ourselves to corporate prayer, especially on Wednesday nights. Don’t look at this as wasted time – it is the most important thing we can do with our time. Remember, Satan trembles when the weakest saint is on his knees. True, we can’t convert a single soul – but God can. Pray. We can’t heal a single body – but God can. We can’t transform a single life – but God can.

3.  Stop Fighting God! Do you see that it is madness? Instead of opposing God, His Word, His Law, start surrendering. To oppose God is like throwing egg shells against the Rock of Gibraltar. The only one that gets hurt is you. The only way to true happiness, joy, fulfillment and satisfaction is in surrendering completely to God, and allowing His Spirit to live through you. If you have been fighting God, surrender this morning and ask Him to be the Lord of your life. 

______________________________
© The Bridge

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by The Bridge.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By Brian Anderson. © The Bridge.  Website: www.TheBridgeOnline.net