THE THIRD IMPRISONMENT

"They never sought in vain that sought the Lord aright."

"If you cannot pray over a thing, and cannot ask God to bless you in it, don't do that thing. A secret that you would keep from God is a secret that you should keep from your own heart."

After having completed his labors at Lydda, Joppa, and the adjacent towns, Peter returned to Jerusalem and continued his earnest work in the ministry.

A Wicked King.

But there was a wicked king ruling over Judea at that time, named Herod Agrippa, who "stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church." He was a grandson of Herod the Great, who, you remember, slaughtered all the little children in Bethlehem in his effort to kill the little baby Jesus. He was also a nephew of Herod Antipas, the wicked king who had John the Baptist beheaded. Herod Agrippa possessed the same wicked passions as his grandfather and his uncle; so, of course, he hated and despised the righteous men who, in preaching the Gospel, were condemning sin and wickedness.

Peter Thrust Into Prison.

The first apostle to suffer from King Agrippa's wickedness was James the brother of John whom he killed "with the sword." When he found that this murderous act pleased the haughty and stiff-necked Jews, he thought he would kill some others of the apostolic band. Accordingly, he arrested Simon Peter; but, fortunately, concluded not to kill him until after Easter, so thrust him in prison until a more favorable time for a public execution.

Strongly Guarded.

As if to make sure that Peter would not escape this time, he "delivered him to four quarternions of soldiers to keep him." "This meant four distinct pickets of four guards each, sixteen in all. Each picket was to keep watch three hours and then be relieved by another during the night watches. Two officers must guard at the outer gate of the prison, and two be in the cell, one on each side of the prisoner, with his arms chained to them." Thus firmly guarded and chained, Peter lay down to sleep "between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door."^[1]

James' cruel death and the report of Peter's imprisonment spread consternation among the saints in Judea. Some, perhaps, were fearful; all were prayerful.

Special Assemblies in Prayer.

It seems that groups of earnest saints met in different places, and pleaded in sincere prayer to God to spare their leader's life. Indeed, "prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him." It is thought by some historians that among those who were thus supplicating the Lord were Paul and Barnabas who were probably in Jerusalem at that time.

At Mary's House.

One of the principal meetings was held at the house of Mary the mother of John Mark, who many years after, wrote the Gospel, according to St. Mark.

ST. PETER IN PRISON. The angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison.

ST. PETER IN PRISON.
"The angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison."

While we leave them in solemn prayer on the night before Peter was to be killed, let us go back to the prison, and see what is happening there.

An Angel Appears to Peter.

While Peter lay sleeping on his pallet of straw, "behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison." Evidently, the guards were asleep, and neither saw nor heard anything for the angel touched Peter on the side, and raised him up saying, "Arise up quickly."

As Peter complied, his chains fell off his hands. Then the angel said to him: "Tie your girdle around your waist, and put on your sandals."

Peter, scarcely knowing what he was doing, did as he was told. Then the angel continued:

"Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me."

Still thinking that he was dreaming, Peter followed the angel.

Peter Delivered From Prison.

They left the guards in the cell, passed the first guard of soldiers, then the second; but no one tried to stop them. When they came to the big "iron gate that leadeth to the city," it "opened to them of its own accord." The angel continued to direct Peter through one of the streets of the city, then left him as suddenly as he had appeared.

By this time, however, Peter fully realized that he was not dreaming, but was actually out of prison. He said to himself:

His Life Saved.

"Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the Jews." By this last remark, he referred to the public execution that Herod had promised to have taken place that very day. But faith and prayers were more mighty in Peter's behalf than the decree of kings, and the demands of the wicked Jews.

Wondering just a little where he should go, he turned to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where, you know, some of the saints were even at that moment praying for his deliverance.

Rhoda.

"As Peter knocked at the door of the gate," a young girl named Rhoda came, and asked who was there. When she heard Peter's voice, she was so glad that she didn't stop to open the gate, but ran immediately into the room saying:

"Peter is here—standing outside the door."

Friends Astonished.

So suddenly interrupted in their prayer, the people would not believe her, but said she was beside herself. But Rhoda insisted that she was right. She knew Peter's voice, and she knew he was at the door. They finally concluded that "it was his angel."

In the meantime, Peter kept knocking until he was finally admitted. It seems that the little group hardly expected their prayers to be answered in just that literal way; so "when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished."

Peter, holding up his hand, and beckoning them to be quiet, told them how the Lord had delivered him from prison. Then he added: "Go explain all these things to James, and to the brethren." This James was probably the brother of Jesus, who seems to have been appointed to take charge of the Church at Jerusalem.^[2]

Peter Gets Away.

Knowing that as soon as he would be missed in prison the soldiers of old Herod would be searching for him, Peter went unto another place.

When morning came, there was a great stir among the soldiers because of Peter's having escaped. Herod ordered a thorough search in vain.

Then, thinking the keepers of the prison had been careless and negligent, this wicked ruler ordered them put to death.

Guards Put to Death.

Not long afterward he, himself, died so suddenly and so miserably, that some said the wrath of God was visited upon him because of his wickedness. Luke tells us that the "angel of the Lord smote him."

Herod's Death.

But Peter, whom Herod had sought to kill, was spared, through the blessings of the Lord, to bless the Church, and to preach the Gospel for many years afterward.

Footnotes:

1. Acts 12:6.2. Gal. 1:19.