Bible Study on Acts 13, verses 14 to 41, a sermon by Paul, part 2

 

Notice how in verse 33 Paul links the resurrection with the verse in Psalm 2. As an eternal being Christ represents all of us who will be raised incorruptible, the children of God.

 

Romans 8:17 ¶  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered

from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

 

In Hebrews 1:5 Paul connects it to Christ’s birth and the relationship between a Father and a Son. By the time we get to verse 8 in Hebrews 1 we are back at Christ’s rule and authority, the basis of Psalm 2.

 

Hebrews 1:4 ¶  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art

my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

 

Notice in verse 8 of Hebrews 1 the reference is made to Psalm 45:6. Here is the original reference in Psalm 2 marking out Christ’s physical reign on earth to come.

 

Psalm 2:1 ¶  Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his

anointed, saying, 3  Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4  He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5  Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. 6  Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

 

    7 ¶  I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and

the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

 

    10 ¶  Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish

from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

 

In verse 34 in Acts 13 here he makes mention of the sure mercies of David.

 

Isaiah 55:3  Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

 

Following this is a reference to David’s prophecy of Christ’s resurrection a thousand years previously.

 

Psalm 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

 

Peter uses this verse in his sermon noted in Acts 2:27. Here is the entire passage in Psalm 16.

 

Psalm 16:8 ¶  I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9  Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in

hope. 10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

 

Note the argument that Paul makes here that David could not have been talking about himself as he did see corruption and knew that he would die eventually. Only Enoch, Elijah, and Christ saw no corruption.

 

See in verse 36 how if you are doing God’s work you serve in a generation and then you are gone from the world and others take your place. In modern evangelical terms we can get caught up in the broad sweep of events over history rather than placing ourselves in the context of our generation.

 

In 41 Paul issues a warning based on;

 

Habbakuk 1:5 ¶  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

A Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 78, verses 1 to 8, not hide them from their children

 

Psalm 78:1 ¶  «Maschil of Asaph.» Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 2  I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: 3  Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 4  We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. 5  For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: 6  That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: 7  That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: 8  And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

 

A Maschil is an instructive or doctrinal Psalm as per John Gill. See Psalm 32:1. Asaph is listed as the author of some Psalms. He is listed as a seer, which is a prophet.

 

2Chronicles 29:30  Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.

 

In this regard he represents Christ, who spoke in parables.

 

Matthew 13:34  All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

 

Asaph gives a brief religious discourse on Israel’s past admonishing the present generation not to do as they had done and ignore God’s commandments. Dark sayings would be sayings that had not been understood fully or at all.

 

Clearly the gospel of Jesus Christ, including His death, burial, and resurrection were not understood as I have stated repeatedly in my comments on the gospels that the Jews did not understand that He was to die and to rise again. They were looking for a conqueror, not a suffering God in the flesh.

 

Jesus’ Jewish followers literally had no clue what He was talking about when He referred to His impending agony on the Cross or understood anything about His Resurrection.

Matthew 16:21 ¶  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

 

Mark 9:9  And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. 10  And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean…31  For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 

But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

 

Luke 18:31 ¶  Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32  For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33  And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34  And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

 

John 20:9  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

 

I read in a book entitled A History of Messianic Speculation in Israel from the First through the Seventeenth Centuries by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver that there was an expectation of two messiahs at times, one; Messiah ben Joseph and, two; Messiah ben David. One is a conqueror and one suffers for the people of Israel and dies fighting the enemies of God and Israel. Jewish tradition also refers to, “The Four Craftsmen,”  a subject more for a study of Daniel or Revelation than here.

 

Acts 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

 

Asaph’s Psalm is a warning and a plea to the people of Israel.

Bible Study on Acts 13, verses 14 to 41, a sermon by Paul, part 1

 

Acts 13:14 ¶  But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down. 15  And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. 16  Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. 17  The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it. 18  And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness. 19  And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot. 20  And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 21  And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. 22  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. 23  Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 24  When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25  And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. 26  Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. 27  For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 28  And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. 29  And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. 30  But God raised him from the dead: 31  And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 32  And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 33  God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. 34  And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 35  Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 36  For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37  But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. 38  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40  Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; 41  Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

 

Perga was in Pamphylia. There were several places named Antioch in the Greek-speaking world. Pisidian Antioch is near Perga on the map. Both would be in what is present-day Turkey. This Antioch is not the Antioch called the “cradle of Christianity”. So, it is not the same town as where the Christians were first called as such near the modern-day city of Antakya, Turkey in extreme Southern Turkey. Pisidian Antioch is near the present-day Isparta Province in Turkey.

 

Here Paul gives a sermon in a synagogue. As they are Jews his sermon is filled with Old Testament references. Notice in verse 19 Chanaan, spelled with a Ch rather than just a C, gives us a clue as to the way to pronounce the Ch in words, like a K. Again, remember my remarks about variations in spelling.

 

In my comments on Genesis 15:12-16 I noted;

“God tells Abram that his seed will be servants in a foreign land, which we know to be Egypt. They will be afflicted for four hundred years and will serve the people of that land. This is an about, not an exact 400 years, ten months, 23 days, and two hours type of statement.

Exodus 12:40  Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

And then, Luke recounting what Stephen said, alluding to what Moses had written from God’s words;

Acts 7:6  And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

If I wrote you a lesson that said, ‘in the thousand years since the Norman invasion of England,’ and then, in the lesson later wrote, ‘in the nine hundred and fifty eight years since 1066, when William the Conqueror defeated King Harold at Hastings,’ would that be a contradiction or would you understand what I said as meaning the same thing?

Here is Paul referring to this bondage bracketed between the covenant and the giving of the Law.

Galatians 3:17  And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

Rabbis have written that the affliction begins when Ishmael, the offspring of Abram and Hagar, an Egyptian, begins to persecute Isaac, the son of the promise. They regarded the four hundred years to start from that point.

God also tells Abram that four generations will come into being in Egypt before returning to the land that is promised, The Promised Land of Canaan. For instance, Levi, Jacob’s son, and his son, Kohath, and his son, Amram, and his son, Moses. These were four generations that sojourned in Egypt. It is then important to see that God is talking about two different things; four hundred years of affliction and four generations in a foreign land. As the Bible clearly states in Exodus the Hebrews come out of Egypt with a great deal of wealth given to them freely by the Egyptians.”

Notice verse 20 says about the space of four hundred and fifty years. Using the typical fallacious modernist mindset of reading the Bible like an instruction manual for your lawn mower I have been amazed at how many Christian commentators argue about how this figure of four hundred and fifty can be reconciled by adding this or subtracting that trying to fit it into the timelines one derives by adding up reigns and rules. This is nonsense. You dare deny the Holy Spirit the very same figures of speech you use yourselves? The very same general statements that are approximations or even hyperbole?

In verse 21 the Hebrew name Kish from 1Samuel 9:1 is translated from a Greek derivation as Cis in English. Note also how Elijah of the Old Testament verses like Malachi 4:5 is translated from the Greek as Elias in New Testament verses like Matthew 11:14.

Bible Study on Isaiah 5, verses 8 to 17, Woe unto them

 

Isaiah 5:8 ¶  Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! 9  In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. 10  Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of an homer shall yield an ephah. 11  Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! 12  And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. 13  Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 14  Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. 15  And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: 16  But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness. 17  Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

 

Verse 8 warns of the covetousness that God is accusing Israel of. He then warns them that many of those houses, the houses of the powerful and wealthy even, shall be empty. Their fields will produce very little crops, a very poor yield. The people wake up and get drunk and would rather listen to music than do the work of the Lord or consider what He has done. This is why they will go into captivity to foreign powers. They are starving for God’s word and for a consideration of His works for them and for His purposes in those works. Hell is receiving them and for all of their so-called power and worth and their self-praise they are entering in it. Poor and great alike will suffer in Hell. God will be exalted in judgment and sanctified in righteousness. Beasts and foreigners will eat what remains.

 

See what happens to Israel and Samaria while Isaiah is preaching in Judah and Jerusalem.

 

2Kings 17:6  In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

 

2Kings 18:1 ¶  Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

 

Isaiah 1:1  The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

 

Bible Study on Acts 13, verses 1 to 13, Paul and the sorcerer Elymas

 

Acts 13:1 ¶  Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

 

Besides Barnabas, at Antioch there was Simeon also called Niger meaning black in Latin. There was Lucius of Cyrene in North Africa, and Manaen who may have been an acquaintance of Herod in his youth, and Saul. The Holy Ghost chose Barnabas and Saul for a mission.

 

Acts 13:4 ¶  So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5  And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. 6  And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: 7  Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. 8  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. 9  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, 10  And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? 11  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. 12  Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. 13  Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

 

Seleucia was Antioch’s seaport, about 16 miles from it. This is not a reference to the Seleucia on the Tigris River in what would become present day Iraq.  Cyprus is strategically located island in the Eastern Mediterranean that contained at that time numerous religious sites. It was divided into four main districts; Salamis, Paphos, Amathous, and Lapethos.

 

Here we have Saul’s new name, Paul, which may have been a nickname as it means, according to Strong; small or little. Perhaps, Paul was a short man. It is interesting that one of Paul’s first miracles was to make someone else blind temporarily considering what happened to him.

 

Northwest of Cyprus on what is now the Turkish mainland but was then the Roman province of Asia was the region of Pamphylia. The city of Perga was known for its worship of Diana, known in Greek as Artemis.

 

Notice here that John Mark leaves the work and returns to Jerusalem. This will become a point of great contention later between Barnabas and Paul.

Bible Study on Exodus 19, verses 1 to 8, for all the earth is mine

 

Exodus 19:1 ¶  In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2  For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3  And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 7  And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. 8  And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

Now, we’re back in the main narrative after the interlude about Jethro’s visit. We pick up where we left off as the Hebrews into the Sinai desert where they encamped before Horeb in Sinai, the mount of God.

As God calls Moses from the mountain, he uses the typology of eagles’ wings as the means by which He brought the Hebrews to Him. However, we know that they did not fly on eagles’ wings. This is symbolic speech. It will be used again.

Revelation 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Either the verse in Revelation refers to God’s supernatural deliverance imposed on a physical world or it is a reference to some country delivering the Jews from danger or, judging by how such a symbology is used in Exodus it is both. God uses human and natural agents to cause His supernatural deliverance, perhaps, as He did here by crushing the Egyptian army and delivering the Hebrews. God saved them but it is their own legs that are hiking them to the mountain.

We’ve seen all through Genesis and Exodus how God uses things and people in our reality to accomplish His purposes. When these are mixed with great events He causes we can understand how He moves things forward in His ministry of reconciling man to Himself.

Moses adds to this symbolic usage of eagles’ wings in a later reference.

Deuteronomy 32:11  As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 12  So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.

Verses 5 and 6 contain an important set of references.

1 Peter 2:4 ¶  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

The followers of Christ are called an holy priesthood who deliver up spiritual sacrifices.

Romans 12:1 ¶  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The children of Israel were called out to be something special for God. The Christian is called to a purpose, as well.

Deuteronomy 33:2  And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Isaiah 61:6  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

Revelation 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Revelation 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

In verse 8 the children of Israel make a promise to God that they will break time and again.

All that the LORD hath spoken we will do…

Bible Study on Acts 12, verses 5 to 25, Peter has a miraculous escape

 

Acts 12:5 ¶  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 6  And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7  And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8  And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. 9  And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. 10  When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. 11  And when Peter was come to himself, he said, 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 people of the Jews. 12  And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. 13  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 14  And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 15  And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. 16  But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. 17  But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. 18  Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. 19  And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

 

Notice importantly first how God acted out of His own will but in concord with the prayers for Peter offered continuously. This is a lesson for us. As Paul said;

 

1Thessalonians 5:17  Pray without ceasing.

 

Peter was imprisoned about as secure as you can get chained between two of the soldiers. If they used four soldiers in a shift then the other two would have kept guard. But, even with this seemingly secure method of binding a prisoner an angel of the Lord, perhaps an appearance of Christ, came to him, shining a light, hit Peter in the side, and with Peter’s chains falling off he made his escape following the angel without disturbing the soldiers he had been chained to. Amazingly, even a gate opened to him of its own accord.

 

Peter must have been in a trance-like state being led by the angel. When he came to himself, got full control again of his faculties, he acknowledged who had delivered him and why.

 

He then came to Mary’s house, the mother of John Mark, probable author of the gospel that bears Mark’s name. Disciples were gathered there to pray. Peter banged on the gate door but Rhoda, recognizing Peter’s voice, was so beside HERself that she didn’t open the gate but ran to the disciples who insisted she was nuts as Peter was secure in prison or dead.

 

Verse 15 shows that these Jewish Christians knew something that most modern Christians don’t know. They knew what an angel was, an appearance of someone who is someplace else, probably even dead. It is not that person physically in the flesh they understood but his spiritual representative. We all have a spiritual representative operating in creation where we are not, in Heaven if we are here.

 

Psalm 104:4  Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

 

Daniel 9:21  Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

 

Luke 1:26  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

 

Matthew 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

 

Hebrews 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

 

Verse 17 can be confusing. There is a James, the brother of John, who was murdered by Herod.

 

Matthew 4:21  And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.

 

There was James the son of Alphaeus.

 

Matthew 10:3  Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

 

And Jesus’ brother James who most commentators say wrote the book of James.

 

Matthew 13:55  Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

 

Galatians 1:19  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

 

As was apparently customary guards who failed to keep a prisoner under custody, especially a noteworthy prisoner, allowing them to escape, could be put to death. Note the Philippian jailer’s terror at Paul’s deliverance when he thought Paul and company had escaped in Acts 16:25-34 which we will come to. He was ready to kill himself rather than suffer what would await him and perhaps even his family suggesting the prison was part of his home like in the ancient Egyptian Potiphar’s case of Joseph’s story. See Genesis 40:3 and context.

 

Acts 12:20 ¶  And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. 21  And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22  And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23  And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24  But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25  And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

 

There are other instances in history where men are said to be eaten of worms. In particular, the Roman historian, Plutarch, in his Lives of Illustrious Men notes that the Roman tyrant, Sylla, among others, suffered this fate. Similarly, in the Apocryphal book, Second Maccabees, the evil Antiochus Epiphanes suffers something very similar. This punishment, this judgment was swift and sudden and the wicked Herod went to Hell.

 

Still, God’s word produced much fruit and Barnabas and Saul took John Mark with them back to Antioch.