Acts 12

13-16 When Rhoda heard Peter’s voice outside, she became so excited that she forgot to open the door and let him in. She ran in to tell the others that Peter was outside, but they said to her, “You’re out of your mind” (verse 15). When she persisted, they said it was only Peter’s angel.

But Peter kept on knocking, and finally those inside went and opened the door. When they saw Peter they were astonished. There standing at the door was the very answer to their prayers, but they hadn’t believed it!

17 Then they all began to rejoice and praise God, but Peter told them to be quiet. Perhaps at that moment the soldiers were searching for him, and they would surely be attracted to such a noisy gathering in the middle of the night.

Peter said to them, “Tell James and the brothers about this.” By that time James, the brother of Jesus, had become the chief leader of the Jerusalem church. Then Peter went to another place to hide from Herod.

18-19 Under Roman law, if any prisoner escaped, the soldiers guarding him were given the same punishment the prisoner was to have received. Since Peter was to have received the death sentence, Herod ordered that all of Peter’s guards be executed in his place. Perhaps Herod suspected that one or two of the guards had secretly helped Peter to escape.

20 Tyre and Sidon were large cities of Phoenicia (modern Lebanon) located on the Mediterranean coast. The residents of these cities received most of their food supplies from the province of Galilee, which was under the jurisdiction of Herod. For some reason Herod had become displeased with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they were afraid that in anger he might cut of f their food supply. So in an effort to make peace, they asked Blastus, one of Herod’s servants, to arrange for them to meet with the king.

21-22 On the day of the audience, Herod delivered a speech to the people of Tyre and Sidon. In order to please and flatter Herod, the people began to call him a god. Because he did not give the praise to the true God, one of God’s angels struck him down and he was eaten by worms. Some people believe that a large worm-filled cyst in Herod’s liver ruptured.⁵⁷ Herod had exalted himself. Now God had made him food for worms!

24 Herod the oppressor and persecutor died, but the word of God continued to increase and spread. God raises up rulers and casts them down, but His word remains forever (see 1 Peter 1:24-25).

25 It was only after Herod’s death that Barnabas and Saul actually left Antioch to take the collection to the believers in Jerusalem (Acts 11:29-30). When they returned to Antioch, they took with them John (also called Mark), Barnabas’ cousin (Acts 12:12; Colossians 4:10).