When a world title boxing match is being promoted, the media love to give us a flavour of both contestants, their track record and their approach to the upcoming fight. The stage is then set for the fight in all its gory.
In this passage, verse 5 functions in much the same way. A severe persecution has broken out against the leaders of the church in Jerusalem; Herod has put James to the sword (which more than likely means he was beheaded) and has put Peter in prison intending to do the same to him. So we read that "Peter was kept in prison", in Herod's clutches.
The others side of this particular match is then described for us: "But the church was earnestly praying to God for him". Here is a battle of cosmic proportions: evil against good, man against God. Who is going to win? Herod has already shown his might and his meanness with James and the church has been powerless to resist him. Does this verse suggest a battle that is going to be swift and bloody?
1. From Peace To Persecution
Before we come onto what transpires, we need to just rewind a little and notice that, having suffered when Stephen was martyred, the church enjoyed a time of peace (see 9:31). That peace was suddenly shattered by Herod's brutal steps to pursue his political ambitions.
There is a warning for us here. We may enjoy peace but it is not guaranteed to last. And although in a democracy such as ours it may be harder for naked political ambition to exert itself in such a brutal fashion, nevertheless the church is always vulnerable and living on the edges. The human heart has not changed; evil is still real and the spiritual battle rages on. We must not take peace for granted nor be surprised when it ends.
2. Battle Joined!
So Peter is in prison with little prospect, humanly speaking, of being released. In fact, his time is almost up. The church is in earnest prayer for him; they engage in an intense struggle with him and for him. What will be the outcome? Can the Lord protect and deliver his people? Is the church right to trust in him, especially in the light of James' death?
The outcome proves to us, as Peter himself later says in 2 Peter 2:9 that "the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials". And how! The scene is one of amazing intervention by the Lord, so amazing that even Peter can't quite believe what's happening, thinking he must be dreaming.
But he isn't. The Lord's rescue is real and impressive. Peter is being guarded round the clock by crack Roman troops; Herod is not playing about here, his intent is deadly. But the Lord sends his angel to wake Peter up, telling him to get dressed, leading him past the guards and out into the street, a free man. The scene would almost be comical were it not for the deadly reminder of Herod's evil in the execution of the guards.
So the great contest is a no contest. The Lord wins, hands down. There is no power like his. When his people are in trouble, it's no trouble for him to rescue them.
Except that he doesn't always do so. Peter keeps his head but James lost his. How come? What's going on here - is Peter a favourite with the Lord while James isn't? Was he taken by surprise by Herod's attack on James but was ready when they came for Peter?
Of course, none of those are the case. His power is unlimited, his love is unquenched, his wisdom unassailable. He is more than able to rescue his people whenever and however he chooses to do so.
So why doesn't he? Here is a mystery before which we must bow as we adore the Lord who is Sovereign. His thoughts are far higher than ours, his determination to prosper his gospel and to bless the nations is quite clear and as intense as ever. But how and when he will do so is in his hands alone.
We have no answer to why he allows evil to prosper at times and at others acts to stop it in its tracks. The power of evil is a reality that we do well to remember but the Lord is always able to deal with it; his power is more than a match for it.
Which is doubly confirmed in the final scene of the chapter when Herod is struck down and dies. Here is a man who has gladly persecuted the church to advance his own political ambitions and who here is happy to be likened to a god as he speaks to the people.
The Lord struck him down because he refused to give glory to God. A life that is lived for self and in blatant idolatry will end in tragedy. The warning is both stark and clear.
3. The Place of Prayer
So this passage has much to teach us about the Lord's power and his ability to rescue. It also has a lot to teach us about humility before him and an acceptance of his will. But along with those lessons, much is also taught about prayer in the life of the church and in the outworking of God's purposes.
The way that the contest is set-up in verse 5 highlights the fact that the church is praying to God. One of the questions posed (and answered) here is whether the Lord will hear his people's prayers and respond to them. Yes, he does.
The outcome is a great encouragement to the church in all ages to look to God for his help, to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).
We have many needs and there are numerous challenges that face the church today. We may not be imprisoned but we are under threat. Where else can we go but to the Lord? But do we go to him? Is it a case of having not because we ask not?
Luke clearly aligns the prayer of the church with the Lord's deliverance of Peter. So is that a guarantee that the Lord will do for us just what we want, when we want it? The example of this church at prayer helps us with that question.
It's often suggested that the church was praying but without much faith that Peter would be released, because when he is, the church can't believe it (vv.12-16). But that need not be the case. If it was, we would expect to see the point made much more clearly in the text itself.
It is far more likely that the church is praying for Peter to be kept strong and true to his Lord as he undergoes such a severe trial. No doubt they have asked the Lord to free him if it pleases him but they have no reason to suppose from the way the Lord allowed James to be killed that he will spare Peter.
Look back at their prayer in 4:23ff - they don't ask to be kept from persecution but pray for boldness to go on preaching the gospel and for the Lord to vindicate his name and judge their enemies. This is just what he does in this situation now.
They aren't surprised to see Peter because their faith is small; what they are is surprised by joy, having submitted to God's will and trusted him for the outcome, whatever that might be.
There is a great battle that is ongoing today, a spiritual battle that is costly and dangerous. What is our hope in it? That the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and will act for his glory's sake and the blessing of the gospel. We need to grasp that and run with it in prayer.
