ACTS .12
1During this time, King Herod began to do harm to some of those who were in the Fellowship. 2He ordered James, the brother of John, to be killed with a sword.
3Herod saw that many of the Jews liked this, so he decided to arrest Peter too. This happened during the Festival of Passover. 4He arrested Peter and put him in jail, where he was guarded by a group of 16 soldiers. Herod planned to bring Peter before the people, but he wanted to wait until after the Passover festival.
AGRIPPA DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST (POLITICALLY) TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER PASSOVER (AFTER ALL THE CROWDS HAD LEFT FOR HOME) TO DEAL WITH PETER.
5So Peter was kept in jail, but the Fellowship was constantly praying to YAHUSHA for him.
WHAT FOLLOWS NEXT MAY VERY WELL BE THE RESULT OF THE INTENSE PRAYER MADE TO YAHUSHA ON PETER’S BEHALF.
6One night, Peter (bound with two chains) was sleeping between two of the soldiers, and more soldiers were guarding the door of the jail. Herod was planning to bring Peter out before the people the next day.
7Suddenly an Angel of YAHUAH was standing there, and the room was filled with light. The Angel tapped Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Hurry, get up!” Then the chains fell off Peter’s hands. 8Then the Angel said, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And Peter did as he was told. Then the Angel said, “Now put on your coat and follow me.”
9So the Angel went out and Peter followed him, still not fully knowing if the Angel was really doing this or not (for it felt like a dream). 10Peter and the Angel went past the first guard and the second guard. Then they came to the iron gate that separated them from the city. The gate opened for them by itself, and after they went through the gate and walked further down the street, the Angel suddenly left. 11Peter then realised what had happened. He thought, “Now I know that YAHUSHA really sent His Angel to me, and delivered me from Herod and from everything those Jews hoped would happen to me.”
12So when Peter realised this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark. Many people were gathered there and were praying. 13Peter knocked on the outside door. A servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. 14 She recognised Peter’s voice, and she was extremely happy. Infact she was so excited that she forgot to open the door, instead running to back to the tell the whole group, “Peter is at the door! Peter is at the door!” 15The believers said to her, “You’re crazy Luv!” But she continued to say that it was true. So they said, “It must be Peter’s Angel then.”
16But Peter continued to knock, and when the believers opened the door, they saw him, and were amazed. 17 Peter made a sign with his hand to tell them to be quiet (HE WAS AN ESCAPED PRISONER AND THEY WERE MAKING TOO MUCH NOISE IN THEIR EXCITEMENT). Then he explained to them how YAHUSHA had led him out of the jail. He said, “Tell James and the other brothers what happened.” Then he left quickly and went to another place.
JAMES (A DIFFERENT JAMES) HAD JUST BEEN EXECUTED. PETER WAS GOING TO BE EXECUTED AS WELL BUT YAHUSHA MIRACULOUSLY DELIVERED HIM. UPON HIS ESCAPE PETER GOES IN THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT TO MIRIAM’S HOUSE WHERE BELIEVERS WERE STEALTHILY MEETING IN PRAYER FOR PETER. HE GESTURES FOR THEM TO BE QUIET, FOR HE DIDN’T WANT THEM TO BE DISCOVERED. THEN HE TELLS SOMEONE WHO IS AT THE MEETING TO GO AND TELL JAMES (YAHUSHA’S BROTHER) AND OTHER BROTHERS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THEN PETER LEFT QUICKLY AND ESCAPED FROM JERUSALEM. WHY? PETER WAS AN ESCAPED PRISONER AND IN DANGER, AND IN FACT ALL THE BELIEVERS WERE IN DANGER. WHY DIDN’T PETER GO TO JAMES HIMSELF? BECASUE JAMES WAS ALSO IN HIDING. THE BROTHERS SPOKEN OF WERE THE LEADERSHIP, PART OF THE 12 DISCIPLES. ONLY A FEW OF THE BELIEVERS IN JERUSALEM EVEN KNEW WHERE TO FIND JAMES. PETER LIKELY DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO FIND JAMES, FOR HE WAS HIDING IN THAT CAVERN.
18The next day the soldiers were very upset. They wondered what happened to Peter. 19Herod looked everywhere for him but could not find him. So he questioned the guards and then ordered that they be killed. Later, Herod moved from Judea. He went to the city of Caesarea and stayed there a while. 20Herod was very angry with the people from the cities of Tyre and Sidon. But these cities needed food from his country, so a group of them came to ask him for peace. They were able to get Blastus, the King’s personal servant, on their side.
21Herod decided on a day to meet with them. On that day he was wearing a beautiful royal robe. He sat on his Throne and made a speech to the people. 22The people shouted, “This is the voice of Alahim, not a man!”
23And Herod lapped it all up, taking all the praise for himself and giving none of the esteem to YAHUAH. So an Angel of YAHUAH struck him with sickness, and he was eaten from the inside out by worms in his stomach, killing him instantly.
24And the message of YAHUAH was spreading, reaching more and more people. 25After Barnabas and Saul finished their work in Yerushalim, they returned to Antioch, taking John Mark with them.
HEBREW UNDERSTANDING :
Search results for "PRAYER"
1245 to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); to strive after:--ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
2470 to be rubbed or worn; to be weak, sick, afflicted; or to grieve, make sick; also to stroke (in flattering), entreat:--beseech, (be) diseased, (put to) grief, be grieved, (be) grievous, infirmity, intreat, lay to, put to pain, be (fall, make) sick, sore, be sorry, make suit, woman in travail, be (become) weak, be wounded.
2589 supplication:--be gracious, intreated.
3908 a whisper, i.e. by implication, (in a good sense) a private prayer, (in a bad one) an incantation; concretely, an amulet:--charmed, earring, enchantment, orator, prayer.
4864 a raising (as of the hands in prayer), or rising (of flame); an utterance; a beacon (as raised); a present (as taken), mess, or tribute; figuratively, a reproach (as a burden):--burden, collection, sign of fire, (great) flame, gift, lifting up, mess, oblation, reward.
6279 to burn incense in worship, i.e. intercede (reciprocally, listen to prayer):--intreat,
7879 contemplation, utterance, babbling, communication, complaint, talk.
7881 reflection; be extension, devotion:--meditation, prayer.
8469 earnest prayer:--intreaty, supplication.
8605 intercession, supplication; by implication, a hymn:--prayer.
SCRIPTURE UNDERSTANDING :
1 JOHN 5:14 “This is the confidence we have in approaching Yahusha: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us (whatever we ask) we know that we have what we asked of Him”.
2 CHRON 7:14 “If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.
EPHESIANS 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all Yahusha’s people”.
JAMES 5:13 “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise”.
MARK 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”.
MATTHEW 5:44 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”.
MATTHEW 6:9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, the Kingdom, the power and the esteem are Yours, now and forever.”
MATTHEW 7:11 ”If you, then (though you are evil) know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”
PHILIPPIANS 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to Yahusha'.
COLOSSIANS 4:2 ”Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful”.
SO PETER IS UNDER ARREST AND IN A ROMAN PRISON, BUT INTENSE PRAYER WAS BEING MADE ON HIS BEHALF. THIS SHOWS US THE REAL POWER AND NATURE OF TRUE, MEANINGFUL PRAYER, AND THE ONE WHO PRAYS.
PRAYER SHOULD BE INTENSE, NOT JUST WHIMSICAL AND CASUAL. WE SHOULD BE STILL, FOCUSED, AND PURPOSEFUL RATHER THAN REPEATING MANTRAS AND RITUAL FORMS OF PRAYERS.
WHEN THE VERSE SAYS PRAYERS WERE BEING MADE, IT MEANS THAT THE PRAYER WAS ONGOING. PRAYER FOR PETER WASN’T JUST A ONE-AND-DONE OUTBURST. PRAYING CONTINUALLY TO YAHUSHA OVER A SPECIFIC MATTER IS NOT PORTRAYED AS NEEDLESSLY PESTERING HIM, RATHER IT IS OBEYING AND COMMUNICATING WITH HIM, WHICH WE ARE COMMANDED TO DO, AND IT IS ENTIRELY TO OUR BENEFIT.
As a Bridal Fellowship Yahusha wants us to throw ourself on the altar, burn up the selfishness and offer one another up in prayer, sharing both the joys and concerns with Him. He doesn't want us in a pity-party, fighting alone, isolated but helping and supporting one another. Afterall He has promised to provide us with everything we need and give us the desires of our heart (if aligned with His) but He wants us to communicate with Him first and have a real relationship.