THE KING’S BUSINESS
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may be true that we have never seen an angel, but that does not prove they do not exist or that they do not work today. We have never seen electricity, but it exists and does mighty things, and we see the results of its work. None of us ever saw the wind, but we all enjoy the benefits of the wind’s blowing, and just so we have seen the results-of the work of the angels. Wednesday, January 3 . Acts 12 : 12 - 19 . Peter was led to the very house where they were holding a prayer meeting in his behalf. It is not likely that Peter knew the prayer meeting was going on. While the meeting was still in progress those en gaged in prayer were startled by a knock at the door. Two things are especially to be noted about their conduct: ( 1 ) the persistent unbelief of .the praying company as a whole; ( 2 ) the persistent faith of Rhoda. The company had come together for the specific purpose of praying for Peter’s deliverance. God, as might be ex pected, heard the prayer and sent the an swer around to the meeting. While they were yet speaking He had heard (cf. Isa. 65 :24), but they were utterly bewildered by the answer. They were sure it could not be so, and when Rhoda persisted in saying he was there, they were sure she must be crazy. But in the face of all their ridicule Rhoda maintained her position. Then they thought it must be “his angel.” Apparently they thought Peter had been executed dur ing the night and that his ghost had come around to the meeting. But Rhoda had faith; she would not be moved by all their doubts and questions and theories, “she confidently affirmed that it was even so.” Though they told her she was crazy, she stuck to it still. Her prayer of faith counted more than the prayers of . all the rest. She was only a “maid” (v. 13, R.V.), but she is the only one in that prayer com pany whose name the Holy i Spirit has thought worth of putting on record. Prob ably there were church dignitaries present, very likely Mark was there, for it was his mother’s house, but none of these are
named as being present. Rhoda was there and she had faith, and she alone is counted and named. Rhoda means “Rose,” and she was a very fragrant rose to our Lord because of her faith. The unbelief of the rest seems to be the more unaccount able when we remember how Peter had once before this been miraculously delivered from prison (ch. 5.:19). The truth is, they were just like us. But Peter kept right on knocking. That, is the way to treat unbelief—just keep hammering away. They must have looked quite foolish when Peter himself walked in, but oh how happy Rhoda was. They were now ready to lionize Peter, but he beckoned them to hold their peace, and told them “how the Lord had brought him forth out of the prison.” He turns attention from himself to the Lord Jesus. Herod seems to-have left Judea in disgust and spleen because Peter had escaped from his hands (v. 19). Thursday, January 4 . Acts 12 : 20 - 25 . This journey of Herod to Caesarea is mentioned by Josephus. Tyre and Sidon were mercantile cities and were dependent upon the inland trade for their support. Judea was an agricultural and pastoral country,; and it would have been ruin to Tyre and Sidon if Herod, who was “highly displeased” with Tyre and Sidon, had car ried out his thoughts of war upon them. This accounts for the submissive manner in which they came to Herod, and for their bribing Blastus to use his influence. Herod was fond of pomp and display and empty glory, and he received the ambassadors from Tyre and Sidon with not only a dis play of his royal splendor, but also of his oratorical abilities. The people knew the man and his vanity and “shout'ed, saying, The voice of a god, and not of a man.” Foolish Herod was pleased and instead of indignantly refusing the ascription of divine honor, and giving God the glory that belongs to Him alone, he accepted it and the Lord smote him through His angel. There is a lesson here for us. Even Chris tians are sometimes tempted to take to
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