The Greatest Prison Escape Ever
by Neil Hoffman
In Acts 12, we read the most incredible prison break in history. Here’s what happened:
Now about that time, Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.
- Acts 12:1-4
Natural Eyes
Before we go any further in the story, stop and think about how easy it is to let circumstances define our faith. Peter’s in jail. James has already been killed. Four squadrons of soldiers were guarding him which, to me, seems like overkill. What does Peter see with his natural eyes?
He sees an impossible situation. Herod was trying to overwhelm him with despair, anguish, and hopelessness before shaming and killing him publicly.
But it isn’t what the natural eyes can see that ultimately matters. Take 2 Kings 6:16-23 for example. A great military force was sent to capture Elisha the prophet. His servant goes out and sees that they are surrounding the city, but Elisha seems unreasonably calm about the situation. He prays that his servant’s eyes would be opened, and suddenly he can see in the spirit that their enemies are surrounded by a heavenly army that is much greater. God delivered them, and they didn’t have to worry about these raiding bands any longer.
In the same way, despite how hopeless Peter’s situation looked in that jail cell, there was a spiritual reality beyond what natural eyes could see.
So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
- Acts 12:5-6, emphasis added
The Power of “But”
The Bible is full of these sort of moments – one little word changes everything. David tells us in the Psalms, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Romans 8:31
The physical reality was perilous, but God was working. Physically, the cards were stacked against Peter, but spiritually, the church was praying on his behalf to the God who makes four squadrons of soldiers seem like a total joke.
On the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands.
- Acts 12:6-7
The Power of Being Awake
The angel woke Peter up so he could lead him to freedom, and I think a lot of opportunities in life are like that. You have to be awake in order to see and capitalize on the opportunity. The Bible instructs us again and again to keep watch:
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert.
- 1 Peter 5:8
Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation.
- Mark 14:38
Be on alert with all perseverance.
- Ephesians 6:18
Watch now how the story ends:
And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary.
- Acts 12:8-12
So let’s review. Peter’s in jail, waiting to be mocked publicly and then killed. Four squadrons of soldiers stand guard, he’s bound with two chains, and he actually has to sleep between two guards. What he saw was discouraging and impossible, but the power of “but” came to play. God sent an angel to wake him up and they walked out of the prison freely.
If God chose to do this for Peter, he can do it for you. If you feel stuck in your heart, mind, or life, pray and ask God to be to you what He was with Peter – and to give you a way of escape.
