Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-11-04
THE ANGELS VISIT.
e On W. "OURTH QUARTER, IN
T-.2lr1f...:,. S-RIE5, E1V. G.

Text of tho Lesson, Acts xii, 1-17-Mem- |
ory Verses, 5-s-GoIden Text, Ps. xxxiv. |
documentary by the Rev. d. NJ.
stearns.
1. "Now about that time Herod the
king, stretched forth his hands to vex GER
tain of the church." Herod represents the |
world, and the world is always az enmity
with God and the people of God. If the
people of Goa are not found suffering more
or less persecution from the world it must
be because they are greatly conformed to
it. See Jas. iv, 4; Rom. xii, 1, 2; ii Tim
iii, IL; John XIV, 1920
2. and he killed James, the brother of
John, with the sword" James was one of
the first to follow Jesus. and with Peter
and John had been his special companion
on several occasions, as on the Mount of
TRANSPORTATION and in the Garden of
Gethsemane. and now he is first to see his
Lord in glory-the rst OF the twelve.
Jesus had taught them to he ready for
this (Math X, 2S; John xvi q,
3. and because He saw It pleased the
Jews, He proceeded further to take Peter
also" Being passover time city would be
full of people, and Herod by pleasing them
would have opportunity to make himself
popular He did not know that it is God
that putteth down one and setteth up an
other ops. lxxv, 6, y. Like PLATE, he saw
only the people or Cesar.
4. Peter in prison and guarded by sixteen
soldiers, four on duty at time, is surely
in safe keeping, humanity speaking; but
when men take counsel against God He
that stitch in the heavens shall laugh
ops. xxxiii, 10, II; ii, ~ God may allow
Peter to be slain, as He did John the Bap
] o,I hui He
purposes otherwise not all the soldiers or
earth can hold him.
5. Peter remains in prison, but the be
levers cease not to pray for him. Accord
ing to the margin, instant and earnest
prayer was made for him." Not knowing
whether it might be the will of God to
spare him or not while he lived they could
earnestly ask that if it could be for the
glory of God he might be delivered. Com
pare II Sam. xii, %, %.
G. The saying that mans extremity is
Gods opportunity is often illustrated.
The last night of Peters life seemed to
have come, for on the morrow Herod would
bring him forth to be slain. There seems
no possibility of escape; chained to sol
der on either side, and all doors and gates
securely guarded-but ah, Lord God, there
is nothing too hard for thee DER. xxi, 10.
of those servants of God to whom storm
and tempest, fire and food, walls and bars
are as nothing. The soldiers sleep on while
Peters chains fall off and he arises at the
word of the angel. Read how just such a
messenger smote 1S5, 900 men, while anoth-
err shut the lions mouths, and another
found Paul in the storm on the sea lisa.
xxxvii, 36; Dan. vi, %; Acts xvii, 23).
s. Without unnecessary haste and yet
quickly, Peter at the word of the angel
girls himself, puts on his sandals and also
his outer garments and prepares to follow
his deliverer. God will leave nothing
belonging to His people in the hands of the
enemy. When Israel came out of Egypt
they left not a hoof behind (Ex. X, go
when we come forth on that resurrection
morning it shall be seen that not a hail
Of our heads has persisted duke xxi, 49,.
0. Thus far it was all like a dream t.
Peter. He had already seen wondrou:
things in a vision Chapter X, 10, ~ ant
supposed he was now enjoying another
revelation from heaven. 1t was as wheI
the captives returned from Baby Ion anC
they said they were like them that dream
Ops. cXXvi, y.
10. Safely through the wards, and by tn,
guards, and through the outer iron gat
that opened of its own accord, and alonl
through one street, and then the angel lief
him, and Peter finds himself alone-a few
moments before in an inner prison securel.
chained, but now a free man by the might.
power of God. The same power sets fire.
the sinner from satan's bondage and will
soon bring forth the body of every san
from the prison house of the grave.
II. How Peter convinced himself that i
- was no vision, but a waking reality, W
3 are not told. We can imagine him in va
& rious ways proving to himself that he i
z really awake, and as he walks alSut h
4 finds no chains no soldiers and no prso
- walls it dawns upon him that again h
- has had an angels visit. See chapter Y
ts, 10.
12. Finding it all glorously real he IA
j once turns his steps to where he knew h
would find some fellow believers. Thi
Mary seems to have been a sister to Barna
r. has (Col. iv l0) and her home Il headqual
tiers for the saints Blessed are the home
where the saints are welcome to meet TO
prayer.
10. IA. AS Peter knocks Rhoda comes t
answer Or. W and is so overcome wit
gladness that she forgets to let him in an
ran back to tell that Peter was at the gat,
Great joy does make some people nc
strangely; sorrow and trial humble ther
and bring them near to God, while pro.
n perity sets them wild. Had the soldier
l. been after Peter they would have got hir
,r while she was saying he was there. Blu
q God was caring for him.
Is. And they said unto her. Thou al
mad. But she constantly affirmed that
s, was even so. Then said they, 1t is HI
in angel" The prayer meeting gives place
"A discussion, while the answer to the
I'd prayers is kept waiting outside the doc
Is it not possible that answers to prayt
are still kept outside while discussion il
. stead of thanksgiving is going on in IL
u church, Consider the following texts
reference to people who are accounted MAJ
lisa. lix, Is, margin; Hos. tx, 7; John X, 2
D Acts XVI, "a. How slow we are to expet
D. or acknowledge answers to prayerl
- 16 But Peter continued knocking, an
when they had opened the door and sa
I him they were astonished." How gracior
, of our God TO have the answers to OF
PRAYERS continue knockinQl Perhaps thel