The 'Strikings' & Maneuvers Of Angels! (Acts 12:7, 12:23)
- Olusegun Emosu
- Sep 27
- 9 min read
Updated: Sep 27
Texts: "Now behold, an angel of the LORD stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he "STRUCK" Peter on the side and raised him up, saying "Arise Quickly". And his chains fell off his hands (Acts 12:7)..."then immediately an angel of the LORD "STRUCK" him because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died." (Acts 12:23).
INTRODUCTION:
If this were to be a classroom setting, one of the likely approaches to this submission could have been to ask the students to, "compare and contrast, the effect(s) of the striking of the angel in the life of Peter and Herod." However, since this is not the case, our focus would be, first, to consider the circumstances that led to both strikings, and why God chose this angelic medium to carry out His mind in both situations. After all, He is a God who could have deployed a battalion of soldiers to achieve both results, as He had done in some instances, especially in the Old Testament days. In addition, we shall look into the spiritual implications of angels and their activities in the human space, from the bible stand point.
Who / What are angels?
Angels are spirit beings. They are invisible to the naked eyes. The Hebrew word for angel is "Malak", while the Greek term is "Angelos." In both cases, Theology tells us angels are God's messengers. The scriptures refer to them as "ministering spirits." "Are they not ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? (Heb.1:14). From the foregoing, we see that angels do not just act or move of their own volition. They are "sent." And for all the times sent, they always came back with positive results, as seen in our texts above. In both cases, just two of the numerous angels of the LORD were dispatched to carry out the respective activities, at intervals, as needed.
The Striking That Set Free:
King Herod went a step further to station four squads of soldiers to keep Peter, after he had ensured he was imprisoned. His immediate intention was to bring him before the people after Passover, in public execution. The larger and remote reason was to ridicule Christians and Christianity. Going by his dangerous unprecedented actions on the church, this was a mere walk-over for him, in his mind. And as far as he was concerned, in this isolated case, he had exhausted his water-tight human security that would terminate at the proposed public execution of Peter, to the relish of the Jews, "and because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to to seize Peter also." Acts (12:3). Apparently, there was no way of escape for Peter in this maximum prison! In effect, Herod could sleep, soundly like a baby. To ensure this barbaric act did not proceed further, the church, on her part, woke up from slumber, and switched to prayer mode, "...but constant prayer was offered to him by the church" (Acts 12:5). It is the primary duty of the church to pray and intercede, at all times, especially at crucial times as this.
The LORD that has the control of the "ministering spirits" at His disposal sent just one angel to beat Herod's security invincibility to effect Peter's release in the most dramatic way that is strange to human imaginations. A spirit being that he was, the angel was equipped with the means to setting Peter free: just a strike. The angelic presence restored light into the prison that would illuminate the space for the much needed visibility to escape, "...and a light shone in the prison." ( Acts 12:7). With the strike, the chains fell off. With no further physical contact, the angel gave procedural instructions: arise quickly, gird yourself and tie your sandals; put on your garment and follow me. Peter's life was not only saved, he did not lose any of his personal belongings to the immodest royal incarceration. The spirit being equally walked him through the two guard posts, to the iron gate leading to the city, that opened of its own accord. Thereafter, the angel departed from him. His task had been completed. He moved on, yet invisible, even to the freed prisoner. The wish of the LORD has overridden the plan of Herod. A people and nation that pray and intercede, surely would enjoy the benevolence of God's ministering spirits, even in the face of the most daunting situations. It may sound unbelievable but it is real, even in our world. The acts of God deploying angels to carry out His mind is unique and exclusive to Him.
The Striking That Killed:
God, the commander of these spirit beings can put them into dual and multiple uses and purposes. In other words, to rescue and to kill, He had them in numbers and would jump to action, almost immediately whenever needed to act, either way. And when He is ready to carry out His intentions, He is simply unstoppable. He does not struggle in the process. The moves are seamless and unhindered, regardless of the status of the person involved, "for God is not a respecter of persons" (Rom.2:11).
With this, it was a double tragedy for Herod, the despotic ruler and "General Overseer" of the menace in Acts 12. Having lost in his bid to get rid of Peter, the table turned against him. He was soon executed by an angelic means, in a very cheap, degrading, and ridiculous manner, that brought an aberration to royalty! For any individual, a leader, or better still a ruler who does not give glory to God, his fall and ultimate end would be patterned after Herod of Acts 12.
On a day that he was supposed to broker peace with the people of Tyre and Sidon, he exalted himself above God. The angel at this time that had gained speed for urgent tasks as the one in discussion, was on hand to mete out the punishment commensurate with the infraction. It now turned out to be the case of a killer being killed. Was the mysterious release of Peter from the prison, before now, not enough for Herod to turn a new leaf? Some people only learn the hard way. Herod was not only killed, but to ensure nothing was left of his remains, he was immediately eaten by worms, "then immediately an angel of the LORD struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died." (Acts 12:23).
The strikings in both cases above are simply a way of God telling us He can equip these spirit beings to function in a manner similar to human beings with the ability to gesticulate, to achieve His purpose.
More Angelic Maneuverings In The Bible:
Angels do not just visit or go on errands, own their own volition. They are usually sent- and they are sent for a particular purpose. Ranging from bearing good news [of the births of John -Lk. 1:13, and Jesus Christ-Lk 2:11], to carrying out God-ordained assignments, as seen in our texts above- they fulfill ministry in a way. The deployment of these angels at God's will is an expression that God can use any means to achieve His aim in the terrestrial space. The same God that used "strikings" to awaken Peter from his "supposedly" last sleep, to freedom, used "a great earthquake" in Acts 16:25, to set Paul and Silas free . The need to actualize their missions may require the use of the power vested in them either by "invisible physical" contact (as seen in the case of Peter and Herod), or verbal utterance or pronouncement, as it was the case with Zacharias, the father of John, "but behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place..." (Lk.1:20).
The seamless escape of Lot from the destruction that came upon Sodom was aided by angels. So intentional in making sure Lot escaped the menace, they literally held his hands in a timely fashion, together with his wife's, and his two daughters, "and while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two dughters, the LORD being merciful to him..." (Gen.19:16). Even in times of national destruction occasioned by angelic supervision, some souls are still spared, especially in a forewarned situation. Only people like Lot's wife end with the destruction. The foolishness that killed Lot's wife was the wisdom, the jailer, in the case of Paul and Silas, cashed in on, to fear for his life when he saw the mighty hand of God that saved without breaking the doors of a prison. He intuitvely knew the next thing was to seek for the salvation of his soul, "then he called for a light , ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, sirs what must i do to be saved?" (Acts 16:29-30). For an unsaved soul that saw the mighty act of God, the jailer could not have made a better decision.
CONTEMPORARY TIMES:
We might perhaps have not been paying close attention to some strange happenings in our world that are not short of angelic exploits and activities, as well. If the maneuvers of angels are so swift, seamless, and beyond the naked eyes, and equally beyond human comprehension, as in the bible days, then our world has probably been having similar experiences in recent years, unknown to us. Going by the humanly unexplainable access of angels into the prison to set (a) condemned prisoner(s) free, the ease of angelic striking of a despotic king to death, tell us that our world is not unfamiliar with these types of divine interventions.
Relatively, we have had instances, in our world, of high-handed political leaders mauled to death mysteriously- so mysterious to the chagrin of their high-profiled, world class, and seemingly water-tight security networks! Leaders who shunned all global pleas to let go of political prisoners, with the aftermath being that the said convicts, like the case of Herod and Peter, outlived their authoritarian persecutor(s). These types of acts, and several others, are nothing short of angelic visitations and vengeance, especially when such leaders' eventual forced exit would have witnessed massive bloodbath and several lives lost (on both sides of the attacking and defensing forces), in the ensuing fierce battle. I was young and now I am old, I have never seen a human being engage angels in lawsuit! Angels are still very much in action in our days.
SIDEBAR:
A people and nation that pray and intercede, surely would enjoy the benevolence of God's ministering spirits, even in the face of the most daunting situations.
For any individual, a leader, or better still a ruler who does not give glory to God, his fall and ultimate end would be patterned after Herod of Acts 12.
The strikings in both cases above are simply a way of God telling us He can equip these spirit beings to function in a manner similar to human beings with the ability to gesticulate, to achieve His purpose.
The need to actualize their missions may require the use of the power vested in them either by "invisible physical" contact (as seen in the case of Peter and Herod), or verbal utterance or pronouncement, as it was the case with Zacharias, the father of John.
The deployment of these angels at God's will is an expression that God can use any means to achieve His purpose in the terrestrial space.
CONCLUSION:
Our God often fights silently in most cases that avoid any judicial proceedings that would have necessitated the call for examinations and cross-examinations of suspects and some finger-pointing accusations, even on the innocent. Hence, God's angelic fights and decisions bypass the law court entirely. Consequently, when He visits a state or an individual in His act, no one is held responsible or charged for ineptitude or complicity, in security matters. No bloodbath either. No one is court martialed. No one presses charges against spirits . After all, I was young and now I am old and in my 58 years and 13 days on earth, I have never seen any human being engage spirits, nay angels, in lawsuit! Not even the most powerful of all earthly kings. God's judgement, no appeal...
No need to waste state funds on Tribunal and quality time is not wasted on unnecessary hearings and adjournments, either. And above all, at least, a reasonable number of state prisoners are unconditionally set free. And what follows? Life continues... for after Herod was slain and eaten by worms, the scripture says, "but the word of God grew and multiplied." (Acts 12:24). And if i may ask, rhetorically, don't we need more of these type of angelic visitations on any living and stubborn Pharaohs, Herods, and their likes, that had refused to repent?
PRAYER OF SALVATION:
Peradventure you want to accept the LORD as your Savior, please, pray thus: LORD JESUS, I repent, confess, and forsake all my sins and surrender my life to You. From this day, I accept You as my LORD and Savior. Wash me clean with Your blood and accept me as Your child. Amen!
APPRECIATION CORNER:
From the heart of my hearts, on behalf of my wife and boys, I do sincerely appreciate you sir & ma, for all you did, on all fronts, to make my autobiography launch a huge success. May the LORD repay you with kindness & cause celebrations to overflow in all your endeavors . Amen!
PRAYERS:
LORD, I crave for another "strikings" of Your angels to liberate and set free, as many as are in any form of satanic incarceration.
LORD, whoever has made himself Herod over our nations unrepentantly, will receive the same striking as Herod of Acts 12.
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