Posted on 10/19/2021 6:23:26 AM PDT by Hebrews 11:6
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM PRISON |
Abrdgd: the complete text is in YOUR Bible To read ACTS 12 in full To hear MAX McLEAN reading it To hear a DRAMATIZATION of it To see an ANIMATION of it BIBLE TIMELINE |
42 A.D. |
ACTS of the APOSTLES
Chapter 12, Verses 1-11
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”
1
REMBRANDT VAN RIJN
"St. Peter in Prison"
2
BARTOLOMÉ ESTEBAN MURILLO
"Liberation of Peter"
3
JACOPO DI CIONE
"Apostle Peter Released from Prison"
4
BATTISTELLO CARACCIOLO
"The Liberation of St Peter"
5
GIOVANNI GHISOLFI
"Saint Peter Freed from Prison"
6
GIOVANNI LANFRANCO
"Liberation of Saint Peter"
7
GERARD VAN HONTHORST, 1617
"St. Peter Being Freed from Prison"
8
GERARD VAN HONTHORST, 1630
"The Liberation of St Peter from Prison"
9
PIER FRANCESCO MOLA
"San Pietro Liberato dal Carcere"
10
RAPHAEL
"Deliverance of Saint Peter"
11
Left Detail
Source
12
Center Detail
Source
13
Right Detail
Source
14
JOSÉ (JUSEPE) DE RIBERA, 1639
"Liberation of Saint Peter"
15
JUSEPE DE RIBERA, 1642
"The Deliverence of St. Peter from Prison"
16
Emilian School
"The Deliverance of Saint Peter"
17
JAN LIEVENS
"Saint Peter Released from Prison"
18
GIOVANNI FRANCESCO GUERRIERI
"Saint Peter Incarcerated"
19
ANTONIO DE BELLIS
"The Liberation of St. Peter"
20
ABRAHAM BLOEMAERT
"The Liberation of Saint Peter"
21
BENJAMIN WEST
"St. Peter Released from Prison"
22
FEDERIKO BENKOVIC
"Saving Saint Peter from Prison"
23
HENDRIK VAN STEENWIJK II
"A Prison Interior with the Liberation of Saint Peter"
24
HENDRICK VAN STEENWYCK the Younger
"The Liberation of St Peter"
25
BENJAMIN GERRITSZ CUYP
"The Deliverance of St. Peter"
29
HENDRICK KROCK
"Saint Peter Led Out of the Prison by an Angel"
30
WASHINGTON ALLSTON
"The Angel Releasing St Peter from Prison"
31
PIETER DE HOOCH
"Liberation of St Peter from Prison"
32
MOSES TER BORCH
"Liberation of St Peter from Prison"
33
GIACOMO JAQUERIO
"Deliverance of Saint Peter from Prison"
34
GIANFRANCESCO PENNI
"Release of St Peter from Prison"
35
Source
→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←
36
HENDRICK TER BRUGGHEN
"The Liberation of St. Peter"
To be continued…
And Can It Be, That I Should Gain?
Charles Wesley (1738)
1 And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
2 'Tis mystery all! Th'Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
3 He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race;
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!4 Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
5 No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
Amen.Sing Joyfully
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ESCAPE FROM PRISON |
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#35 is splendid. All the other paintings are worth mentioning. So much beautiful art all around us that also lifts our spirit. Thank you again, Dan.
‘Tis a bountiful crop today, methinks.
Good Morning, Dan! :-)
A group of 8 very old gentlemen arrived and filed into the chapel single file. These sweet old gents were there to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to us alcoholics and drug addicts on this cold holiday evening.
These guys were old! The most senior of the was 103. The rest appeared to be 80ish, and they had been serving together for decades.
In spite of their frail elderly outer appearance I got the distinct impression of their inner men being absolute badass warriors fearlessly marching into war to do battle on my behalf and I was moved with gratitude, and I still am to this day typing this through tears.
One if the gentleman went to the front and preached a Christmas eve message from the book of Acts, chapter 12 verses 1-11.
He read the verses and expounded on them, asking us men how many of us had been in prison, and how God had sent an angel to whack us on the side and wake us up from our slumber, and how our chains had fallen off and we were led out of our prison of sin and into freedom from bondage.
Thank you for your post reminding me of that life changing beautiful evening I got to spend with faithful soldiers of God and that I am still benefiting from that night all these years later.
Blessings!
Hi, Mary-Lou! Give Penny a scratch for me.
Thanks for sharing your encouraging testimony with us.
Love the Raphael.
That chopped-up space gave him lemons, and he certainly made lemonade!
Don’t think I’ve seen any of these before but, Rembrandt definitely captures the pain of his mind and soul.
As you know, I work well-ahead on these posts, and yesterday I was working on Acts 28, with Paul imprisoned in Rome. I found several Rembrandts of Paul, seeking to capture his angst. It was touching.
Will do!
There’s a saying “when man is closest to hell, he’s closest to finding God” (because those close to hell usually hit rock bottom, or. Are c.ose to it, tired, worn out, exhausted,, and that is when they start to reach out for help)
God is a great God that cares for each of us on a personal level,, even when we aren’t loo,loo, for it at times.. God saw you, knew what would move you, and provided it by introducing you to the right folks at just the right time. “The Spirit listeth where he will” means God uses whomever he likes to help whomever he wants.
I think a some of folks, of a pharisaic nature, woild have criticized those eldearly folks for “throwing their pearls before swine” to spread the word, but little do they know, God was at work in people’s soul’s lives.
Thankfully God slapped me upside the head back in my 30’s- I had been saved since childhood, but was severely bsckslidden. I am paying the price today, but thankfully I am much better off than I was had God not opened my eyes to my sin filled pursuits and where they were leading. I was the wayward sheep,that Christ went looking for and rescued.
God really does mean it when he says “don’t do this, don’t do that”- but unfortunately some like myself,have to learn the hard way and Will a,ways suffer the consequences even though we are forgiven. Sin is “fun” for a few minutes,,or years, but even if we change our ways and repent, the consequences, last a lifetime.. God doesn’t wave away the consequences just because we repent. I know I got what I deserved, and try to accept it (I was mad at God for not removing the consequences for awhile) because I brought it on myself, But it is well worth following Christ still.
Anyways, glad you found the inspiration that God tailor,made for you, and responded. God truly does love and care for us.
Thank you. That personal account of redemption via the Risen savior at the hands of elderly earthly angels touched me deeply.
I liked Raphael, #12 and #21 where the iron door is depicted. That portion of story always seemed significant to me. “And the iron door opened on its own.” Not only were all the guards somnolent, but even the chains, locks, and doors were subject to God’s will.
No wonder Peter thought he was dreaming.
By the way, this escape was repeated in modern times with a Chinese Christian. He was beaten nearly to death, and couldn’t walk. An angel opened his door, he walked out of the prison without being seen, having been healed of all his injuries. He got to the wall around the prison, topped by barbed wire. The angel said ‘Jump’ and he did, clearing the barbed wire and landing many feet away.
Needless to say, the guards had no idea what happened.
I’ll have to look up the book where I read this.
Looking forward to hearing more about it. Having had an angel help me in a far less serious situation, these kinds of true tales always fascinate me.
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