Page 18 - January 2025 - Truth & Tidings

hoda is only mentioned once in the ment they are raised (Dan 9:23), they
Word of God. Despite the lack of donot always receive an immediate an-
Rscriptural detail, she stands as a swer. On this occasion, it was the very
delightful example of spiritual diligence night before Peter would likely have been
and persistence. In this she lives up to the martyred.
meaning of her name – “a rose” – which,
as Alexander MacLaren remarked two Peter’s Deliverance
centuries ago, “has kept its bloom for An angel of the Lord appeared, and a
eighteen hundred years, and is still sweet light shone in the prison cell. The angel
and fragrant!” “smote” (referring to a push or light prod)

Peter’s Dungeon Peter on the side to wake him just as the
chains fell off his wrists. The careful in-
Peter had been arrested during the feast structions and compassionate guidance of
of Unleavened Bread and was chained in the angel are remarkable – in paraphrase,
Herod Agrippa’s most secure dungeon. “Fasten your belt, put on your sandals and
Herod’s murderous plan was to put Peter coat and follow me!” (vv7-8). No wonder
on public trial, the result of which would Peter did not fully realise what was hap-
be certain condemnation. The situation pening, even as the iron gate leading to
certainly looked similar to that of James, the city opened by itself before he was left
who had been beheaded earlier that year alone in the street (v10). Perhaps our prior-
(v2). It was no surprise, then, that “prayer ity would be to contact wife, family and
was made without ceasing of the church nearest relatives, but Peter’s first thought
unto God for him” (v5). The diligence was his spiritual family. Immediately, he
1
of God’s people in prayer – perhaps went from the company of soldiers to the
all six days of Unleavened Bread – is a company of the saints (v12). Peter had set
remarkable example to us all. Clearly, the precedent some time before, when
they were praying corporately for God’s with John, having been released from
mercy whenever they could, even through an audience with the Sanhedrin, “went
the night (v12). And it wasn’t just a few; to their own company” (4:23). It is a fine
“many” were gathered (v12). When test of Christian character as to where we
urgent, specific prayer requests arise, it seek fellowship and companionship. The
is good for assemblies to be willing and Lord Jesus loved the company of “his
ready to gather at short notice to suppli- own” (Joh 13:1).
cate the Lord.
Not many could have imagined what Rhoda’s Delight
God would do that night in answer to their Peter knew where the saints would be
prayers. As in the experience of Daniel, – the house of Mary, the mother of John
though our prayers are heard the mo-
Mark. It was clearly a dwelling of some
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the means as it could accommodate “many”
KJV. saints and had a locked gate into a court-

18 TRUTH kTidings January 2025