Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he woke him up and said, “Quick, get up!” Then the chains fell off his wrists. Acts 12:7 HCSB
Several years ago Billy Graham wrote the book “Angels: God’s Secret Agents”. It is an excellent book on angels. He does a wonderful job of researching angels noting that there are over 300 references to angels in the Bible. This book provides a deeper understanding of who and what angels really are. He breaks it down into several categories: Angels and the Gospel, Angels as Messengers, and Angels in Prophecy. Each category is backed up with Scripture. God’s Secret Agents and their powers are extremely valuable in aiding and assisting in carrying out God’s plans on earth.
Angels were created to love, serve, and worship God and carry out His will. God sent an angel to get Peter out of jail. Light is often related to the appearance of an angel. A bright light shone in Peter’s cell. His wrists would have been chained to the floor and there would have been 16 guards watching over him as was customary for one being held in prison awaiting execution under orders from the king . Humanly there was no way Peter could have escaped, but with God all things are possible.
Challenge: Have there been times in your life when you wished you had an angel to rescue you from a problematic situation? You may be comforted to know that, as a believer, guardian angels are constantly watching over you, every minute of every day. Thank God for His daily protection and care for you.