Acts 5:20-But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
The largest jailbreak in history happened in Tehran, Iran, on February 11, 1979. I was in bible college at the time when the news broke in America. I remember everyone talking about Ross Perot who arranged for the rescue to happen. Two of his people had been placed in an Iranian jail on bogus charges. After trying every feasible way to get his people released, he resorted to having them taken from the jail!
A book was written called, “On Wings of Eagles” by Ken Follet. And later a movie was made. Amazingly, Perot also went to Tehran, posing as a news correspondent. He went into the prison and assessed the situation, getting an opportunity to talk with his employees and encourage them. If we would have had social media, it would have gone viral! What made it the largest jailbreak of all times was the fact that when they went into the prison for the two Americans (employees of Perot’s company, Electronic Data Systems led by a retired colonel), 11,000 other prisoners broke free! That’s pretty amazing and it brings us to the prison break in chapter 5!
In verse 17, the high priest and the Sadducees are at it again! They are filled with indignation over the miraculous healing of the lame man in chapter 4, as well as the miracles of healings that are taking place in the city. People are being healed by Peter’s shadow as he passed by. Multitudes of others are freed from demonic attacks and received miracles of healings as the apostles minister to them. And all of this is happening despite the fact that they had rebuked the disciples and told them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus! The high priest and the Sadducees were incensed! Therefore, they arrested the apostles!
But they were not counting on the God factor!
But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
Acts 5:20 NKJV
Luke wrote that at night, the angel of the Lord opened the prison doors! In the jailbreak in Tehran, Iran, in 1979, it took months of planning and training to prepare for the jailbreak. But in Acts 5, God just sent an angel to open the prison doors! Just like that! One minute the were locked behind bars that imprisoned them, and the next minute, they were made free! Now that’s supernatural!
The angel then escorted them outside the prison and gave them instructions. He told them to go into the temple and to speak the words of life to the people. Although the jailbreak was at night, the angel didn’t tell them to run and hide. NO! He told them to make a pubic appearance and to proclaim the gospel to the people!
After experiencing such a supernatural jailbreak, the apostles were eager to obey the word of the angel. After all, if the angel had been sent to deliver them once, he could certainly be sent to deliver them again! So early, the next morning, they went into the temple to do just that!
Meanwhile, the people who had them locked up was unaware of what had happended! They sent officers to the prison to get the disciples only to discover that they were not there!
“Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”
Acts 5:23 NKJV
I told you! That’s supernatural! Unlike the jailbreak in Iran, where there was such a ruckus being made, 11,000 others were able to go free, and pandemonium was happening in the city! In this case, only the ones the angel was sent to free received their freedom and no one knew anything had happened but the disciples! The guards were still in place, and the locks hadn’t been removed. But there were no prisoners within when they went back to get them! While they were discussing this new development, someone entered the room and told them that the disciples were not only free, but they were in the temple preaching again!
Again, they go to arrest the disciples, however, they are not as forceful. Luke wrote that they feared being stoned. For surely the disciples had told them of the miraculous release they had experienced the night before. And surely, the people wanted to hear from the disciples even more so, then they had previously. What a mess the leaders have before them! So they asked the disciples:
“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
Acts 5:28 NKJV
The discipes had not obeyed their command to keep silent. Remember, the angel told them to go and preach in the temple! So, of course, they were proclaiming Jesus! How do we know? Because the councilmen said to the disciples that they intended to bring Jesus’ blood on them! They had to have been declaring His Name! So, Peter and the disciples responded:
“We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 5:29-32 NKJV
They had the right attitude after their miraculous escape! Not only did they have gratitude to God for His supernatural provision, but they also responded to the opportunity to give Him some praise and to share what He had done for them! They were more than willing to continue to preach the gospel, understanding that God was a higher Authority in their lives, than the Sanhedrin!
God has promised to deliver His people. In Luke 4, He said:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”Luke 4:18-19 NKJV
Jesus promised to set free those who are held captive. Just as Perot wanted to assure his guys that he was there to free them, Jesus is always saying to us, He came to set us free! Perot spared no expense, but neither did the Father! He sent His only Son, Jesus, to set us free from bondage. That’s more than we can fathom!
We mostly see those who are bound spiritually made free! Thank God for freedom of any kind! It may sound like a small thing to some, but if you have ever been bound by anything, you recognize it for the supernatural power of God that it is!
However, in Acts 5, we see the angel of the Lord physically setting someone free of captivity! This was not the first time, neither was it the last time. Jesus is so committed to His church, His bride, that He will do whatever is necessary that we might free! That’s pretty extraordinary!
As I go through this study, it makes me crave to see God do it again and again! I’m praying for a revival of a move of the Holy Spirit like in the book of Acts! I’m praying to see God do things that only He can do! I’m looking for miracles of all kinds to begin to happen in church! I’m expecting to see Him show up in our churches in unusual ways. More importantly, I’m expecting Him to show up more in my life! Since He was willing to send an angel to break the apostles out of jail, I believe He has to be willing to do great things for me! Wonderful Jesus!
Wonderful Jesus! 