Reading these passages, we see Peter and John had just ministered to a man who
had been lame from birth. After being healed, this man jumped to his feet walking
and praising the Lord.
When the religious leaders of that time heard of what had taken place and the fact
that Peter and John were sharing the news of Jesus, they became afraid and
jealous. They caught the disciples up, held something of a trial and put them in jail
for the night. Then, they threatened the apostles before allowing them to go.
Of course, after being released, Peter and John returned to “their people” to share
the news, to praise the Lord and pray. In a situation like that, you could probably
think that they would have prayed for safety, but that simply was not the case.
In chapter 4, verse 29, we can see as to how they prayed that day:
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with
great boldness.”
Today, Christians are obviously being threatened and censored. We are, indeed
being threatened by “religious leaders and their followers.” However, these people
are not Christians, but followers of Baal.
For reference’s sake, you see, from time to time, the Israelites turned their back on
the Lord to worship Baal, the god of fertility, the pagan god of another nation. While
carrying out this evil act of worship, they participated in perverse sexual acts, and if
that were not enough, sacrificed children to the fire at the altar of Baal. The Israelites
probably sacrificed hundreds if not thousands of their children.
Where do you suppose we are today? Our society promotes perverse, unnatural
sexual behavior while having sacrificed 60,000,000 unborn, innocent children as
well.
It is time to plead with God to give us the power to speak His Word with boldness.
And as he gives us that ability, we need to go out and do it without compromise.
In vs 4:18 we can see the spirit of Peter and John as they responded to the religious
leader’s threats:
“But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him?
You be the judges!”
