Contemplative Bible Reading

Acts 12:6 (New Living Translation)

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate.

Peter is on death row. On the morrow, he was to go to trial. The outcome of the “trial” was known to all. Herod Agrippa was going to execute Peter right after the trial.

What is Peter doing? He is asleep. Why?

• God put him to sleep so that he would think the angel rescue was a dream
• Peter slept secure in the knowledge that God would arrange a rescue
• Peter slept secure in the knowledge of his eternal salvation
• Peter was tired, so he slept

I could think of many other explanations. All are speculations as I don’t know the answer. Here is another question: why wasn’t Peter praying? Again, I can speculate, but I don’t know.

I go back to the first bullet earlier. It seems to me that sleep—Peter was asleep as were the guards—is a big part of this (hi)story. Sometimes God uses sleep as a message to all mankind.