Act 12:24 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Acts 12:24-25: 12:24-25 Herod’s demise from a terrible illness (12:23 ) contrasts with the growth of the Christian church and the unhindered message of Good News (28:31 ). Thematic note: Angels Throughout the Bible, angels are God’s heavenly agents who carry out his purpose and communicate God’s will to humanity (Gen 16:7-12 ; Num 22:22-34 ; Judg 13:3-21 ; 2 Kgs 1:3 , 15 ; Zech 1:4-12 ). The only angels named in the Bible are Michael and Gabriel, who carry out special assignments (Dan 8:16 , 18 ; 9:21 ; 10:12 , 21 ; 12:1-2 ; Luke 1:19-20 ; Jude 1:9 ). Angels had a role in putting God’s law into effect through Moses (Acts 7:30 , 35 , 38 , 53 ; Gal 3:19 ). Angels dispense God’s grace and sometimes administer his judgment (2 Kgs 19:35 ; Acts 12:23 ; Rev 9:15 ; 16:1-12 ). Angels were witnesses of Christ’s life (1 Tim 3:16 ), and they are now witnesses of the lives of God’s people (see 1 Cor 11:10 ; 1 Tim 5:21 ). There are guardian angels who protect God’s people (Matt 18:10 ; see also Pss 34:7 ; 91:11 ; Acts 12:11 ). They are “spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation” (Heb 1:14 ). Angels will accompany Christ when he returns (Matt 25:31 ; 2 Thes 1:7-8 ) and will participate in the final judgment (Matt 13:39 , 41 , 49-50 ; 16:27 ; 24:31 ; Mark 13:27 ; Luke 9:26 ; 12:8 ; 2 Thes 1:7 ). Angels appear at some significant points in the Gospels. Angels announced the births of John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1:1–2:52 ) and ministered to Jesus after his temptation (Matt 4:11 ). Angels also appeared at the empty tomb after the resurrection of Jesus (Matt 28:1-8 ; Mark 16:5-7 ; Luke 24:23 ; John 20:12 ). The ministry of angels is also prominent in the book of Acts. On multiple occasions, an angel of the Lord made possible miraculous escapes from prison (5:19 ; 12:6-11 ). An angel offered a message of encouragement to Paul in the midst of a violent storm (27:23-24 ). An angel also directed Cornelius to seek the Good News from Peter (10:3 , 7 , 22 ; 11:13 ). Meanwhile, an angel struck down Herod Agrippa “because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God” (12:23 ). Throughout Acts, God was guiding his people in their ministry and using angels to accomplish his purposes. Some angels have fallen into sin and are destined for eternal judgment (Matt 25:41 ; 2 Pet 2:4 , 11 ; Jude 1:6 ). And although angels are spiritual and heavenly beings, angels are not to be worshiped (Gal 1:8 ; Col 2:18 ; Rev 19:10 ; 22:8-9 ) because they are inferior to Christ (Heb 1:5-14 ). Their role is to be servants of God (Heb 1:14 ). Passages for Further Study Ps 91:11 ; Dan 8:15-18 ; 9:21-23 ; 10:4–11:1 ; 12:1-2 ; Zech 1:8-13 , 18-19 ; 2:3-5 ; Matt 1:20-24 ; 4:5-7 , 11 ; 13:39-42 , 49-50 ; 18:10 ; 24:31 ; 28:2-7 ; Mark 16:5-7 ; Luke 1:11-22 , 26-38 ; 2:8-15 ; 9:26 ; 12:8 ; John 20:12-13 ; Acts 5:19-20 ; 7:30-35 , 53 ; 10:3-8 ; 12:6-11 , 23 ; 27:23-24 ; 1 Cor 11:10 ; Gal 1:8 ; 3:19 ; Col 2:18 ; 1 Thes 4:16 ; 1 Tim 3:16 ; 5:21 ; Heb 1:5-14 ; 12:22 ; 13:2 ; 2 Pet 2:4 , 11 ; Jude 1:6 , 9 ; Rev 1:1-2 ; 5:2 , 11-12 ; 7:1-2 ; 8:3-8 ; 9:15 ; 10:7-9 ; 14:6-10 ; 16:1-12 ; 19:10 , 17 ; 20:1 ; 22:6-9

Summary for Acts 12:24-25: 12:24-25 ^a Herod’s demise from a terrible illness (12:23 ^b) contrasts with the growth of the Christian church and the unhindered message of Good News (28:31 ^c).

Thematic note: Angels
Throughout the Bible, angels are God’s heavenly agents who carry out his purpose and communicate God’s will to humanity (Gen 16:7-12 ^d; Num 22:22-34 ^e; Judg 13:3-21 ^f; 2 Kgs 1:3 ^g, 15 ^h; Zech 1:4-12 ⁱ). The only angels named in the Bible are Michael and Gabriel, who carry out special assignments (Dan 8:16 ^j, 18 ^k; 9:21 ^l; 10:12 ^m, 21 ⁿ; 12:1-2 ^o; Luke 1:19-20 ^p; Jude 1:9 ^q). Angels had a role in putting God’s law into effect through Moses (Acts 7:30 ^r, 35 ^s, 38 ^t, 53 ^u; Gal 3:19 ^v). Angels dispense God’s grace and sometimes administer his judgment (2 Kgs 19:35 ^w; Acts 12:23 ^x; Rev 9:15 ^y; 16:1-12 ^z). Angels were witnesses of Christ’s life (1 Tim 3:16 ^aa), and they are now witnesses of the lives of God’s people (see 1 Cor 11:10 ^ab; 1 Tim 5:21 ^ac). There are guardian angels who protect God’s people (Matt 18:10 ^ad; see also Pss 34:7 ^ae; 91:11 ^af; Acts 12:11 ^ag). They are “spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation” (Heb 1:14 ^ah). Angels will accompany Christ when he returns (Matt 25:31 ^ai; 2 Thes 1:7-8 ^aj) and will participate in the final judgment (Matt 13:39 ^ak, 41 ^al, 49-50 ^am; 16:27 ^an; 24:31 ^ao; Mark 13:27 ^ap; Luke 9:26 ^aq; 12:8 ^ar; 2 Thes 1:7 ^as).
Angels appear at some significant points in the Gospels. Angels announced the births of John the Baptist and Jesus (Luke 1:1–2:52 ^at) and ministered to Jesus after his temptation (Matt 4:11 ^au). Angels also appeared at the empty tomb after the resurrection of Jesus (Matt 28:1-8 ^av; Mark 16:5-7 ^aw; Luke 24:23 ^ax; John 20:12 ^ay).
The ministry of angels is also prominent in the book of Acts. On multiple occasions, an angel of the Lord made possible miraculous escapes from prison (5:19 ^az; 12:6-11 ^ba). An angel offered a message of encouragement to Paul in the midst of a violent storm (27:23-24 ^bb). An angel also directed Cornelius to seek the Good News from Peter (10:3 ^bc, 7 ^bd, 22 ^be; 11:13 ^bf). Meanwhile, an angel struck down Herod Agrippa “because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God” (12:23 ^bg). Throughout Acts, God was guiding his people in their ministry and using angels to accomplish his purposes.
Some angels have fallen into sin and are destined for eternal judgment (Matt 25:41 ^bh; 2 Pet 2:4 ^bi, 11 ^bj; Jude 1:6 ^bk). And although angels are spiritual and heavenly beings, angels are not to be worshiped (Gal 1:8 ^bl; Col 2:18 ^bm; Rev 19:10 ^bn; 22:8-9 ^bo) because they are inferior to Christ (Heb 1:5-14 ^bp). Their role is to be servants of God (Heb 1:14 ^bq).

Passages for Further Study
Ps 91:11 ^br; Dan 8:15-18 ^bs; 9:21-23 ^bt; 10:4–11:1 ^bu; 12:1-2 ^bv; Zech 1:8-13 ^bw, 18-19 ^bx; 2:3-5 ^by; Matt 1:20-24 ^bz; 4:5-7 ^ca, 11 ^cb; 13:39-42 ^cc, 49-50 ^cd; 18:10 ^ce; 24:31 ^cf; 28:2-7 ^cg; Mark 16:5-7 ^ch; Luke 1:11-22 ^ci, 26-38 ^cj; 2:8-15 ^ck; 9:26 ^cl; 12:8 ^cm; John 20:12-13 ^cn; Acts 5:19-20 ^co; 7:30-35 ^cp, 53 ^cq; 10:3-8 ^cr; 12:6-11 ^cs, 23 ^ct; 27:23-24 ^cu; 1 Cor 11:10 ^cv; Gal 1:8 ^cw; 3:19 ^cx; Col 2:18 ^cy; 1 Thes 4:16 ^cz; 1 Tim 3:16 ^da; 5:21 ^db; Heb 1:5-14 ^dc; 12:22 ^dd; 13:2 ^de; 2 Pet 2:4 ^df, 11 ^dg; Jude 1:6 ^dh, 9 ^di; Rev 1:1-2 ^dj; 5:2 ^dk, 11-12 ^dl; 7:1-2 ^dm; 8:3-8 ^dn; 9:15 ^do; 10:7-9 ^dp; 14:6-10 ^dq; 16:1-12 ^dr; 19:10 ^ds, 17 ^dt; 20:1 ^du; 22:6-9 ^dv