About this time king Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the Church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also, (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.). Acts 12:1-3
The Spirit’s view now is to show us the mixture of a time of rest and a time of persecution. “Be wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove,” Jesus says. True today as it was back then. Rest and persecution may be intermingled. We notice the believers do not hear of James arrest until murdered and so fervent prayers were not lifted.
Now this king Herod Agrippa, whose grandfather king tried to put Jesus to death at birth and whose Uncle king had beheaded John The Baptist, arrests the disciple James and immediately kills James. James is the first to die of the men disciples. James’ brother disciple John, is the last male disciple to die. The brothers, chosen as one of the twelve men disciples of Jesus, are the sons of Zebedee whom Jesus nicknamed the sons of thunder. (Mark 3:17)
Next, hearing of Peter’s arrest, believers go into fervent prayer for him. This occurrence is during our Easter-time, when Jesus instituted Holy Communion with unleavened bread. James dies but Peter does not reflecting God’s sovereignty, His absolute power and rule in our lives. God’s love for us in life and in death is immovably secure. Place all your trust in His Son Jesus Christ and fear not.