Sleeping in the Calm of Heaven

From: Bible Herald: 1881

• 1 min. read • grade level: 5

That night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door kept the prison." (Acts 12:6⁶And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. (Acts 12:6)). Psa. 62:8⁸Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. (Psalm 62:8); Psa. 125:1¹<<A Song of degrees.>> They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. (Psalm 125:1); Acts 12:12¹²And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying. (Acts 12:12).

SLEEPING in the calm of heaven

Who or what shall help him now?

Hopeless, everything external-

Death the stamp upon his brow.

Ere, in peace, he closed his eyelids,

Casting all his care on God (1 Peter 5:5-11⁵Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. ⁶Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: ⁷Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. ⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ⁹Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. ¹⁰But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. ¹¹To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:5‑11))

Little knowing of the angel

Hasting on the shining road.

Weakness, in the night is waiting,

Like those Abel-men of yore,

When the messengers from glory

Told of Bethlehem's hidden store.

(Acts 12:7⁷And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. (Acts 12:7); Luke 2:9⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. (Luke 2:9).)

See! the hand of One from glory

Wakes him from his blessed, sleep:

'Tis the Lord, who once said, " Follow "—

"Feed my lambs," and—" Feed my sheep."

Ah! those very days must tell him

Of the love that could not die:

Anniversary of sorrow,

Yet of full, unclouded joy.

(Mark 14:1,72¹After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. (Mark 14:1)
⁷²And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. (Mark 14:72); Acts 12:3³And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) (Acts 12:3).)

Herod, 'mid the outward boasting,

Fills his cup with dreadful wine,

While the foot of Zion's captive

Passes on in rest divine.

(Acts 12:9-11⁹And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. ¹⁰When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. ¹¹And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. (Acts 12:9‑11).)

Richest aid, resource and blessing,

Helplessness and trust shall find,

When the visible is crushing,

All its might and will combined.

" Trust ye in the Lord forever,"-

" Wait," I say, " on Him alone:
He who showed the " fire " to Peter,

Sends deliverance from the throne.

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Bible Herald: 1881

• Mysticism and the Things of the Spirit

• Perez-Uzzah and Baal-Perazim

• Portions of Scripture to Be Read

• Revelation - Personal, Written and Preached

• Seminal Sentences: Also, Lev. 23 - The Feasts of Jehovah

• Sleeping in the Calm of Heaven

• The Ark in the House of Obed-Edom

• The Beseeching of Grace

• The Cross the End of the Old Man

• The Devoted Victim of Propitiation Remembered in the Lord's Supper

• The Father Seeketh Worshippers

• The Heavenly One and the Heavenly Ones

• The Man Christ Jesus - as Set Forth in Luke's Gospel

• The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, and Babylon: Part 1

• The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, and Babylon: Part 2

• The Presence of the Holy Ghost

• The Present Substitute for the Feast of Tabernacles

• The Seeing of God the Abhorring of Self

• "The Spirit of Jesus"

• "The Supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."

• The Truth and the Spirit

• "Too Much Monotony."

• Why There Is a Lack of Fellowship

• Why We Do Not Say Heavenly Father, and Why We Do Not Pray to the Holy Ghost