Acts 4:24-29
‘Lord, You are God Who made Heaven and Earth!… Truly, against Your holy child Jesus Whom You have anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together…. Now, Lord, behold their threatenings! And grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word!’ Acts 4:24-29.
Calvin comments: “When the disciples…hear…their enemies are pressing hard…upon them, they do not jest…. Being touched with fear, they fly to seek help at the hands of God…. ‘You are God, Who made (Heaven and Earth)!’… Their acknowledgment of the power of God in the creation of the whole world, is with a view to its application for their present advantage…. Our prayers are
what they should be and acceptable to God, when we rest upon His promises and His power — and pray with a sure confidence that we shall obtain what we ask….
“We learn here…how we ought to regard the creation of the world — so that we may know that all things are subject to God and ruled by His will…. When the whole world has attempted all that it can, nothing shall come to pass but what He has decreed…. He holds all things in His hand, and is able to make every part of Heaven and Earth obey Him Who is their Creator!…
“‘Against the Lord and His Christ (all unbelievers gather together)!’ The Spirit here teaches us, that all who refuse to submit to Christ — are making war against God…. We need not be afraid that those who withstand the Gospel will win the victory over God…. This cautions us against despising godly doctrine, and advancing ourselves against God to our own destruction….
“The wicked thought Christ to have been destroyed by death, and sang their empty songs of triumph…. The faithful were aware that the raging was all in vain…. Jews born in a variety of places, were all banded together to assault Christ’s Kingdom. Yet their fury was…without effect….
“The Kingdom of Christ was so far from being overthrown by that conspiracy, that it then began to flourish!… God so orders all things by His Own secret counsel, that He brings to pass what He has determined — even through the agency of the wicked!…
“He turns back their own plans…. All things come to pass in accordance with His will…. The outcome of things is not only governed by the counsel of God, but is also ordered by…His hand…. Christ…will not be separated from the Gospel!… His members…ask God to restrain the cruelty of their adversaries…. ‘Grant unto Your servants, O Lord, that they may speak boldly!'”
Calvin also says in his Institutes I:18:1-3 : “The disciples confess in solemn prayer that all the wicked do nothing but what the hand and counsel of God had decreed…. God, to Whom all things are known from the beginning, had determined what the Jews had executed…. The Gospel…declares that Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired ‘to do whatsoever Your hand and Your counsel determined before to be done!’ (Acts 4:28).” All is pre-determined — also in your life! Therefore, Lord — embolden Your servants to keep on speaking Your Word!
