Acts 12: 1-25
The establishment of the church in Antioquia was another of the great triumphs in the march of the gospel.
It was there that the disciples of Jesus were given the name of "Christians".
Later this church would send Bernabé and Pablo to make the first missionary trip and it would be constituted in the bases of operations of the apostle in his international ministry. Some of the most prominent leaders of the early church ministered in this church. Bernabé was one of them; Later he went to Tarsus in search of Paul to bring him to help him there too. Throughout a year these two great servants of the Lord taught and preached in the church of Antioch.
But while a great spiritual revival was taking place in Antioch, the murderous king Herod Agrippa had spread his bloody hands against the church. After having executed Jacob's brother James, whom they called the eldest, he also imprisoned Peter as his second victim, in order to please the Jews.
What this wicked king, grandson of Herod the great, could not imagine was the way in which his evil plans would be thwarted. The whole diabolical plan became another opportunity for the Lord to manifest his power and his care for the leaders of his church, which produced a great strengthening for it.
To illustrate the fact that God exercises control over the entire universe, I exemplify the case where God has intervened directly or indirectly.
For example the flood, the tower of Babel, the conduct of the people of Israel through the centuries, the liberations that God has worked for his people. And so many other wonders that he has done for humanity.
That is why God controls everything under his power hand and makes everything real according to his will, although sometimes we do not understand it that way. He allowed Herod to take hold of the church and imprison Peter. All Christians were sure that the apostle would be the second victim of the intrigue of that ruthless king. But when everything seemed lost, God sent his angel to deliver him. The Lord can intervene at any time to spoil the evil plans ofmen.
Source
It is important to emphasize that Herod was a politician of great astuteness and sagacity. He did everything possible to win the will of the Jews he ruled. When he became aware of the growing hostility of the people towards the church, he decided to attack the leaders of the church to ingratiate himself more with his subjects.
But once again God showed that his power is not negotiable and is greater than the earthly powers. well, God exercises control over the entire univeres.