Acts 7:44-53 “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him. “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:“ ‘Heaven is my throne,and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?’ “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”
Stephen, by reviewing the history of the Jewish people before the murderous Sanhedrin, exposes them to the truth that the children of Israel have mostly existed in a state of rebellion to God. Even though chosen as God’s own people because of Abraham’s faith in God’s words and promises, they lived lives of waywardness to the Creator. Sadly, after being set free from the yoke of slavery to the god of Egypt, Pharaoh, they longed for their old ways of living in Egypt, serving idols, created out of the imaginations of men. In their wilderness journey, God revealed to them his absolute holiness and perfection, giving them laws and regulations to follow. They saw God manifesting himself through smoke and fire on Mount Sinai. This God, whom they would war against most of their existence, chose them to inherit a land of milk and honey. This land would be one of peace and harmony if they followed God’s dictates, obeying his commandments and regulations. However, in the wilderness and in the Promised Land the yoke of slavery to other gods lay heavily on their shoulders. They ignored the God who revealed himself on Mount Sinai. Instead of following religiously the commandments and holy regulations, they sought the authority of demonic gods, even sacrificing their own children to appease these wicked spirits. The slavery of darkness discovered in Egypt controlled their minds, choosing the turmoil of rebellion rather than the harmony of obedience. Nevertheless, God never left them without a way out of their sin. He provided a holy sanctuary, a place where their leaders could meet with God. This tabernacle had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. God’s voice emanated from this Tent of Meetings, later from the Temple that King Solomon built. The Israelites could always find God there through their intermediaries, the priests. This place was one of holiness, so it had to be built with perfect dimensions, for it reflected God’s sanctuary of perfection in heaven. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” (Hebrews 8:5) Stephen reminds the Sanhedrin that the tabernacle and the Temple are symbolic of God being with mankind. However, God’s presence is not restricted to earthly structures, for as the prophet prophesied about God, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? Steven says, He is not contained in tents or buildings, for He is an omnipresent Spirit. This wonderful God of mercy and goodness, you leaders of Israel have neglected to serve honestly. Instead, you burden the people with regulations and rules to cater to your own selfish interest. Jesus castigated the priests and the teachers of the law for misusing their position of deference for their own benefit. And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’ they are not to ‘honor their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you.“ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’” (Matthew 15:1-9) Jesus knew they diverted funds that should go to the parents to benefit their own coffers. He called them hypocrites. Now Stephen exposes the evil intentions of those who are standing around him; their willingness to kill an innocent man.
Steven incites the ire of the Sanhedrin by exposing their hearts in his discourse. For their pretensions of being holy and righteous hide the wickedness in their hearts. But this condition of hypocrisy has often been prevalent in the religious leadership of the Jews. They make a show of righteousness without good intentions. Jesus categorizes them as hypocrites. In Stephen's review of the history of the children of Israel in the wilderness and in the promised land, he emphasizes the sinfulness of all the Israelites and their fleshly hearts. Paul describes such hearts. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Of course, fleshly hearts do not pertain only to the chosen people, they are an endemic part of people everywhere. The Jews' experience points out clearly that even if God treats humans well, revealing his powers and wonders to them above all other people in the world, the fallen nature of Adam will eventually manifest itself in rebellion to God’s authority. This Adamic nature is a deep-rooted characteristic of mankind. Jesus said for people to love their enemies, be perfect as God is perfect. This is a challenge that supersedes the will of men and women. This kind of unity is divine and not found much in the nature of people. Jesus is especially harsh with the priests and teachers of the law, for they go around with broad phylacteries and long robes, displaying outwardly their holiness and goodness. But their sanctimonious attire and actions belie their hearts' intentions of murdering Jesus. Jesus says of them, For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.” (Matthew 15:19-20) Jesus knows the hearts of those who oppose him as the Messiah. They wish him dead. Stephen also knows their hearts: they wish him to die too. In fact, they will carry out their murderous intentions shortly after Stephen's conclusive remarks about their wicked nature. Stephen addresses their hearts now, not their outward appearances. You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. No matter how holy they appear, their hearts are desperately wicked. They are just as evil as their ancestors who tried to quash God’s words to them, coming to them from the prophets’ lips. Jesus also recognizes this spirit of theirs, of attempting to kill the voice of God, to divert the plan of God of redeeming the world to himself. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!" (Matthew 23:29-32) Now Jesus is saying, Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started! KILL THE WORD OF GOD
As John states, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5) The devil's intentions were from the beginning to disrupt the harmony between God and man. Eve’s decision destroyed that harmony. From that time on, the world has been in rebellion against God and has reaped the products of disharmony with God: discord, violence and chaos. Millions have been killed for self-willed reasons. Jesus was sent to the world to unite people in a right relationship to a holy and perfect God. As John reveals, this catalyst of light was rejected even by his own people. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. (John 1:9-11) The majority of his own people chose their heritage as descendants of Abraham over him as the redeeming Messiah. However, as Paul relates, the Jews were no better than the Gentiles if they lived with uncircumcised hearts, hearts predisposed to selfish and sinful behavior. Stephen in uncovering the hearts of his foes says, you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” Their hardened souls could not accept the fact that God had sent the Messiah Jesus to rescue them from their state of waywardness to the Creator. They were meant for redemption, not judgment. They were meant to be children of God, not foes to God and his goodness. However, the Jewish people crucified Jesus. They killed the Son of God, rejecting his divinity and God’s purpose for his life. They abused and killed the One Isaiah prophesied about, For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6-7) Stephen would give his life for the ONE about whom Isaiah prophesied. For Stephen, physical existence did not hold the answers of eternal life. He had found life, REAL LIFE, ABUNDANT LIFE in Jesus Christ the Lord, his Messiah. He was willing to give his physical life for real life as a child of the living God. Praise God that we can live as God’s children today if we have called upon the name of Jesus.
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