The summary
The previous chapter ended with Stephen facing accusations from the council of the Sanhedrin mocking the temple and the law Acts 6:13-14. Chapter Seven contains Stephen’s defense, charges, and the account of his martyrdom.
Stephen answered by looking at Abraham’s call and God’s promise to him and the nation of Israel. He then describes how God used Moses to free Israel from slavery in Egypt and lead them for forty years in the wilderness.
But Israel rebelled against Moses, through whom God gave the law, Not only in the case of the golden calf, but Israel wandered throughout their wilderness and continued to worship false gods, Amos 5:25-27. Turning to the matter of God’s abode, Stephen acknowledged the role of Moses’, tabernacle, and Solomon’s temple, but denied that God does not dwell in temples made with hands. Isaiah 66:1-2.
He concluded by accusing the council of opposing the Holy Spirit, as their forefathers did for as their fathers persecuted and killed prophets, who foretold the coming of the Righteous One ( Christ ), so they became His betrayers and murderers. Indeed, they are those who disobey the law. Acts 7:51-53
Heartbroken, the council members gritted their teeth at Esteban. He is full of the Holy Spirit, looked up into heaven, and saw Jesus the glory of God standing at his right hand. Talking about what he saw made them angrier. They drove him out of the city and stoned him because of witnessing for Christ. They put their clothes on a young man named Saul, ( later Paul, apostle ).
When Stephen was stoned, he told Jesus by praying to take his spirit and not accuse them for his death. In this way, Stephen became Christ’s first martyr Acts 7:54-60
The message
What we must do now is allow Stephen’s message to serve us in at least two ways. He said that Israel always resist the Holy Spirit Acts 7:51. This means, first, that God has repeatedly worked for Israel with repeated acts of mercy, patience, and forbearance throughout her history, And this means, secondly, that they repeatedly harden their hearts and stiffen their necks and stop their ears from the work of God. So I think God wants to speak to us about two things today,
#1 Encouragement – He wants us to be encouraged by the story of His patience with the rebellious people that he is slow to anger and great in unfailing love and forgiving of iniquity and transgression and sin Exodus 34:6-7. He didn’t want us to be punished. He is willing to forgive and continue with the penitent and humble.
#2 Warning – He wants to warn us that His patience has an end. We can see this in the words of Acts 7:42 that God turned His back on them and handed them over to worship the host of heaven. So the second way God wants us to be aware, to be awaken to the amazing truth that we can resist Him, we can want other things more than we want Him, that he ultimately stops and quits giving the gracious sense of guilt, and hands us over totally to our sin. Romans 1:24-28 and finally, to the demonic gods like Moloch and Rephan Acts 7:43.
Related Bible Study:
The Advice of Gamaliel is the Apostles’ Victory Over the Council (Acts 5:33-42)
