ACTS  7

1Then the high priest asked him, Are these charges true?

2 To this he replied; Brothers and fathers, Listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia before he lived in Haran.

3 Leave your country and your people, God said, and go to the land I will show you.

4 So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.

5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his desendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.

6 God spoke to him in this way: Your desendants will be strangers  in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

7 But I will punist the nation they serve as slaves, God said, and afterward they will come out of that country and worship Me in this place.

8 Then He gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised  him eight days after his birth.Later he became the father of Jacob and Jacpb became the father of the twelve Patriarchs.

 9 Because the patriachs were jealous of Joseph, they sold his as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 

 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace. 

11 Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan Bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food.

12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.

13 On their second visit, joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh  learned about Josephs family.

 14 After this Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy five in all.

15 Then jacob went down to Egypt, where he and his fathers died.

16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.

17 As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.

 18 Then another king who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt.

19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.

20 At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. 

21 For When he was placed outside Pharaohs daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.

22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

23  When Moses was forty years, he decided to visit his brother Israelites.

 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by a Egyptian so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian.

25 Moses thought   that his own people would realize God was using him to rescue them , but they did not.

26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelits who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, Men you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other.

27 But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?

 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.

30 After forty years had passed, a angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.

31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lords voice.

32 I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and jacob. Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.

33 Then the Lord said to him, take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground.

34 I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt, I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free, I will msend you back to Egypt.

35 This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, Who made you ruler and judge? He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God Himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

36 He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert.

37 This is that Moses who told the Israelites, God will send you a prophet like me, from your own people.

38 He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers and he received living words to pass on to us.

39 But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

40 They told Aaron, Make us gods who will go before u. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt we dont know what has happened to him.

 41 That was the time they made a idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made.

42 But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. this agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets. Did you bring Me sarifices and offerings forty years in the desert O house of Israel?

43 You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you have made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.

44 Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been made as God directed Moses,  according to the patterns he had seen.

45 Having received  the tabernacle, our fathers 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.

46 who enjoyed Gods favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

47 But it was Solomon who built the house for Him.

48 However the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says.

49 Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord.

 50 Has not My hand made all these things.

 51 You stiff necked people with uncircunsised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers; You always resist the Holy Spirit.

52 Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered Him

53 you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels; but have not obeyed it.

54 When they heard this they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 

55 But Stephen full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

 56 Look he said, I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

57 At this they covered their ears, and yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him

58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, Lord Jesus receive my spirit.

 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out. Lord do not hold this sin against them. When he had said this he fell asleep.

Look, He said, I see heaven open  and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:56

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider  name is called Faithful and True. With Justice He judges and makes war. Revelation 19:11

THE FIRST MARTYR

THOMAS J. GRACE

The trial of Stephen begins but does he as a Greek Jew understand the power these men will have oover his life, and their anger about the growth of the church since the death of Christ. He would not fear the death penalty there as stated by the Jews when they brought Jesus to Pilate. John 18: 31 Pilate said, Take Him yourselves and judge Him by your own law. But we have no right to execute anyone, the Jews objected.  Stephen also knew of the past two trials of the apostles where they were beaten and released. They would soon break both Roman and Gods law.                

 1 Are these charges true? The high priest asked Stephen, Of course he knows they are not but will believe the lies of the false witnesses rather than Stephens testimony and the Spirit of God. 2 Stephen tells of God appearing to Abraham 3 God instructs Abraham to go to a new land. He waits for his father to die before going on to the land where this trial is taking place. 5 God promised Abraham that he would own this land with his son while Abraham had no son and no land. Romans 4:20 , 21 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthed in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.  With no evidence or proof Abraham believed God, these men with a full history of what God had already done did not believe the promise of Gods Savior Jesus Christ nor did they fear Gods warnings for those who will not believe. God told Abraham they would be slaves certainly not a message anyone wants to hear but Abraham did believe all God had told him.

     We often enjoy the good news of Gods word and then say the hard work of the gospel must be for someone else, or some time in the past. Can we believe Gods promise for our future when Christ returns. We have no date or time like Abraham who believed God for a nation that will not begin to be formed for another four hundred and thirty years can we believe in the return of Christ that could happen in our own lifetime. 7 God promised He will punish Egypt and rescue His people and bring them to the new country. 8 Now Abraham is circumsised and this continues for his sons and their sons.

     9 Now Stephen tells us of Joseph as he was sold by his brother to be a slave in Egypt because they were jealous of him being their fathers favorite son. Jesus of course would be Gods favorite son and many would be jealous of this. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead,  10 God did rescue Joseph, and gave him wisdom, and Pharaoh made him ruler of Egypt and all his palaces. 11,12  A great famine came which would bring the brothers to Egypt to purchase food. 13 On their second trip they were told of their brother Joseph who now controled the food they sought. 14,15  Now Jacob and all his family arrive in Egypt seventy five people who will start a nation in 430 years.  16 Jacob would be taken to the tomb where Abraham was placed back in Shechem.

     17 As the time for God to fulfill His promise this could be today and the promise of the return of Christ could be here soon ,  It could have been true at the time before the birth of Christ. Will we be more ready than these people who groaned each time Moses showed Pharaoh a miracle and they would be punished by the Egyptians. If it were possible they might have sent Moses away so they could remain in Egypt. The people had increased and were already a nation size people in Egypt. 18 A new king began to treat them harshly.  Like before the return of Christ there will be persecutions and many will suffer, 19 The king ordered that the male children be put to death so that they would not soon out number the Egyptians. In a effort to stop the nation of Israel from begining a plan to kill the child Moses and stop Gods work did happen. Just as Herod ordered the death of all male children in his attempt to end the life of Christ. Matthew 2:16  20 Moses is born. Moses is found and raised by Pharaohs daughter. 22 Moses recieves a full education by the Egyptians.  No doubt he learned many of the skills he would need to care for and lead three million people in the wilderness for forty years.

      23 Moses age forty now visits Israelite people. 24 Moses stops a Egyptian from harming a Israelite and Moses kills the Egyptian. This was not the leadership  that was going to free the people, the people would not rise up against the Egyptians. For them to be free this would solely be a act of God only, with no rebellion from man. 25 Moses saw that the people were rejecting his act of violence and did not see him as their leader. 26 Moses attempts to stop a fight between two Israelites and once again is rebuked. 27 Who made you a ruler and judge over us. Moses several attempts to intervene in the problems of his people are rejected. 28  Will you kill us  like you killed the Egyptian they said to Moses they had no understanding of what Moses was trying to accomplish.

      29 Moses leaves for Midian where he marries and has two sons. 30 Moses stays in Midian with his family for forty years while the conditions for the Jews in Egypt has only become worse. 31  Moses near Mount Sinai sees a sight a burning bush and hears the Lords voice. If Moses had heard from God at all during forty years in the wilderness we are never told of this. 32 I am the God of your fathers Abraham, God often uses this form to describe Himself as being close to man. He does not say I am the God who created man and all the universe. Moses trembled with fear. Perhaps he thought God was there to punish him for his failure forty years ago when he could not help or free the Israelites. 33 This place is holy ground. God visited and spoke to Moses and others many times but never used this term again, and never told anyone to remove their shoes. 34 I have heard their groaning, not their prayers, with millions of people being oppressed there will always be groaning. I have come down while he was here why does he need Moses to oppose Pharaoh. Was this God speaking while the angel was here bringing the message.

     35 Moses was once rejected by these people as a leader, but now forty years later many of those who rejected him would not still be alive. Slaves do not usualy have long lives due to hard work and severe punishment. This time we are certain that God has sent Moses to be their ruler. 36 Moses leads them out of Egypt. He does signs and miracles in front of Pharaoh who has his magicians repeat many of them. In the last days we will see great signs and wonders done by God, and many false miracles which will try to match Gods power. People will be amazed by the power of the false prophet and will believe his claims that the antichrist is God on earth.

     37 Moses told of a greater prophet than himself that God will send into the world. This new prophet will do greater work than leaveing Egypt and starting a new nation.  38 As Moses learned the law God also showed him that he and all Israel will also need a Savior. The living words were not the law but the message that the true redeemer would come into the world. 39 The fathers still reject Moses and the law they will not have faith to believe they are in need of a Savior.  In their hearts they  were  willing to return to Egypt. They loved the land of sin and were not willing to obey God, they wanted freedom from man but not from sin. 40 They make a golden calf they dont know or want Moses to return.  41 Aaron makes the calf for them to worship, this worship might have driven Moses and God from their lives.  42 God turns away and allows these people to worship the false God while Moses was with God on the mountain. These people rejected God after seeing the Red Sea parted for them, after seeing all the first born sons of Egypt being killed while their sons were spared.

      Great miracles then or at the time of Christ did not create faith or a desire to believe God. The fear of God did seem to have a long lasting effect to cause them to believe or at least follow and obey.  43 God already says he will punish them when they will become captives in Babylon for seventy years. 44 The Tabernacle of the Testimony Where the two tablets that Moses brought down from Mount Sinai contained the ten commandments. This remained with them as they entered Israel. 46 King David had the desire to build a House for God. 47  It was his son Solomon who would build the temple.  48 God would visit and was there when the temple was dedicated but a house would be for our convience to find God not for Gods use.  Later God would choose a much smaller place for Himself to dwell our heart.  1 Corinthians 3:16  Dont you know that you yourselves are Gods temple and that Gods Spirit lives in you. 2 Chronicles 7:2,3 The priest could not enter the temple of the Lord because of the glory of the Lord filled it. They saw the fire coming down above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord.  

     49,50 These are words from the prophet Iasiah 66:1 and God also declares Has not My hands made all these things and so they came into being declares the Lord. We see that long before Solomon put one brick on the ground and before David had it in his heart to build a temple God already knew of their desires.  The temple was the house of God and the place where the high priest and the Sanhedrin planned the murder of the Son of God.                                                                      

     Lets go back to the trial where all this testimony is being given by Stephen a man no one could resist or contradict who had the face of a angel. Stephen might have closed his testimony here, he had spoken well of Abraham, Moses, David and Sokomon and showed knowledge and understanding of the faith. He might have spoken some kind words about the high priest and thanked the Sanhedrin for listening to him and he might have walked away with a small punishment as the apostles had.

     The trial goes on as Stephens testimony becomes stronger and condemms  not only the Sanhedrin but also all their past high priest and leaders for their part in the death of past prophets and the death of their own Savior Jesus Christ. Gamaliel was not present to calm these people and bring some reason to the crowd. They did not remember his wise advise from the past trial his warning that they might be opposeing God if they harmed these men.               

       51 Stephen begins You stiff necked people with uncircumsised hearts Deuteronomy 30:6 The Lord your God will circunsise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul and live. By claiming they were uncircumsised in heart Stephen says they do not love God and are acting improperly. You always resist the Holy Spirit. They would obey man rather than God. They loved the words of the false prophets more than Gods prophets.

     The false prophets of the last days will entice many with words and acts of a false society that will allow rights and accept all manner of lifestyles and sin. Like the people who made the calf God will allow these people to be decieved as they will hear and reject the word of God. 52 Your fathers persecuted all the prophets, they killed those who predicted the coming of the righteous One. In the prayer  of Peter and the apostles Acts 4:26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take their stand against the Lord. This action has been happening for centuries as each prophet predicted anything about the coming of the Lord the rulers acted quickly to oppose them and kill them. Just as with Jesus they opposed Him since His birth and centuries before to stop any prophet that spoke of Him. You have betrayed and murdered Him. Jesus spoke about these  deaths Matthew 23:31 And you say, If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in the shedding  the blood of the prophets. As Christ was aware of the prophets death he also knew they would be driven by the same spirit to murder Him also.

     53 You have not obeyed the law, the prophets or the Spirit who gave us both and would not obey God or His Son who you did murder. 54  When they heard this they were furious and gnashed their teeth, this sign of anger that would not be subdued. Stephen now could see that this had developed into a angry mob, he might have feared them, but instead he trusted God  The King James says they were cut to the heart as in KJV  Acts 5:33 and  2:37 and we see chapter 2 the people repent in chapter 5 they are also furious but allow themselves to be calmed by the words of Gamaliel. This cut heart is the work of the Holy Spirit as in Chapter 2 they do repent here they are given a choice by God to obey and believe in Jesus Christ. More than Stephen who is the messenger the Sanhedrin will reject God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. God will be rejected and Stephen will be the person punished and soon rewarded for his faith and trust in God and his Savior Jesus Christ, while he remains full of and obedient to the Holy Spirit.

     55 Stephen full of the Holy Spirit, a matter you do participate in, he was still trusting God even while he looked at the angry faces of those he now believed would be his murderers. He looks up to heaven and sees the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 Stephen tells them what he sees in heaven in their angry state they would not be able to see such a vision. 56  Did Stephen believe some might see this vision and were there some in the room that did see it as Stephen saw it. Look he says he must think this will be visible to others.

     When Christ returns the possibility of seeing Him will exist for the whole world but most will not look. Christ Himself tells us Watch Matthew 24:42 Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 57 They covered their ears and yelling at the top of their voices they rushed at Stephen. They covered their ears not because of Stephens words but did not want to hear the sound of any voice or words God might have spoken to stop them.  In Acts 9:7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; but they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 58 They dragged him out of the city to stone him. They did not consider bringing him to Pilate who might have set him free.  We know of his resistance to have Jesus put to death. Matthew 23:13-15 Pilate called together the chief priest the rulers of the people and said to them, You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against Him. Neither has Herod,  for he sent Him back to us, as you can see, He has done nothing to deserve death. 

     Did Pilate and the other Roman soldiers have the same chance as the Sanhedrin to repent of their actions that caused the death of Christ. In Matthew 27:54  we read about the the soldier at the cross, When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that happened they were terrified and exclaimed, Surely this was the Son of God. Did they go back to Pilate and tell him this. Maybe this centurion and some of the other soldiers were present in the home of Cornelius when Peter came to visit. At the past two trials there were two or  more men all apostles on trial who were already well known leaders of the church. It would be easier to take action against one man a Greek man not a high official of the church.They took Stephen outside the city as Numbers 15:35 said Then the Lord said to Moses, The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp. Deuteronomy 17:7 The hands of the witnesses must be the first in putting him to death, and then the hands of the people. You must purge the evil from among you. These are the words the Sanhedrin remembers from the word of God, nothing about mercy or the warning about false testimony or the scriptures that testify about Christ. 

     58 They began to stone Stephen outside the city and the false witnesses were first to throw the stones confirming their testimony against Stephen. They leave their clothes at the feet of Saul showing it was him they most trusted and were already involved in this conspiracy with Saul as their leader. 59 Stephen prays which must alredy be difficult as the stones are injureing His body and the crowd is shouting and curseing him, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Not rescue me or punish them.  60 Stephen falls to his knees and cries out. Lord do not hold this sin against them. Does the crowd hear this will anyone there drop their stone. Luke 23:34 Jesus said, Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. Philippians 1:23 I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far. 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and with the Lord.  Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise. Stephen knew where he would be going to be with the Lord. The man with the face of a angel would soon be with them. Stephen fell asleep.

CHRIST LOVES YOU. AMEN. COME LORD JESUS