Acts

Chapter 7 (Continued)

41~~ "And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands."

{Note: They lived it up in the religious feasts of heathenism.}

42~~ "Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven {false gods} as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'O you house of Israel, have you offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? No, you have NOT! {Requires negative response} ' "

43~~" 'Yes, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch {the chief God of the Ammonites}, and the star of your god Remphan {an Egyptian idol} . . . figures which you made to worship them . . . and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.' " {Amos 5:25-27}

{Note: Stephen is explaining that the Exodus generation all died the sin unto death because of consistent idolatry.}

44~~"Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen."

{Note now Stephen is pointing out that the tabernacle was a way to orient to the Grace of God. It was a teaching aid to the Jews to explain about Jesus Christ. Everything in the temple spoke of Christ and his work. These learned Jews NOW know that Stephen is saying that THEY are rejecting Christ just like the Exodus Generation rejected Moses over and over.}

45~ "Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Joshua into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David."

{Note: The Jews in slavery had kept the remains of Joshua for 400 years in reverence. They carried it through out their 40 years trip through the desert.}

46~~"Who {David} discovered Grace before God, and desired to find a tabernacle {permanent building} for the God of Jacob.

{Note: David wrote the Psalms and the Psalms are the discovery of Grace.}

47~~"But Solomon built Him a house."

{Note: the Jews were not ready or doctrinally oriented for the job so his son Solomon built the temple.}

48-50~~" Howbeit the Most High {Christ} dwells not in temples made with hands . . . as said the prophet, {Isaiah 66:1-2} 49~~'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house will you build Me?,' said the Lord, 'Or what is the place of My rest? 50~~Has not My hand made all these things?' "

{Note: This is now answered. We know that in the Church Age the Believers' Bodies are the temples of the Lord!}

{Now Stephen lays into the Sanhedran!}
51~~ "You stiffnecked {negative volition at the point of God consciousness} and uncircumcised in the heart {thinking part of the brain} and ears {when it came to gospel hearing, they refused to hear and understand}, YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY
SPIRIT . . . as your fathers did . . . SO DO YOU!"

52~~"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One {Jesus} . . . of Whom YOU HAVE NOW BEEN THE BETRAYERS AND MURDERS!"

53~~ "You who have received the law by the command of angels, and you did not keep it."

54~~ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they ground their teeth at him.

{Note: NOW, they were very, very angry!}

55~~ But he, being consistently and habitually filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God even Jesus standing on the right hand of God.

{Note: Under dying grace, Stephen is permitted to see
Heaven . . . where he was actually receiving a standing ovation for his speech!}

56~~ And said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God."

 
57-58~~ Then they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears {literally . . . to hear no more of this! Legalism and negative volition still rejecting Christ}, and rushed upon him impetuously {they stopped thinking and became animals} with one accord.

58~~ And cast him out of the city violently, and began stoning him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

{Note: Under Jewish Law, those who accused the defendant also personally executed judgement so the false witnesses were the ones doing the stoning. They thought by silencing this voice, they would stop the spread of Christianity . . . and laid clothes at the feet of one of THE most legalistic and religious leader they had - the worst sinner of all time - Saul of Tarsus . . . who later REPENTS - has a change of mind - and becomes The Apostle of Grace - The Apostle Paul! Many of Paul's speeches in front of Legalistic Jews makes us think of Stephen's speech above! He was obviously a great influence on Paul.}

59~~And while they stoned Stephen, he was calling upon God, and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

{Note: This is a similar prayer to the one of Christ gave when He dismissed His Spirit and physically died on the cross.}

60~~ And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

{Note: Christian sleep - the body sleeps - means he died}.

{Note: As Stephen died, he prayed that God not strike the Sanhedran with the Sin unto Death for killing him. Might very well have extended the lives of many in the crowd including Saul!}

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