The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Acts 7:51-53,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 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— you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."
This sweeping condemnation of the nation of Israel is breath-taking! Here Stephen, whose truthful words brought him swift retribution, points to the ugly truth that the Jews of the day were no different than their forefathers. "Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute?" This rhetorical question was followed with his charge that his hearers were guilty of the betrayal and murder of the One the prophets were sent to speak of: Jesus Christ.
The reaction of the high priest and the Sanhedrin represents the deceitful heart of all mankind. In the killing of Stephen, a man who only confronted them with the truth, the rebellious and sinful condition of the human heart is on full display. And these folks were, of all humanity, given the greatest of all advantages to have God's perspective on things. As Paul points out in Romans 9:4-5, "Theirs [the Jews] is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen." And yet, with so much advantage they still react to the truth with murder in the killing of yet another prophet of God, only substantiating all Stephen charged them with.
But the most astonishing thing to me of all is that given this horrific portrayal of the desperate condition of the wicked human heart, what a love God reveals as he sends his Son to die for folks just like these - folks just like me! Why God would send him for folks like this, for folks like me, is a mystery I will continue to be perplexed with. It will continually be a cause for my unceasing gratitude and worship!!
The magnificence of our wonderful God is something I know I will never plumb the depths of.
This sweeping condemnation of the nation of Israel is breath-taking! Here Stephen, whose truthful words brought him swift retribution, points to the ugly truth that the Jews of the day were no different than their forefathers. "Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute?" This rhetorical question was followed with his charge that his hearers were guilty of the betrayal and murder of the One the prophets were sent to speak of: Jesus Christ.
The reaction of the high priest and the Sanhedrin represents the deceitful heart of all mankind. In the killing of Stephen, a man who only confronted them with the truth, the rebellious and sinful condition of the human heart is on full display. And these folks were, of all humanity, given the greatest of all advantages to have God's perspective on things. As Paul points out in Romans 9:4-5, "Theirs [the Jews] is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen." And yet, with so much advantage they still react to the truth with murder in the killing of yet another prophet of God, only substantiating all Stephen charged them with.
But the most astonishing thing to me of all is that given this horrific portrayal of the desperate condition of the wicked human heart, what a love God reveals as he sends his Son to die for folks just like these - folks just like me! Why God would send him for folks like this, for folks like me, is a mystery I will continue to be perplexed with. It will continually be a cause for my unceasing gratitude and worship!!
The magnificence of our wonderful God is something I know I will never plumb the depths of.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment