Acts 7. THE VALUE OF HISTORY
The Gospel often takes root in places prepared by the blood of martyrs. Before people can give their lives for the Gospel, they must live their lives for the Gospel. One way God trains His servants, is to place them in insignificant positions. Deacons were chosen for their integrity, sensitivity and wisdom from God. Stephen was both a good administrator and powerful speaker. He was the first to be put to death for his faith. How many risks do we take in being Jesus' followers? Would we be willing to die for Him? Are we really willing to live for Him?
Stephen's message had three main points: Israel's history is the history of God's acts in the world. People worshipped God before there was a temple. God doesn't live in man-made temples. Jesus' death was just one more example of Israel's rebellion and rejection. Circumcision was the sign of a covenant between God and Abraham, and then Israel. God had always kept His side of the promise, but Israel had failed again and again to uphold its end of the covenant. Even in Stephen's day, they still failed to obey God. The people's hearts were far away from God. Their lack of faith and lack of obedience meant they had failed in the covenant. Stephen's message of review of Jewish history gives a clear testimony to God's faithfulness and sovereignty. In spite of what happens, however confusing, we must remember...God is in control--nothing surprises Him; this world is not all there is--it will pass away--but God is eternal; God is just, and He will make things right--punishing the wicked and rewarding the faithful; God wants to use you to make a difference in the world like those of whom Stephen spoke: Joseph, Moses, Stephen.
To many young people the three-dimensional effect of the study of history gives us, is a waste of their time. They would rather live in the one-dimensional lifestyle where "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die," allows them to ignore the lessons learned by others. Those lessons are "for our learning and admonition," and can help us to avoid the mistakes made by others who have lived before us. When Stephen gave his discourse on the history of the Jewish nation, he made the listeners aware of the fact that God was involved in the history of mankind long before Israel was a recognized nation. He also made them realize they were in the same march of history and were making the same mistakes their fathers made before them. God appeared to Abraham when he was still half-way from Ur to Canaan. The God of glory appeared to Abraham when he began his life for God to give him directions and assure him the life of faith was the right one.
In Stephen's summary of their history he reminds them that the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses during his life for God. The conclusion of the whole historical event was happening right there when the Son of God appeared to Stephen standing on the right hand of God to receive Stephen at the end of his life. The whole of history of that nation was connecting links of people living at different times: Abraham at the beginning of the nation and early in his life, Moses in the middle of the life of the nation and the middle of his own life, and now Stephen when God was about to turn to the Gentiles and at the end of Stephen's life. The history of God's dealings with men was unfolding right before them and they didn't get it. To Abraham the sight of God gave him incentive to live a life of faith. To Moses the angel of God reminded him in the middle of his life of his commission and responsibility to lead God's people by faith. To Stephen when he saw the Lord standing, he was assured the living Lord who he served by faith was waiting to receive him at the end of his life.
So right at the beginning of Stephen's discourse he took control of the whole event, not by being defensive, but by going on the offensive and speaking of God's dealings with their nation. He didn't waste time defending himself of the false accusations they made, but throughout his speech he answered the charges of blasphemy against him concerning Moses, God, the temple and the law. He did this by showing how the nation of Israel, of whom they were representatives by their own words, time and time again had failed to uphold the terms of the covenant they had made with God. Others had done it in the past and these people were doing the same thing now. God had always faithfully kept His promises and His side of the covenant. Israel did not even though they maintained some of the forms without the reality.
It is possible to do the right things and still be away from God in our hearts. Some of what they did was right but they added to it forms of their own making. We can do the same and that negates the right things into mindless traditions, even though it looks right. The Jews still circumcise their boy babies but their heart is still far from God. It is possible to eat the Lord's Supper and not discern the Lord's body and blood. We can go through baptism with no intention of walking in newness of life. Even prayer can become such a habit that we repeat the same words and requests over and over without any real thought being given to the Person we are making requests of. The people Stephen was speaking to had learned history but not the lessons.
All through Stephen's challenging discourse he spoke of the faithfulness of God and His divine authority. In spite of what they did or did not do, God remained committed to them. He gave then the law as a sign of the agreement made but they broke that law right from the beginning, and continued to disobey God as their Sovereign. Idolatry even came in among God's people before they had reached Canaan after the exodus from Egypt. Stephen had been charged with blasphemy against the temple. The Jews had been using the temple for business purposes and yet were more committed to the temple than they were to God. The temple was not much more than a place to make money to many of them.
The dwelling place of God is not limited to buildings, denominations or places we decide. He has chosen to live in the body of Christ at His incarnation. He dwells in the Church of which He is the Head. The local assembly of those who gather out to Him is His dwelling place, "the house of God." He even chooses to dwell in the bodies of believers in Christ and uses those physical members to carry out His will. God is not limited at all to a temple made with hands. Stephen made that point very plainly. The temple at Jerusalem was merely a symbol of a reality, similar to the tabernacle in the wilderness, that God has committed Himself to dwell among His people.
When Stephen charged those listeners with the responsibility of betraying and murdering Jesus, he showed them what had happened all through their history to those who spoke for God, was happening again through them. In our day, history is repeating itself the same as in the past. But God is still in control and all that is happening today will pass when the just and righteous God makes things right. We are able to see things through God's Word and know that in spite of all the failures of men and nations, God will fulfill His purposes. Even though "evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived," God had everything under control. We may never know all the reasons behind events and seeming tragedies that happen, but God does, and by faith we trust Him.
The death of Stephen may seem to have been a great loss, and it was in a way. The first martyr of the church was an articulate man of Greek origin, so not only did he have the Jewish traditions and laws clear in his mind, but he was able to skillfully present the truth behind it all. There are many similarities in Stephen that were in the Lord Jesus Christ. In a sense, it was inevitable that his death would be similar to that of the Lord Jesus Christ - even to his last words. How important it is for us to know the truth of God's Word even to the historical aspects of it, in order that we can help audiences see the on-going march of divine planning in our day. If people can learn how they fit in God's scheme of things, maybe they will realize how important it is to seek the Lord while He may be found.
"What is the point of this," they ask concerning things long ago. "Why is it important today; how will it benefit me to know About the Jews and Greeks and the problems they all had? It seems like everything they did inevitably turned out bad."
That is the point of looking back so that we won't do the same. There is only safety from bad consequences when we do things in Jesus' name. He lives in an eternal "Now," and knows all that is coming ahead, We can prepare for that by trusting Him, so there is no need for us to dread.
We know things will get much worse before they are going to get better. That's one reason to learn from history, it is like learning from a well-written letter. What those in the past did wrong, we learn from them to choose what's right History and prophecy both teach us the value of living by faith, not sight.
Both history and prophecy record situations that make things seem so bleak. Still there is meaning and joy for those who those lessons will seek. We will learn when we read there are no mistakes, God has everything under control. He allows mankind to go just so far, that we might willingly seek peace for our souls.
I learn from historical accounts; I have a place in the great scheme of things. And I do not have to fear what is coming, even though life some tragedy brings. Even though the last chapter of history is not written, the end of the Bible gives a clue That God has not forever abandoned us, He will step in when mans' efforts are through.
"Father in heaven; Thy grace was surely manifested here in the past when there was a time of visitation. Now, however, there is a lack of knowledge of the part on the part of most who live here. They never experienced the power of the Gospel that was evident at the beginning of the work here. So for Thine own reason Thou hast sent us here at this time. May the word of God ministered to the believers awaken a desire to experience real fellowship with Thee. Help us all to learn the lessons our past can teach us as the Holy Spirit guides our thoughts. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."