One
of the most profound deaths of an apostle recorded in the Bible is when Stephen
is stoned to death by a crowd of people who had JUST heard his testimony, but
refused to repent. The most amazing thing about this account? It lasts just a
few verses! In fact Stephen’s testimony takes up more space in Acts than his
death is given room for!
Stephen
is previously introduced as being “full of faith and power” which tells us he
is able to wield great priesthood authority. In the next line it’s again
confirmed when it is stated that he “did great wonders and miracles among the
people.” Stephen is an extremely powerful man, faithful to God, and capable of
great works. He is also recorded as having spoken with “wisdom and the Spirit”.
THIS is the man who bore his testimony before a council who sought his blood.
They
accused him of blasphemy. They brought false witnesses against him. And what
did he do? He opened his mouth and recounted their own history to them. He spoke
of Moses, and the Israelites. He spoke words that they KNEW to be truth. But
their minds and hearts were obviously closed to the truth. Much as Christ
preached unto the learned men of his day, and they didn’t listen.
It
boggles my mind that a group of people could listen to a man called to preach
the word of God, and then get so angry at his words that they could stone him
to death! Death by stoning, for anyone who doesn’t know, is a very slow and
agonizing process. Again we find in Stephen a type of Christ. In fact even as
they were growing angry and beginning to react to his words, Stephen saw the
glory of God and Jesus Christ.
Stephen
was so full of the spirit that HE. SAW. GOD. Just as he rose to the highest
point in his faith, and felt the spirit most strongly, he was cut down by
defilers of God’s plan.
As
he is dying Stephen calls unto Jesus to receive his spirit, very much as Christ
called unto his father to receive his. Then he asked the Lord not to hold the
people who were stoning him to death accountable for the sin of killing him,
just as Christ’s own words “Forgive them, for they know not what they do” were
uttered years earlier.
In
contrast, Abinadi was sentenced to death as well. He was to be burned to death,
which was also slow and horrible. However, unlike Stephen he was called to
curse the people. He cursed them with pain and destruction. He did call unto
God to receive his soul, just like the other martyrs. The major difference
between these accounts were the forgiving of the people carrying out the death
sentence. Is this because even the men who killed Stephen were supposed to be
chosen children of God, and were otherwise good men? We would need more
historical context to know the truth there.
At
the end, Stephen was so full of the spirit that he asked for the very men who
broke his bones and caused him to bleed… to be forgiven. He forgave them
himself, in asking for it. I know if someone were slowly beating me to death
with rocks, I would not be feeling very forgiving or benevolent. But I believe
that the spirit remained with him throughout his trial, and he was comforted.
He knew what was coming. He knew he was going to die. But he also knew the face
of God; knew where he was going. And he embraced that calling with a heart full
of faith and forgiveness.
Are
we as forgiving of the little trespasses against us that occur every day?
