Acts Chapter 7

Acts Chapter seven is the longest chapter in the entire book of Acts, having sixty verses. In it Stephen recounts the entire history of the nation of Israel from the call of Abraham to Moses and on down to the reign of David and Solomon. This histroy takes up 50 of the sixty verses. it provides a good overview of the old testament history of Israel.

The context is evidently at the end of a year's period of time since the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two. In other words, the end of the "acceptable year of the Lord." During this period of time we have seen a murder indictment preached again and again against the nation of Israel. But an offer of repentance has been made if they will change their mind about Jesus Christ, accept him as their Messiah, being identified with him in water baptism, looking for his second coming and the restoring of the Kingdom again to Israel. But for the most part, the offer is rejected.

The context of Chapter seven is a continuation from Chapter six:

A group of unbelievers, made up of men from the synagogue of the Libertines, and others, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, were unable to resist the wisdom by which Stephen had spoken unto them The reason was, that Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost. The words he spoke were not his own.

Acts 6:11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

Acts 6:12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,

The council is a reference to the leaders of the nation of Israel. They then proceed to make false charges against Stephen. And the chapter opens:

Acts 7:1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

Acts 7:2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

He addresses "men, brethren,and fathers." They are men of Israel and they are called "brethren," not because they are saved but because of thier relationship. The word "fathers" would be a title of respect because of the position the leaders of Israel had.

Acts 7:1-8 Gives the account of the call of Abraham and would compare to the time of Genesis 12:1 up to Genesis 17:27.

Genesis 17:24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

So Stephen says:

Acts 7:8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

So circumcision becomes a part of Israel's covenant. Circumcision is included in the law of Moses. We learn in Galatians 2:7 that the gospel OF the circumcision is committed to Peter, while the gospel OF the uncirumcision is committed to Paul. There are two gospels invovled and they are different. They are not the same. The twelve patriarchs is a reference to the 12 sons of Jacob from which came the 12 tribes of Israel. (James 1:1)

The account then turns to Joseph.

Acts 7:9-14 Covers the period of time from Genesis 37:4 to Genesis 45:9

Acts 7:14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

Acts 7:15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

This takes the account up to Genesis 49:33. Then the account focuses on Moses from verse 20 all the way down to verse 36. It covers three different periods in Moses' life. His first forty years in Egypt, his second forty years in Madian and the final forty years during which he led the children of Israel in the wilderness.

Acts 7:37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

So we see that there was a church there. It is called "the church in the wilderness." Moses is the head of that church. It could not be the church the Lord referred to in Matthew 16 because he said "I WILL BUILD" this church. The church referred to in Matthew 16 is the same church in view up to this point in the book of Acts. It grew by 3000 people in Acts chapter two, by five thousand in Acts chapter four, and the Lord added to it daily "such as should be saved."

So then we come to the account of Aaron and the golden calf. They made a calf in those days and "rejoiced in the work of their own hands."

Acts 7:42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?

Acts 7:43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

Acts 7:44 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.

Acts 7:45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

There is no reason to change the name "Jesus" to "Joshua." That is because in Joshua 5:13-15 we see an individual there who is called "the captain of the Lord's host." Joshua worshipped him. So the "captain of the Lord's host" is none other than the preincarnate Christ. The same is true of Hebrews 4:8. Paul refers to him:

1 Corinthians 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

So it is clear who the Rock is. It is "upon THIS rock" that the church of Matthew 16 was built. That Rock was Christ, not Peter.

But in Stephen's account we are now at the time of David:

Acts 7:46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

Acts 7:47 But Solomon built him an house.

Which is a reference to Solomon's temple. (See 1 Kings 8)

Acts 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,

The prophet Stephen refers to is Isaiah. The next two verses are a quote from Isaiah 66:1-2

Acts 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Acts 7:50 Hath not my hand made all these things?

So Stephen has recounted the history of the nation of Israel. He is speaking to the leaders of the nation of Israel. Now notice the murder charge.

Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:

So he accuses the very leadership of the nation of Israel with betraying and murdering their Messiah. But notice that his message here is not like that of Peter. Peter preached the same murder charge, but he offered amnesty if they would repent. That is to say, to change their minds about this man, their Messiah, Jesus Christ, and be identifed with him in water baptism, looking forward to his second coming when their sins would be blotted out.

No such offer is made here.

Acts 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Acts 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

Now in Acts 2:37 there were 3000 people who were "pricked in thier heart" at Peter's preaching. They realized their mistake and were baptized. But the reaction of the leaders of Israel here is to gnash on Stephen with their teeth.

Acts 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

Notice where Stephen saw Jesus. He was STANDING, not sitting. Is he standing to "judge his people?" Is he standing in order that he can return? We are going to find out that instead of coming again, which is the conclusion of Israel's prophetic timetable, that he leaves the universe. He ascends up ABOVE ALL HEAVENS. He goes into a place which no man has seen nor ever can see.

1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

But here, Stephen sees the Lord "standing."

Acts 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Acts 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,

What is happening here is the unpardonable sin. Israel is guilty of it. But...so was Saul of Tarsus.

Matthew 12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Matthew 12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Stephen is full of faith and power. He is FILLED with the Holy Ghost. His words are not his own. He is speaking BY the Holy Ghost. They are resisting, fighting against his words. They are committing blasphemy.

Acts 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.

And there is Saul, complicit in the murder of Holy Ghost filled Stephen. He too is a blasphemer. So then, that being the case, HOW could he later be forgiven? And the answer to that is that a "dispensation" was given to him.  Paul became the first and the pattern of salvation for an entirely different group of people in a totally different church. (1 Timothy 1:11-16) Paul is the first member of the church, the body of Christ. A "dispensaton," an exemption, was given to Paul and to the church, the body of Christ. Today, in the dispensation of the grace of God, there is no "unbardonable sin." The only thing that God will hold against a person today is HIS UNBELIEF.

Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Acts 7:60 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.

And so ended the "acceptable year of the Lord" in which Israel was offered repenetance and the gospel of the Kingdom was still being preached. The same message continues to be preached in Peter's ministry which basically continues to the end of Acts chapter twelve. But never again, after this point, is national repentance offered to Israel.

Instead, Paul writes in Romans 11 that "through their FALL salvation is come to the Gentiles." That is totally contrary to prophecy. In all old testament prophecy, the salvation of Gentiles would come about through the RISE of Israel, not their fall. But the "fall" is not the final casting away. As noted, Peter's ministry continues. He also writes the two books of 1 and 2 Peter. So at this time Israel has fallen. Their final casting away does not come until the time of Acts chapter 28. In Romans 11:11-15 we see Paul use several terms: Stumble, fall, diminishing, and finally casting away. All in reference to the nation of Israel. And all of that plays out during the course of the book of Acts period of time.

But the church, the body of Christ was a mystery. Gentile salvation through the fall of Israel was a mystery. The WHY of the cross, the fact that Christ died for men's sins, was a mystery. All of that was revealed to and through the Apostle Paul.