- Covered In His Dust
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- Acts Chapter 7 (part 2)
Good morning! ☀️
"When disciples followed a rabbi, they followed him closely so they would never be out of his sight, never be someplace where they couldn’t hear him speak. They followed him so closely that his sandals often kicked up dust."
May you be covered in His dust.
If this is your first time getting Covered in His Dust, WELCOME!
👉🏽 Read Chapter 7 before reading my notes. (If you don’t, my notes won’t make sense.)
You can access my previous notes on Acts and Luke by signing into your account. Click 'Read Online' at the top right of this post and scroll down to find them waiting for you.
Before we dive in, here’s a quick recap of Acts so far.
Acts 1: Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit and ascends to heaven.
Acts 2: The Holy Spirit falls on Pentecost, and Peter's message leads to 3,000 people being saved.
Acts 3: A lame man is healed outside the temple, leading to the beginning of persecution.
Acts 4: Peter and John are arrested as the religious leaders fear losing power and control.
Acts 5: The church experiences great fear as God punishes Ananias and Sapphira for their deceit.
Acts 6: The church organizes by appointing seven deacons to serve, allowing the apostles to focus on prayer and teaching.
Acts 7: Stephen, filled with wisdom and power from the Holy Spirit, makes an authoritative defense before the Sanhedrin, where he is falsely accused.
It was a setup from the beginning.
Stephen began his defense calmly, recounting Israel's history and showing respect for the shared heritage, but by the end, he is boldly accusing them of resisting the Holy Spirit and killing Jesus.
Stephen was essentially telling them, "You claim to follow the law, but your actions prove otherwise."
By the end of his speech, Stephen must have been overwhelmed with righteous anger, deep compassion, and a desperate desire for the religious leaders to understand the truth.
As he laid out the history of Israel and how they had repeatedly rejected God's messengers, his frustration probably grew—not just because they were rejecting him, but because they were rejecting God Himself.
Stephen wasn't just trying to get out of trouble; he was trying to save them. His defense was more than just words to protect himself; he was pleading for their souls. You can almost hear the urgency in his voice, as if he was begging them, “Don’t you see? Please, see what you’re doing!”
But they were pissed.
There was no vote, and there was undoubtedly no repenting.
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.
Where else do we see “gnashing of teeth” in the Bible?
Here are a few mentioned:
"While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
"In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out."
The references to "gnashing of teeth" in Matthew and Luke usually describe the pain and regret of those who are shut out from God's kingdom, often seen as a picture of hell or eternal separation from God.
The gnashing of teeth by the religious leaders could be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate judgment they face if they continue to reject Christ. In a way, their physical response is a preview of the spiritual anguish that comes from being separated from God's truth and grace.
But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
How many people in the Bible got to see the glory of God?
Not many.
Exodus 33:18-23: Moses asked to see God’s glory, and God allowed him to see His back, but not His face, as no one could see God's face and live.
Isaiah 6:1-5: Isaiah saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple. He witnessed the seraphim praising God, and he was overwhelmed by the vision of God’s holiness and glory.
Ezekiel 1:26-28: Ezekiel saw visions of God, including a brilliant, glowing figure on a throne, which he described as the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36: During the Transfiguration of Jesus, Peter, James, and John saw Jesus' face shine like the sun and His clothes become dazzling white. They also saw Moses and Elijah and heard God's voice from a bright cloud.
Revelation 1:12-18; Revelation 4:1-11: In the Book of Revelation, John saw numerous visions of God's glory, including the glorified Christ and the heavenly throne room, where God is worshiped by heavenly beings.
Acts 7:55-56: Just before his martyrdom, Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Jesus ‘standing’ at the right hand of God?
In Hebrews, we see,
"After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
And in Ephesians, Paul writes,
"He raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places."
The only place in the Bible where Jesus is explicitly described as standing at the right hand of God is in Acts 7:55-56. Some scholars interpret it as Jesus taking a stand in support of Stephen, acknowledging his faithfulness, and being ready to welcome him into heaven.
When he told them what he saw… it sent them!
And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
When Stephen called Jesus the "Son of Man" and said He was standing next to God, he was saying that Jesus had God's authority and was equal with Him. To the Jewish leaders, this was blasphemy because they didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah and thought no human could be equal to God.
By claiming to see Jesus at God's right hand, Stephen was essentially testifying that the very man they had condemned to death was now exalted in heaven. They had not only rejected but also killed the true Messiah.
They were infuriated.
But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.
Our littlest is three years old. When she doesn’t want to listen to us, clenches her fists and yells. And yes, sometimes she covers her ears.
The religious elite were throwing a temper tantrum.
Following the law, they cast him out of the city… and stoned him.
"Bring out of the camp the one who cursed, and let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him."
It's ironic that the Jewish leaders were so careful to follow the law by taking Stephen outside the city to be stoned, but at the same time, they completely missed recognizing Jesus as the promised Messiah.
They were so focused on the rules that they didn't see the bigger picture—Jesus was the fulfillment of everything they had been waiting for.
That
Is
Heartbreaking
Rules of stoning
Stoning was used as a punishment for serious crimes, like blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), idolatry (Deuteronomy 17:2-7), and adultery (Deuteronomy 22:22-24), among others.
According to the law, witnesses who testified against the accused were required to throw the first stones. This was meant to ensure that the witnesses were certain of the person's guilt and willing to take responsibility for their testimony.
After the witnesses threw the first stones, the rest of the community would join in. This showed that the execution was done with the agreement and participation of the whole community.
"The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people."
Stephen was not only falsely accused, but the very people who made those false accusations were the ones to start the execution.
And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
The false witnesses were ready and willing to go all the way. The scene reminds me of a bar fight, “Here, hold my coat.”
At the time of Stephen's stoning, Saul (who later became the Apostle Paul) was a young man, likely in his late 20s or early 30s. He was known for his strong commitment to Jewish law and for persecuting Christians (we’ll see this play out in the next two chapters).
As a Pharisee, educated by the respected teacher Gamaliel, Saul had influence among Jewish leaders, even though he wasn’t as powerful as the high priest.
By holding the garments of those who stoned Stephen, Saul was showing his approval and taking part in the event.
As they were stoning Stephen… 💔
And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Stephen’s prayer echoes Jesus' words on the cross, revealing Stephen's deep faith and trust in Jesus, even as he faced death.
"Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!' And having said this he breathed his last."
“Father forgive them,”
Stephen’s plea for forgiveness for those who were killing him reflects the same grace and compassion that Jesus showed when He prayed for those who crucified Him.
"And Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' And they cast lots to divide his garments."
It’s a powerful example of what it means to truly follow Christ—to the point where even in his last moments, Stephen's thoughts were not on himself but on the forgiveness and salvation of others.
And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Final thought
Stephen’s ability to forgive those who were killing him shows that true faith in Christ produces a love and forgiveness that goes beyond human ability. This kind of faith transforms how we see others, even our enemies, and allows us to extend the same grace we’ve received from Jesus.
Stephen didn’t seek revenge or harbor bitterness; instead, he left judgment in God’s hands.
That
is
powerful
When we trust in God’s justice, we are freed from the burden of holding onto anger.
One Minute Inspiration
Another one of my favorite pastors, Peter Tan-Chi teaching about the power of the Holy Spirit.
I think you’re gonna love this one.
I love you,
George
Uncovering Scripture
George Sisneros is a full-time missionary in Guatemala and the founder of Ordinary Missionaries and the El Rosario Christian Academy for Boys.
He’s been married to his wife, Vonda, for 26 years. He’s a father to nine children, five adopted.
George and his family are expanding to Cuba in 2024.