Today’s titles are; Verses 1-53 Stephen’s defense. Verses 54-60 The martyrdom of Stephen. Acts 7 is going to be a great lesson from Stephen to those that killed Jesus. Stephen means; Crown. Always stand boldly. We continue from chapter.6, Acts 7 and verse 1 reads.
Acts 7:1] Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
This takes us back to Acts 6 and verse 11 reads.
Acts 6:11] Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
They had accused Stephen of blasphemy, but didn’t know scriptures themselves. Stephen had referred them to Deuteronomy 18:15-18. Moses prophesied that the Messiah would come through Israel. Now, Stephen will give the best summary of God’s Word up to this date in time. Back to Acts 7 and verse 2 reads.
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,
The place Abraham came from was today’s Iraq. This does not mean he was of middle eastern descent. On the contrary, Adam means to show blood in the face. The ability to blush. The ten tribes of Israel, when they were released from Assyria over the Caucasus mountains, became known as the Caucasians for the first time.
Acts 7:3] And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
You can find this in Genesis 12 verse 1.
Acts 7:4] Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
Stephen is speaking to those that are around him, and to those that accused him. Telling them how they and their fathers received the land of Judaea. You can find this in Genesis 12 verses 4-5.
Acts 7:5] And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
Here God makes Abraham a promise that will be fulfilled about 430 years later. Genesis 12:7.
Acts 7:6] And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
God told Abraham that his seed would be in bondage for four hundred years, but that he would bring them out of Egypt. This promise to Abraham was indeed fulfilled four hundred and thirty years later.
Acts 7:7] And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
This is interesting because the Pharisees and the scribes said to Jesus; We were never in bondage. John 8:33. You find this in Genesis 15 verses 13-14. God judged Egypt very harshly, so that they would know he was the LORD.
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.
Explaining very well how the seed was moving through the world in those times to become Israel, all twelve tribes, not just the tribe of Judah. You find this in Genesis 25:26 and in 29:31.
Acts 7:9] And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
Joseph being a like for Moses. God never left Joseph, but instead made him a very powerful man in Egypt, a savior and a like for Jesus as well. You find this in Genesis 37 and 39. Let’s go to Psalms 105 and verse 16 reads.
Psa.105:16] Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
[17] He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
[18] Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
Sold into bondage by his own brothers, Joseph went with the LORD into Egypt and not only saved Egypt, but all his brothers and their families as well. Back to Acts 7 and verse 10 reads.
Acts 7:10] And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
Even the king of Egypt found that Joseph was indeed sent by God and became a believer in God. Genesis 41:37-44. And we see in Genesis 42:6 that, All his house from verse 10 above, bowed down to Joseph fulfilling the prophecy Joseph had about the sheaves bowing to him that made his brothers mad to begin with.
Acts 7:11] Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
You find this in Genesis 41:54 and Genesis 42:5.
Acts 7:12] But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
You find this in Genesis 42:1-2.
Acts 7:13] And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
[14] Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
You find this in Genesis 45 and 46. Seventy-five people made up the house of Israel at this time. They went into Egypt, and about 2 million came out after 400 years of captivity. Let’s go to Deuteronomy 10 and verse 22 reads.
Deu.10:22] Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
Seventy plus Joseph and his family made up the seventy-five.
Acts 7:15] So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
You find this in Genesis 46:1-7 and in 49:33. Let’s go to Exodus 1 and verse 6 reads.
Exo.1:6] And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
[7] And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
[8] Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
The first king, or Pharaoh, knew Joseph and knowing Joseph he knew God. This king knew not Joseph therefore he knew not God. It is at this time Israel went into bondage. Back to Acts 7 and verse 16 reads.
Acts 7:16] And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
Here we have the place of Jacobs well.
Acts 7:17] But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
[18] Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.
Stephen is giving a great summary of God’s Word to these Kenites who crucified our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 7:19] The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
We find this at the end of Exodus 1 and the beginning of Exodus 2. Exodus 1 and verse 22 reads.
Exo.1:22] And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
Because they feared the Israelites, that they were multiplying so fast in the land of Egypt. Now we come to the time of Moses’ birth. Acts 7 and verse 20 reads.
Acts 7:20] In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:
[21] And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
Let’s go to Exodus 2 and verse 1 reads.
Exo.2:1] And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
[2] And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
Remember the decree of the king, to slay all male children born to Israel. Don’t overlook Moses’s father and mother were of the house of Levi.
Exo.2:3] And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.
[4] And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
This would be Moses’s older sister Miriam. Miriam H4816 means; Rebellion.
Exo.2:5] And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river’s side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
[6] And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
The daughter of Pharaoh found Moses and had compassion on him, the sign of a chosen one of God.
Exo.2:7] Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
[8] And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother.
What a wonderful plan all along, only God can do such things.
Exo.2:9] And Pharaoh’s daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.
[10] And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
Moses means; drawn from water. So, we can see it was expertly planned from God. Back to Acts 7 and verse 22 reads.
Acts 7:22] And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
Moses was mighty in words and in deeds? Did not he question God about his own speech? Let’s go to Exodus 4, as an example for God’s Elect today, and verse 10 reads.
Exo.4:10] And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
[11] And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
[12] Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
As for God’s Elect in these end times, he will give to us in that hour what to say. Don’t premeditate what you will say, for it is the LORD that will speak through you. Mark 13:11. Luke 12:12.
Exo.4:13] And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
[14] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
[15] And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
[16] And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
The LORD will put into Moses’s mouth his Word. He will do the same in these end times for his Elect as he is doing now with Stephen. Back to Acts 7 and verse 23 reads.
Acts 7:23] And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
[24] And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
[25] For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
Moses killed an Egyptian for abusing another Israelite, but they could not understand that God had made a covenant with Moses. After all, Moses was called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. We find this in Exodus 2:11-13.
Acts 7:26] And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
[27] But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
Jesus would quote these words when asked to intervene between two brothers in Luke 12 and verse 13 reads.
Luke 12:13] And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
[14] And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
Back to Acts 7 and verse 28 reads.
Acts 7:28] Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
[29] Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
Stephen has been giving a great bible lesson bringing us through Exodus 2:14.
Acts 7:30] And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
Let’s go to Hebrews 12 and verse 29 reads.
Heb.12:29] For our God is a consuming fire.
Back to Acts 7 and verse 31 reads.
Acts 7:31] When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
[32] Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abrham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
[33] Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
[34] I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
Stephen has brought us through Exodus 3:1-10.
Acts 7:35] This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
Let’s pause here for a minute. Moses has been a like for the very Savior that is Jesus Christ. Let’s go to Exodus 16 and verse 1 reads.
Exo.16:1] And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
After the Passover, which Jesus became the Passover Lamb. 1Cor.5:7. Back to Acts 7 and verse 36 reads.
Acts 7:36] He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
Moses parted the Red Sea, gave them Manna from heaven, quail up to their nostrils and Water out of the Rock. The Living Water. Remember these Kenites who Stephen is speaking to, claim to sit in the seat of Moses. Moses’s life can be divided into three periods of time. A like for the three earth ages, time periods. Forty years in Egypt, forty years in Madian, and forty years after the children of Israel were released from captivity and 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.
[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:
God gave the Law to Moses who in turn gave it to Israel. This is the law that these scribes and Pharisees claim to sit in the seat of Moses, should know. Let’s go to the scripture Stephen is speaking of, Deuteronomy 18 and verse 15 reads.
Deu.18:15] The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
[16] According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
[17] And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
[18] I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
This is the prophecy of Moses that the Christ would come. But those that sit in the seat of Moses and judge others, cannot understand. And here is why, verse 19 continues.
Deu.18:19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
Those who do not believe on the name of Jesus will he reward according to their works. Now, those false prophets who will purposefully deceive others to his coming he warns in the next verse, and verse 20 reads.
Deu.18:20] But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
Did the Kenites know the Word of God and hide it from others? This will be answered in the last few verses. Back to Acts 7 and verse 39 reads.
Acts 7:39] To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
[40] Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
How quickly Israel goes astray. Moses was only gone for 40 days. Let’s go to Psalms 95 and verse 7 reads.
Psa.95:7] For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,
[8] Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
[9] When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.
[10] Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways:
[11] Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Jesus became our Rest, our Sabbath. Back to Acts 7 and verse 41 reads.
Acts 7:41] And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
Stephen has brought us unto Deuteronomy 32.
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?
Let’s go to Amos 5 and verse 24 reads.
Amos 5:24] But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
[25] Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
[26] But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.
[27] Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.
Back to Acts 7 and verse 43 reads.
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.
Knowing they would also make two golden calves later in the land of the ten northern tribes of Israel. One in Dan and the other in Samaria. Check out this word Remphan G4481 1. the name of an idol worshipped secretly by the Israelites in the wilderness. By incorrect transliteration for a word of Hebrew origin. That Hebrew word is H3594 Kîyûwn pronounced kee-yoon’. Chiun means; An image or pillar. 1. probably a statue of the Assyrian-Babylonian god of the planet Saturn and used to symbolize Israelite apostasy. Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun and attributed to Satan worship. Prophesied also that both the ten northern tribes and the house of Judah would commit these apostasies, let’s go to Jeremiah 25 and verse 9 reads.
Jer.25:9] Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
[10] Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
[11] And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
[12] And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.
Now we can understand a little better Jeremiah 3 and verse 8 reads.
Jer.3:8] And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
God divorced both the house of Israel and the house of Judah for adultery, worshipping a false god, Satan. Back to Acts 7 and verse 44 reads.
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.
Let’s go to Hebrews 8 and verse 4 reads.
Heb.8:4] For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
[5] Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
[6] But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
[7] For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
The tabernacle was an example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 I do not come to change the law, but to fulfill the law and the prophets. Back to Acts 7 and verse 45 reads.
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;
This Jesus is Joshua spoken in Greek. Not the Jesus they crucified. Stephen brings us to David now after Joshua brought God’s children into the land that was promised to Abraham.
Acts 7:46] Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
From 1Sam.16:1 through 2Sam.7:1 unto 1Kings 8:17. In one simple verse. Let’s go to where David confirms in Psalms 132 and verse 4 reads.
Psa.132:4] I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
[5] Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
[6] Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
[7] We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
[8] Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
It was not for David to build God a house because he had too much blood on his hands. Back to Acts 7 and verse 47 reads.
Acts 7:47] But Solomon built him an house.
David provided all that was needed for his son Solomon to build the house, including the very ground it was built on. We have moved all the way up to 1Kings by this point. Stephen has really been covering some ground.
Acts 7:48] Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
By this point Jesus has built his Holy Temple, that temple he promised those that would destroy his body. Let’s go to Isaiah 66 and verse 1 reads.
Isa.66:1] Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
[2] For all those things hath mine hand made, and those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
Everything that you use to build temples I have already created. There is nothing that you can create. Back to Acts and verse 49 reads.
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?
[50] Hath not my hand made all these things?
What Stephen says next will upset them greatly. He is our example for these end times, speak boldly and without apology. Remember these are the people who crucified our Lord Jesus Christ. These Kenites will also be the ones who persecute us in these end times.
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.
As their fathers did in the wilderness, so did they with Jesus and now with Stephen, they will also do with us in the end times. Let’s never forget 1Corinthians 10 and verse 11 reads.
1Cor.10:11] Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Remember the Holy Spirit is speaking through Stephen as he will speak through us when we are delivered up to Satan at the sixth trump. Back to Acts 7 and verse 52 reads.
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:
Your fathers killed all the prophets and now you have killed the Lord Jesus Christ who the prophets wrote would come. Let’s go to 2Chronicles 36 and verse 15 reads.
2Chron.36:15] And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
[16] But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Now let’s go to Luke 11 and Jesus is speaking in verse 50 and it reads.
Luke 11:50] That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
[51] From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
This word Generation is offspring, speaking of the offspring of Cain, Kenites. Back to Acts 7 and verse 53 reads.
Acts 7:53] Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
The Word of God was given to them and they called themselves keepers of the law, but kept it not.
Acts 7:54] When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
They would not receive the Word from Stephen either. They knew the Word but are the children of the serpent, that serpent seed that will also be with us in these end times. Look around, much evil is in the world today.
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,
[56] And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
This is exactly what God was talking about when he said; I will have them in derision. Speak boldly and without apology.
Acts 7:57] Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
[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.
This man Saul will become Paul, which means; little. I want you to notice that he didn’t himself throw a stone, but did hold their coats.
Acts 7:59] And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
I want you to hear his prayer for his own enemies to the Lord, let it be an example for us.
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.
He died praying for his enemies, remember Jesus said forgive one another or your sins won’t be forgiven. This is very hard to understand but it needs to be understood. Let’s go where Jesus taught us how to pray, Matthew 6 and verse 9 reads.
Mat.6:9] After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Holy is His name.
Mat.6:10] Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Jesus will return for a second advent. Come Lord Jesus, come.
Mat.6:11] Give us this day our daily bread.
Give us your Word daily and open our eyes to it.
Mat.6:12] And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Mat.6:13] And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
The prayer does not stop there, keep reading.
Mat.6:14] For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
[15] But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Great lesson today from Stephen. Know that he was an awesome example for us in these end times. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible