Tents and Visions: Of Presence and Hope

Many people resisted God, to the point of murder.

Stephen was dragged before the Sanhedrin and accused of blasphemy.

Stephen a man that was said to be “full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people” was dragged before the Sanhedrin because Hellenistic Jews lied and accused him of blasphemy. At the end of Stephen’s long speech about the unfaithfulness and unbelief of the Jews,

Stephen spoke of the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting)

David petitioning for a habitation of God but was denied.

But Solomon built the Temple as a dwelling place for God, but acknowledged that “the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands” in agreement with Isaiah.

1 Kings 8:27 NIV

“But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!

God does not need a house to rest in.

In ancient farming techniques, Oxen were used to plow the field. Oxen had to take on a yoke to pull the plow, but if the oxen refused to submit to taking the yoke by stiffening their necks, not bowing them; the plowing cannot begin.

Stiff-necked in regard to people - stubborn, intractable spirit of a people not responsive to the guiding of their God. (Deuteronomy 9:4-19; Jeremiah 17:21-25 & 27; Hebrews 3:7–13)

They would not even hear what Stephen was saying to them, just as many of the fathers of their culture also would not listen to the prophets of their time, and therefore they resisted the call of the Holy Spirit.

The law was given to Moses on the mountain by God who was attended by the angels, and at the same time, the announcement of Jesus coming into the world by the angels, but yet both were utterly rejected.

Of course, the Sanhedrin became angry, they were being judged according to their own standards and found lacking.

Then Stephen has a vision of Jesus standing beside God in heaven. To the orthodox Jew, this would only be interpreted as blasphemous in opposition to the Sh’ma, “The Lord our God, the Lord is One.”

Unless, they followed the flow of thought of the message and opened their heart to receive the call of the Holy Spirit, they would remain “stiff-necked.”

Their refusal to think and hear the message drove them to the madness of hate and to murder Stephen, without the courtesy of a trial. The mob rose up in anger, yelling, dragging him our of the city and threw stones at him.

At the same time, these people were submitting to the authority of Saul.

Saul may not have done the actual stoning, but he could have used his authority to stop them, instead he gives approval. He is culpable for Stephen’s death as well as many other believers as persecution broke out in Jerusalem, as if he had done it himself.

Trouble in the World: Sometimes we resist God, even though how we are currently living is harmful.

Today, we might find ourselves resistant to the commands of God, even when what we are doing is harming ourselves or others.

Have you ever gone on a trip with children in the back seat of the car?

How long did it take for them to become unsettled, trying to find something to entertain or distract them?

Traveling with my nieces and nephews usually takes choosing a favorite DVD or cartoon. But, sometimes even that is not enough. Then, the shenanigans start, someone starts complaining in annoyance, someone else throws a drink container, and maybe someone yells, “MOM! He’s touching me! OR, She’s on my side!” If this behavior goes on long enough, adults may threaten to pull over the car.

Maybe you know at least one child that just seems to continually, stubbornly misbehave, and maybe you have exclaimed, “I just don’t know what else to do, they just won’t listen to me.”

You would think that adults don’t behave this way, but experience shows us otherwise.

Like the unbelieving Jews who just did not listen to the prophets, we may throw a fit about something that we just don’t like or don’t want to do because it is uncomfortable. Sometimes, this happens even though what we are currently familiar with is harmful to ourselves and others.

Have you ever been described as stubborn, obstinate, stiff-necked, or hardheaded?

Were you proud to be described that way?

How do you take such comments when they accurately depict your spirit?

Our automatic reactions to accusations usually tell us something about how we think or feel about ourselves.

Who wants to be judged publicly like the unbelieving Jews were by Stephen? It does not give good feelings but feelings of distress.

Grace in the Text: God gave Stephen a vision of Jesus.

Notes:

Stephen points out that God instructed that the Tabernacle of meeting be built so that the people would remember the covenant that God made with them, to be present with them and all nations blessed though them. The tabernacle was with them wherever they went.

The land that was promise to them was cleared for them and given to them, solely by God’s grace.

Stephen points out:

1. God always loved people who do good.

2. He never loved people who continually do evil.

God does not need a house to rest in, God rests with God’s people.

The Tent of Meeting was representative of God’s presence meeting God’s people.

Uncircumcised heart – circumcision both represents covenant and cleanliness of the people of God for God’s purposes. Keeping covenant with God in faith and intention is desired over the sacrifice of the flesh. Cleanliness of a heart in trust and obedience to God in purity, in the message of the grace of God in salvation.

Stephen would have felt incredibly blessed by the vision of Jesus Christ standing to the right of the throne of God, affirming what Jesus said about himself and Stephen’s faith in him justified.

While still being stoned, Stephen prayed to have his spirit received and that God would forgive those killing him, as Jesus had done. God honored his prayer.

But the persecution was transformed into good, the message of salvation in Jesus Christ was spread throughout Judea and Samaria and later, the whole world.

Stephen was honored in death by faithful men and women of God, while Saul set out to destroy the church. Again, that evil will be transformed by the revelation of God made flesh in Jesus Christ.

Grace in the World: Today, we can see visions Jesus.

Notes:

Where to you see visions of Jesus?

Do you see them in the love shared among family and friends?

Do you see them in the act of sharing a meal?

Do you hear them in the care and concern expressed in their speech?

Have you literally had a vision of Jesus Christ being with you?

Are you willing to bear witness to your experiences?

This is what the Great Commission is about: sharing Jesus with others in hopes that they will see Jesus too.

The greatest vision of God that the disciples had was Jesus living and loving.

How do we help others to see Jesus Christ when words are not enough?

By imitating Jesus Christ as much as possible in character and action.

How do we stay away from living with a stiff-necked?

By bowing our heads in humility to our Lord who intervenes to restore us and all of Creation back into relation to God. Whether that is accomplished in life or after life, those who hold to faith in him by the power of the Holy Spirit will live into their calling.