PT-1 "Spiritual Blindness and Spiritual Sight" (Acts 7:55b-57)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/26/2017 10:33 PM

My Worship Time                                      Focus:  PT-1 “Spiritual Blindness and Spiritual Sight”

Bible Reading & Mediation                                                  Reference:  Acts 7:55b-57

            Message of the verses:  “he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; 56 and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse.”

            As we look at the beginning of verse 55b we see that Stephen was “gazing intently into heaven,” and as we look at Colossians 3:1 we see what Paul wrote “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”  Stephen in the midst of his circumstances was doing what Paul tells us to do, looking for Jesus who is seated at the right hand of God.  Now I realize that we probably will not see what Stephen saw, but as we keep looking above we will then live a life that is pleasing to the Lord as we seek the things above.  Now Stephen actually did see “the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”  Others have had the opportunity to gaze into heaven.  Isaiah did, and so did Ezekiel, Paul did too as seen I 2 Corinthians 12:2-4.  John did in Revelation 4:1 and following.  It was God who opened Stephen’s eyes to see the blazing Shekineh glory and this revealed the actual presence of God the Father, along with Jesus standing at His right hand.  Stephen was honored to be the first one to see the glorified state of Jesus Christ in heaven after his ascension.

            John MacArthur writes “Elsewhere in the New Testament, Jesus is described as being seated at the right hand of God (Matt. 22:44; 24:64; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:34; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:11-12; 12:2).  He is seated in terms of His redemptive work, which is forever completed (Heb. 10:12).  Stephen sees Jesus standing to show His concern for him.  He also stands to welcome Stephen into heaven.”  I am thankful for reading this section as I have had questions about the standing and seating of Christ in heaven and this helps to clear it up.

            Now since it is Sunday evening and has been a long day I will stop here and pick up the rest of this section in our next SD.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Mahershalalhashbaz” (Isaiah 8:1).

Today’s Bible question:  “What evidence did the spies bring back to show that Canaan was a good land?”

Answer in our next SD.

11/26/2017 10:53 PM