Acts 7:52
“Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,”
Stephen now disassociates himself with these men, saying “your” and not “our” fathers. He is speaking to them, what Jesus had already said to these very men in Luke 11. Stephen is talking about Jesus and uses the term “Righteous One” from the book of Isaiah. These men would be acquainted with this verse, as Stephen identifies Jesus as the Righteous One, and the seriousness of their crime. These men, were chosen by God, anointed for blessing, but betrayed God and murderer His Son. All this was in
God’s Sovereign hand
To send His Son
To die for all sin
Even though these wicked men, afraid to lose their power and control killed Jesus in their own will, this was foretold in the Scripture and carried out within God’s plan. Father God, nothing is outside of Your plan, even all that seems so wrong. You are only good, but use bad and evil for Your perfect plan that glorifies You, and is ultimately good for Your people. Help me to have this perspective in all things, including the details of my one life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACTION: Trust God in the details