From a purely human perspective, this story is pretty terrible. In the midst of a sham trial with bribed witnesses before the Jewish High Council, Stephen was dragged out of town by a rioting mob in full stampede, where he was stoned to death. (7:57) Truly an awful scene.
Stephen was extraordinary in this moment. This brother in Christ, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, didn't back down in the face of persecution. Through the power of the Spirit, he rose to the occasion by passionately communicating the Grand Story of God's glory. He told the High Council what God had been doing throughout history to woo the Jews to Himself, and he didn't shy away from speaking the hard truth about this sinful generation who had killed the Messiah.
When the crowd became enraged by his words, and unruly, Scripture says Stephen hardly noticed - he only had eyes for God. (7:55) And as he was being stoned to death, Stephen knelt down and prayed loud enough for everyone to hear, asking God to forgive his killers. (7:59) Shocking.
Why in the world would God allow this to happen to his devoted servant?
My study of Revelation has helped me understand more about martyrs. In chapter 6, there's a scene where the martyrs of God are gathered under the Altar in heaven, crying out in loud prayers, "How long, Strong God, Holy and True? How long before you step in and avenge our murders?" (Rev. 6:10) In response, each martyr was given a white robe and told to sit back and wait until the full number of martyrs was filled from among their servant companions and friends in the faith. (Rev. 6:11)
This implies that our Sovereign God has a plan and purpose for martyrdom. It implies that there is a fixed number of people who have been predestined by God to make the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. While this is still a huge mystery to me, I'm amazed to see what a special place these martyrs have. They are the only servants mentioned as being under the Altar.
Later in Revelation, the seven bowls of God's wrath are poured out and appear to satisfy the martyrs seeking justice. (Rev. 16:7) God hears and sees what happens to His servants, and He will fully avenge the martyrs' deaths, in His timing.
Also, Stephen's death is the first time we see Saul/Paul in the Scriptures. (7:58) It's fascinating to think about the impact Stephen's martyrdom ultimately had on this important bystander.
"Most noteworthy is the influence of Stephen's life on the life of Paul. There can be little doubt that the murder of Stephen was the first wedge into the life of Paul, which resulted in his conversion and apostleship. As Augustine wrote, 'The church owes Paul to the prayers of Stephen.'" Eugene Peterson, Conversations, pg. 1694
"[W]hen the ambassador of Christ speaks the truth in love, and meets death with joy, a strange miracle occurs: the eyes of unbelievers are opened, they are enabled to see the truth of God, and this leads them to believe in the gospel...[T]housands and thousands of Christian martyrdoms over the centuries have produced the same results. Moreover, this was precisely what Tertullian had in mind when he wrote that the blood of the martyrs is the seed out of which new Christians are born. Many, many groups of people on this planet have testified that the darkness which had been over them was dissipated only when a missionary was killed there." Josef Tson, "Sufferings and Martyrdom: God's Strategy in the World"
As awful as the story of Stephen is, it gives me hope. It assures me that absolutely nothing is outside of God's sovereign control and that He uses everything to accomplish His Kingdom purposes, even things that are tragedies by human standards. Nothing is wasted, especially not the blood of martyrs, God's precious servants.
1 comment:
I LOVED this first thing this morning. It made me cry. For some reason the topic of martyrs gets me every time. It's one of the hardest and yet most beautiful things in the world to read that verse in Revelation. It's one I go back to often for comfort and motivation. Although many I know are disturbed by it, I find it to be so freeing, especially in the context of missions. Love the faith and life of Stephen. Thanks for sharing this friend. Much to think on this morning.
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