THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 432

As we can see from Post 431, the woman narrowly escaped the wrath of religious zealots who thought that by adhering to their traditional religious teachings that they were doing God a great service.

But Saul (Paul) was more than a religious fanatic. Saul symbolized a religious fanatical terrorist raging against anyone who dared to preach or believe upon the name of JESUS. Further, during this time, Saul was intent upon making the general populace feel the impact of his authority. Saul was doing his job when he consented to the stoning of Stephen. In fact, Saul watched as the Jewish mob gnashed on Stephen with their teeth holding their ears in the name of religion.

Surely hearing Stephen calling upon God and likewise praying for God to forgive them for their actions, never reproved them. Indeed, even as Stephen prior to being stoned said to them, "You are uncircumcised [stiff-necked in your heart]people who always resists the Holy Spirit even as your fathers did before you" never moved their consciences. Instead, the crowd walked away as if they had done God a great service. In some sense, one could liken the situation to their foreskin being circumcised but their heart totally skinned over.

As the scriptures reveal, Saul continued on his head hunt mission undeterred. Still, JESUS seemed to take a long time before He confronted Saul. You may ask why JESUS not intervene earlier. Who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been His counselor?This example was the last call to the Jews. JESUS repeatedly and again with tears, even as He had previously done when He had wept over Jerusalem saying, "Jerusalem oh Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered you under my wings even as a chicken gathers her brood, and you will not come." Now your land is left to you desolate.

The Jews were about to get wiped off the face of the map but Stephen praying to JESUS the Christ IN God who sat upon the right hand of God prevented the right hand of God resulting in God withholding His wrath. Nevertheless, wrath took another route. The Jews immediately at that point in time were cut off becoming as all others in the world - as Mr. Nobodies. Of course, that is a hard pill for the Jews to swallow but swallow they must.

Yes, God cut them off so that He could open the door of Redemptive Salvation to the "whosoever" believes. Recall that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as being righteous (not because of works of righteousness which anyone has done but because of God’s grace and mercy which is openly displayed to all in the face of JESUS the Christ -- who is the child conceived by the SEED of the Holy Spirit who fathered Him. JESUS being God with us!

Yes, the message here is that God has a people. A people which had never previously been a people. This people came about as a result of the stoning of Stephen. The people who were previously known as God’s chosen were now cut off because of unbelief. Cut off nationally but not individually -- an important distinction -- from the Vine of God’s ways so that you and I and others from all nations could be grafted in through believing faith!