BULLETIN ARTICLE – 22 April 2018
One of the Seven in the Jerusalem Church, Stephen, was being accused by the Jewish leaders for saying that Jesus will destroy the Jerusalem Temple and that he wanted to alter the customs that Moses handed down to the Israelites. His opponents saw in
Stephen’s preaching and teaching, a challenge to Judaism’s twin pillars of piety – the law of Moses and the Jerusalem Temple. The Temple was the special holy place where God’s presence dwelt and where Jews brought their sacrifices and offerings to God. The Temple was the place for the Jews to approach God, to cleanse themselves from sins, to bring their tithes and offerings, and to celebrate his provisions and blessings. It would be sacrilegious to speak of the destruction of such a holy place of worship. Where would God be found if the Temple was destroyed and no longer in existence? It is no wonder that the Jewish leaders were very angry with the preaching and teaching of Stephen and the Apostles.
The Jewish forefathers, during prophet Isaiah’s time, also did not understand when the prophet spoke of the Lord: This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word” (Isa 66:1-2). Even then in Stephen’s days, 700 years after Isaiah’s time, the Jews still held tightly and proudly to the Jerusalem Temple as a place of worship and immersed in all the rituals but their hearts were far from God and remained uncircumcised. They chose their own ways and delighted in their religious abominations.
Prophet Jeremiah also condemned the worthless worship of the Israelites in the Jerusalem Temple. They acted unjustly, oppressed the fatherless, the foreigners, stole, murdered, burnt incense to Baal “and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?” (Jer 7:10). What is the point of worship in the Temple when the people lived unholy lives. The Lord said: “For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you” (Jer 7:22-23). This was precisely what Stephen was saying to the Jews of his time. The Temple worship and the rituals given by God himself were not the only things that would be pleasing to God. God wants and expects OBEDIENCE – to his commands. Somewhere along the line, the Israelite leaders started to worship the law (Torah) itself, instead of the eternal God. Hence, the law and rituals became a stumbling block in their lives.
What is the lesson for us today? Going to church, singing songs of praise, serving in the ministries are all good and acceptable worship BUT we are to be more diligent and serious about obedience to God’s teachings in the Bible. In the wise words of the prophet Samuel to King Saul: TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE!
