Opposition to Stephen

OPPOSITION TO STEPHEN

Stephen, the deacon, did a lot of great miracles and wonders among the people. Some members of the Synagogue of freedmen joined forces with the Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and the Asians to oppose him. 

When Stephen was brought before the High Priest, he asked Stephen whether it was true that he had performed the miracles. In his defense, Stephen narrated the history of Israel. 

According to him, God appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia and told him to leave his family and land to a place He was going to show him. Abraham left his people to Harran with his father. When his father died, he left for the land they were then living.

Stephen said God did not give Abraham any inheritance then. Not even enough space to set his foot. However, God promised to give the land to him as a permanent possession and to his descendants. At that time Abraham had not yet had any child.

God told Abraham that his descendants were going to sojourn in a foreign land and be enslaved for 400 years. God promised to punish the nation that enslaves the Israelites and the Israelites would escape and come back to possess the Promised Land.

According to Stephen, God made a covenant of circumcision with Abraham where he was told to circumcise his children on the eighth day. So when Isaac was born, he was circumcised. When Isaac gave birth to Jacob, Jacob was also circumcised. When Jacob also gave birth to the 12 Patriarchs, they were also circumcised.

The other sons of Jacob hated their brother, Joseph. In anger, they sold him into slavery in Egypt. In Egypt, God was with Joseph and he delivered him all his sufferings. Through wisdom and understanding, Joseph won the favour of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Pharaoh made Joseph, the head of his household and the ruler of Israel.  

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