Israel’s rejection of the Holy Spirit at Stephen’s stoning marked the crescendo of the nation’s rejection, after which Israel fell into dispersion and God turned to the Gentiles.
Les Feldick teaches that Israel rejected the Father, rejected the Son, and then rejected the Holy Spirit when they stoned Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit. From that point, Israel slid down into dispersion, the temple was taken away in A.D. 70, and God turned from Israel to the Gentiles.
Acts 7:54-55 — This is the moment when the Jewish council reacted with hostility to Stephen, who was full of the Holy Spirit, and it sets up the stoning that Les identifies as Israel’s rejection of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 7:58 — This verse records the actual stoning of Stephen and introduces Saul, the man God would use as the narrative shifts from Israel to the Gentiles.
In Acts 7, Stephen is described as being full of the Holy Spirit. When he spoke to the Jewish council, they were cut to the heart and gnashed on him with their teeth. Stephen looked steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. The council then cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, ran upon him with one accord, cast him out of the city, and stoned him. The witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man whose name was Saul. As Stephen was stoned, he prayed, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” and then fell asleep.
Les Feldick teaches that Israel’s rejection of God reached its crescendo in Acts 7. Israel had rejected the Father by killing the prophets and rejected the Son when they killed Christ. Then, in Acts 7, they had the opportunity to respond to the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, but they stoned Stephen, who was full of the Holy Spirit. Les identifies this as the rejection of the Holy Spirit and shows from that point Israel slides down into dispersion, the temple is destroyed in A.D. 70, and God turns to the Gentiles. The rest of Acts shows the narrative shifting from Peter and the nation of Israel to Saul’s conversion, the Gentile household of Cornelius, and the coming into view of the Church/Body of Christ.
Les explains the sequence this way: Israel killed the prophets God sent, rejected the Son in the parable of the husbandman, and then, in Acts 7, had the opportunity to come under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Instead, they stoned Stephen, a man who was full of the Holy Spirit. The clip where Les teaches this is titled “The Unpardonable Sin: What It Really Means for Israel,” tying the stoning of Stephen to the rejection of the third Person of the Trinity.
Les says the crescendo of Israel’s rejection came when they stoned Stephen in Acts 7. He describes the nation as saying, “We will not have this man to rule over us.” From that point on, Israel just slides down into dispersion and the temple is taken away in A.D. 70.
Les describes the book of Acts as the fall of the nation of Israel. After Stephen’s stoning, God introduces Saul of Tarsus to the scene. In chapter 10, Peter goes to the house of a Gentile, Cornelius. Chapter 11 briefly mentions Peter again, and after that Peter is no longer mentioned through the rest of Acts. The narrative moves away from Israel’s promised blessings and toward the Gentiles and the Church.
Les says the rejection “isn’t exactly final.” He uses the word “crescendo” rather than a final end. Still, he teaches that Israel falls away while the Gentiles come up and the Church comes into view, with the book of Acts functioning as the transitional account of this change.
Stephen, Full of the Holy Spirit
Les draws attention to Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit and to the council’s hostile reaction, showing that Israel’s rejection in Acts 7 was aimed at the Holy Spirit.
The Crescendo of Israel’s Rejection
Les identifies Stephen’s stoning as the crescendo of Israel’s rejection, after which Israel slides into dispersion, the temple is destroyed, and God turns to the Gentiles.
Acts as the Fall of Israel
Les re-frames Acts as the fall of the nation of Israel rather than just the birth of the Church, since Israel finally rejects her Messiah completely.
Rejection of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Les explains the sequence: Israel killed the prophets, killed the Son, and then stoned Stephen, who represented the Holy Spirit.
The Narrative Shift to Saul and Cornelius
Les shows the book of Acts moving from Peter and Israel to Saul’s conversion, the Gentile Cornelius, and then the end of Peter’s prominence in the narrative.
Saul Introduced at Stephen’s Stoning
At the stoning of Stephen, Israel reaches its pinnacle of rejection and God introduces Saul of Tarsus to the scene.
Peter’s Continuing Appeal to Israel
Les sets up the context that Peter, in the early chapters of Acts, was still appealing to Israel as an extension of Old Testament prophecy; Israel rejected all of that.
Stephen the Deacon, Full of the Spirit
Les notes that Stephen was not one of the twelve but one of the seven deacons, yet he was full of the Holy Spirit, making the stoning an attack on the Holy Spirit.
Acts 7:54: When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
This shows the hostile reaction of the Jewish council immediately before they stoned Stephen.
Acts 7:55: But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
This verse emphasizes that Stephen was full of the Holy Spirit at the very moment of Israel’s rejection.
Acts 7:58: And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
This records the stoning itself and introduces Saul, the man who would be central to the coming Gentile age.
Acts 7:59: And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Stephen’s final words show his faithfulness even while being stoned for his testimony.
Acts 7:60: And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Stephen’s prayer for forgiveness reflects the mercy of God even at the moment of Israel’s climactic rejection.
Les says yes. He points out that Stephen was a man full of the Holy Spirit, and Israel stoned him. So when they stoned Stephen, they rejected the opportunity to come under the influence of the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.
According to Les, Israel slid down into dispersion, the temple was taken away in A.D. 70, and God turned to the Gentiles. The book of Acts then shows the narrative shifting from Peter and the Jews to Saul’s conversion and the Gentile house of Cornelius.
Les specifically says the rejection “isn’t exactly final.” He calls Stephen’s stoning the crescendo of Israel’s rejection, but the clip evidence does not elaborate on any future restoration.
Watch the Teaching: The Unpardonable Sin: What It Really Means for Israel