Israel reached the crescendo of its rejection when the Jewish people stoned Stephen in Acts chapter 7.
Les Feldick explicitly teaches that Stephen's stoning marks the crescendo point of Israel's rejection—not her acceptance. The nation had already killed the prophets and rejected the Son, and in Acts 7 they also resisted the Holy Spirit by stoning Stephen. From that point on, Israel's future in the Book of Acts went all downhill.
Acts 7:58 — This verse records the actual stoning of Stephen, the event Les identifies as Israel's crescendo of rejection.
Acts 7:51-52 — Stephen's charge that Israel always resisted the Holy Spirit and killed the prophets who announced the coming Just One.
In Acts 7, Stephen, a man full of the Holy Spirit, reviews Israel's history and confronts the nation with its long pattern of resistance. He tells them, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51). He then reminds them that their fathers persecuted and killed the prophets who spoke beforehand of the coming of the Just One (Acts 7:52). The Scripture then records that the people "cast him out of the city, and stoned him," laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul (Acts 7:58). As Stephen dies, he prays, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," and "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:59-60).
Les teaches that the stoning of Stephen marks the crescendo point of Israel's rejection—not her acceptance (Clip 1). He connects this to the parable of the vineyard owner: Israel had killed the prophets, then rejected and killed the Son, and now in Acts 7 they stone Stephen, the one through whom the Holy Spirit was appealing (Clip 2). Stephen's historical sermon, in Les's words, is like "the dagger into the heart of the nation," causing the Jews to squirm rather than repent (Clip 5). Les also notes that the nation's anger was aroused instead of godly fear and conviction (Clip 7). After Stephen's stoning, the future of the nation of Israel, especially in the Book of Acts, is all downhill (Clip 3).
Les explains that for about seven years after Pentecost, Peter and the eleven had been presenting Israel with their King, reminding the nation that even though they had crucified Him, God had raised Him from the dead and He could still be their King. Stephen makes the same appeal to the nation, taking them through their own history to show that the One they killed was their Messiah. Stephen also charges them directly, saying, "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye."
Les says Israel reached the crescendo point of her rejection—not acceptance—by declaring through their actions, "we will not have this man to rule over us." He links this to the parable of the husbandman: after rejecting the prophets and killing the Son, Israel now stones Stephen, showing what they were doing with the Holy Spirit's appeal. Rather than allowing the message to bring conviction and godly fear, the Jews' anger was aroused, and they stoned Stephen.
At the moment of Israel's pinnacle of rejection, Saul of Tarsus is introduced into the narrative—the witnesses laid their clothes at his feet. Les observes that at this very point, as Israel reaches her crescendo of rejection, God brings a new figure onto the scene. He also states that from the stoning of Stephen onward, the future of the nation of Israel, especially in the Book of Acts, is all downhill.
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The Crescendo of Rejection
Les directly identifies the stoning of Stephen as the point where Israel reaches the crescendo of her rejection, saying the nation was telling God, 'we will not have this man to rule over us.'
Prophets, Son, and Holy Spirit Rejected
Les explains that Israel had rejected the prophets, rejected the Son, and now in Acts 7 rejected the Holy Spirit by stoning Stephen.
Israel's Future Goes Downhill
Les states that after Stephen is stoned, the future of the nation of Israel in the Book of Acts is all downhill.
Accusation of Resisting the Holy Spirit
Les reads Stephen's accusation that the nation always resists the Holy Spirit, just as their fathers did.
The Dagger in the Nation's Heart
Les pictures Stephen as putting the dagger into the heart of the nation through his historical sermon, making them squirm.
Seven Years of Appeal
Les notes that Peter and the eleven had been presenting Israel with their King for about seven years before Stephen's appeal.
Anger Instead of Conviction
Les shows that Stephen's message aroused the Jews' anger rather than godly fear and conviction, leading to the stoning.
Acts 7:51: Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Stephen directly accuses Israel of a long-standing pattern of resisting the Holy Spirit, which Les ties to the stoning.
Acts 7:52: Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Stephen reminds Israel that they killed the prophets who announced the Messiah, and then killed the Messiah Himself.
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 is the moment of Stephen's stoning, which Les identifies as Israel's crescendo of rejection.
Acts 7:59-60: And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 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 dying prayer shows his character even as the nation reaches its point of violent rejection.
Les uses this phrase to describe the highest point of Israel's refusal to accept God's rule. He places that point at Stephen's stoning in Acts 7, when the nation was, in effect, saying that it did not want Christ to rule over it. It was the climax of rejection, not acceptance.
According to Les, Israel had already killed God's prophets, and in the parable of the vineyard owner they also rejected and killed the Son. In Acts 7 Stephen shows the same pattern continuing when the nation resists the Holy Spirit. This makes Stephen's stoning the culmination of a long history of rejection.
Saul was the young man at whose feet the witnesses laid their clothes when they stoned Stephen. Les highlights that Saul is introduced into the narrative at the very moment Israel reaches the pinnacle of her rejection.
Watch the Teaching: From Adam to the Rapture: God's Plan for the Ages