I See the Heavens Opened

When the council grew angry, Stephen did not keep looking at their faces. He looked up.

He gazed into heaven. Stephen, “being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven” (Acts 7:55). Gazed means looked steadily, without looking away.

What he saw. He “saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (7:55). The angry room was not the whole picture.

An old prayer. Long before, one of God’s people prayed, “Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens” (Psalm 123:1).

Like a servant. The psalm says, “as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters” (Psalm 123:2). A servant watched his master’s hand to know what to do and to receive what he needed.

Waiting for mercy. “So our eyes look to the Lord our God, Until He has mercy on us” (Psalm 123:2). Mercy means kindness we do not deserve.

Looking up in trouble. The writer of that psalm was surrounded by proud people who mocked him (Psalm 123:3-4). He did not give up. He looked up.

Another prayer. “But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; In You I take refuge” (Psalm 141:8). A refuge is a safe place to run to.

Stephen did it. Stephen’s eyes were on the Lord, and the Lord was his refuge, even when the people around him were against him.

Looking to Jesus. The Bible tells every believer to keep “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Why we can look up. We are sinners, and on our own we could not look to a holy God without fear. But Jesus died for our sins and rose again, and now we can look to Him with hope.

Not alone. Stephen was not alone in that room. No one who belongs to Jesus is ever alone. The same Lord who saw Stephen sees you at school, at home and at night when you cannot sleep.

A habit. Stephen was already “full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5) before that day. Most likely he had been looking to God for a long time. Looking up is something we can practice every day.

What we learn. When things are hard, where we look matters. God’s people look up to Him.

What to do. When you are scared or someone is unkind to you, stop and look up in prayer. Tell God, “My eyes are upon You.”

Stephen said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:56). Where is Jesus now, and what is He doing?

Peter’s answer. Jesus “has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Peter 3:22).

Gone into heaven. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Then God raised Him from the dead, and He went back to heaven. He did not stay in the tomb.

The right hand. In Bible times, the seat at a king’s right hand was the place of highest honor and power. Jesus rules beside God the Father.

Made subject. Made subject means placed under someone’s rule. Every power has to answer to Jesus.

Angels. The mighty angels of heaven serve Jesus and obey Him. They are strong, but they bow to Him.

Authorities and powers. Every ruler and every power, in heaven and on earth, even the evil ones, is under Jesus.

The council. The council thought it had power over Jesus. They had condemned Him, and they rushed at Stephen. But Jesus was over them all. They could close their ears, but they could not take away His throne.

Standing. Jesus had told the council that He would sit at the right hand of the power of God (Luke 22:69), the place Daniel saw given to the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13). Stephen saw Him standing. Many Christians see this as Jesus rising to welcome His faithful servant home.

Why He suffered. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). The King over every power first died for sinners.

He prays for us. The risen Jesus “also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:34).

One day. God’s people will see Him face to face: “They shall see His face” (Revelation 22:4).

What we learn. No power is bigger than Jesus. Not a bully, not a sickness, not fear, not even death.

What to do. When you feel small or afraid, remember who is at God’s right hand. Tell Jesus that you trust Him.