Having thus mentioned the temple, Stephen took occasion to remind them, that though it had pleased the Lord to manifest His glory in the temple, and promise in a certain way to be present there, yet "the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet (Isaiah), Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?" Stephen spake with proper respect of the temple, whilst he tried to show the Jews that they now thought too _much_ of the temple, which was only a building set up in honour of the Lord God Almighty; and too _little_ of Him, in Whose honour and for Whose worship it had been set up. It seems probable that when Stephen spake of the temple, the Council interrupted him, and showed their determination not to listen to his teaching: for he now changed his tone entirely, and severely reproached them, saying, "Ye stiffnecked (or obstinate) and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One (the Messiah); of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers." Stephen also charged them with not having kept the Law which was given to them by God Himself, through the disposition or ministry of angels; in that they had not received Jesus, Who was the _object_ of that law. This plain speaking made the members of the Council, and all who were present, quite furious against Stephen. "When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth." Their rage had no effect on Stephen: supported by the Holy Spirit, by whose inspiration he had spoken, he had no fear of death: all his hope and trust were in heaven. Stephen was destined to be the first martyr; and now to strengthen his faith, and the faith of those who were still to remain and do their work on earth, it pleased the Lord to show to Stephen a glorious vision, as a proof that their crucified Master was really, as He had said, at the right hand of God in Heaven; and that having done everything exactly as He had predicted, He would most assuredly also fulfil the gracious promise, to "be with them alway even unto the end." Stephen, as we read, "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, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." These words, so full of comfort and encouragement to his fellow labourers, raised the fury of the unbelieving Jews to the highest pitch: "Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears," that they might hear no more of what they considered blasphemy. Nor was this all; without waiting for a trial, they at once "ran upon him with one accord, and