Read Acts 6: 6-8 and Acts 7: 51-60
- Summary of Stephen's last words and what impressed me
- What I learned about the godhead
Compare to Mosiah 17: 7-20
- Similarities between Stephen and Abinadi's deaths
- What impact their final testimonies have on me
Acts 7:51-53
In Stephen's last words, he declares to the people their stiffneckedness and their hard hearts ("uncircumcised hearts"). He declares the wicked traditions of their fathers; as the fathers ignored the Holy Ghost, so have these people. He calls them betrayers and murderers as prosecutors of the prophets. He speaks of the people's sin in breaking the laws that have come from the angels.
I am impressed by the way Stephen speaks with boldness in this passage. He really calls the people out on their wicked behavior such as resisting the Holy Ghost, persecuting the prophets, and breaking the commandments. In this passage it speaks about the godhead. Verse 56 states, "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." Christ was standing as a separate personage on the right hand of God, our Heavenly Father. They are two separate beings.
Mosiah 17: 7-20
Stephen and Abinadi's deaths are similar because they are both martyrs and both died an awful death. Stephen was stoned to death and Abinadi was burned to death. Their final testimonies are full of boldness. Abinadi was told he was going to be put to death and he still declared the truthfulness of his words. He was not ashamed to declare the truth. Even in the act of being burned Abinadi prophesies of the death that will come to King Noah. "He would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death" (Mosiah 17:20). I am grateful for Abinadi's example and I hope I can be as bold and unashamed as he was when it comes to declaring what I know to be true.
