Dearly beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, one of the greatest difficulties that God-fearing historians have is in trying to disentangle natural and supernatural causation in history. Frankly, I believe that it is impossible to do so, from the human side at least. God can disentangle it; you and I can no more do it in the records of the past than we can in analyzing our own decision-making. Why did you move to Gillette? How much of it was you, and how much was God? You can't answer that question with certainty. But though, as I said, this question can only be answered from the divine side, it is answered from the divine side here in Acts 7, at least for a few key moments in Israel's history. Stephen boldly asserts on at least seven occasions in this speech that God did something significant in Israel's historical life. Sometimes He intervened to bless, other times to judge — but both in blessing and judgment, He was always faithful to His people, His promises, and His character. Indeed, His intervention in Israel's history warns us today to serve Him with reverence and godly fear, for our God is an active deity and a consuming fire.
