15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
We are not sure what changed about Stephen’s face at that moment in history. We don’t know if it glowed or how it changed. All we know is that something changed about his appearance and that change was supernatural. You would think that after seeing someone’s face change like that they would be convinced of the truth he was speaking. Certainly a miracle would change their minds! And yet, they continue down their path of murder. A miracle did not stop them from sinning. I am not ever sure that they stopped long enough to blink. They were “hell bent” on killing him and stopping his message. Their minds and hearts were so twisted at that time that even when a man’s face changes in appearance to that of an angel, they don’t even stop their destructive course of action. They are bent on bringing hell to earth. They of course think they are doing God’s will. In their minds they are preserving the traditions passed down to them. They think they are being obedient. Think about this for a moment. They are so bent they think murder is part of God’s plan! Sometimes we think if God would just do a miracle then people would believe. But miracles only help if someone has already responded to the call of the Spirit on their heart. Blind people can’t see a miracle. Deaf people can’t hear the sound. And we are spiritually blind and deaf until we respond in faith. The Sanhedrin were acting as a whole. I believe there were some who later came to faith in Jesus from this group. At this moment they were blind to what was happening right before them. But later, I am sure they wept as they recognized their part in the murder of Stephen. But the change in Stephen’s face, the miracle, did not persuade them from their murderous course. So next time we are tempted to ask God for a miracle in order to persuade someone to believe, think again. If God is not already working in their hearts, they will be unable to respond appropriately to His calling.
The Arnold Journey 