Right before Stephen succombed to the stoning that ended his physical life, he looked up and saw a vision. Perhaps it was even a glimpse into Heaven. He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father. In the midst of a dramatic story, this little detail might get lost. Elsewhere in Scripture it is pointed out that Jesus has the prestigious spot of sitting at the right hand of the Father, kind of like a king's "right-hand man." It's a place of great honor. Like a military man who chooses to salute a fellow soldier, Jesus apparently stood up, as if to say, "Well done. Come on home." That guy, Stephen -- he was a hero.
Caleb and Joshua are other biblical heroes. Cowards among them, 10 of the 12 spies sent out to spy out the land (in Numbers 13 & 14), described the people in the land as "giants" and themselves as "grasshoppers." I wonder if this offended God at all, since He had sent locusts (a bug somewhat similar to grasshoppers) as a plague upon Egypt not too long before; and here were some of those rescued people refering to themselves as like grasshoppers. I dunno... But when all the Israelites wept and grumbled and cired, "If only we had died in Egypt..." I bet that got God kind of angry.
It appears that was the case, as anyone over 20 (except Caleb and Joshua) was told that they would die before entering the promised land. It was like God was giving them what they asked for. That was a good time to be under 20 years old!
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at December 10, 2004 09:25 AM