Connect Acts 7:50 with Genesis 1:1 on God's role as Creator. God’s All-Encompassing Ownership — Acts 7:50 “ ‘Has not My hand made all these things?’ ” • Stephen quotes Isaiah 66:2 to remind Israel’s leaders that every physical reality springs from God’s hand. • The rhetorical question underlines God’s unrivaled authorship, leaving no room for human self-sufficiency. The Foundational Declaration — Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” • Scripture opens by asserting that before anything existed, God already was. • “Created” (Hebrew bara) highlights a unique, effortless act—calling the universe into existence out of nothing. Connecting the Testimony • Genesis 1:1 presents the historical event; Acts 7:50 applies its ongoing significance. • Together they form a panoramic view: God as Creator (Genesis) and continual Owner (Acts). • The same hand that initiated creation in the beginning still sustains and claims it now (cf. Colossians 1:16-17). Key Themes That Emerge • Authority — Creation gives God the right to command, direct, and judge (Psalm 24:1). • Sovereignty — Nothing lies outside His jurisdiction; “all these things” in Acts covers both cosmos and minutiae (Hebrews 1:3). • Relationship — Because He fashioned us, we belong to Him; our purpose is bound up with His will (Revelation 4:11). Supporting Passages • Isaiah 40:26 — “Lift up your eyes and see: Who created these things?” • Jeremiah 10:12 — “He made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom.” • Nehemiah 9:6 — “You alone are the LORD; You made the heavens… and the host of heaven worships You.” Implications for Daily Living • Worship becomes a natural response when we grasp that every breath is crafted and sustained by God. • Stewardship follows: owning nothing, we manage everything as entrusted resources. • Confidence grows; the One who formed galaxies also oversees the details of our lives. |
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