Acts 7:56
“and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!””
What does Acts 7:56 mean?
Stephen, facing death for his faith, had a vision of Jesus standing at God's right hand, a position of honor and power. This moment gave him extraordinary courage, because he could see that Jesus was vindicated and present with him, even as his accusers prepared to stone him. The image of "heavens opened" suggests a sudden, unmistakable glimpse into God's reality breaking through into our ordinary world, reassuring Stephen that his suffering wasn't pointless or unseen. When Stephen shared what he saw, his witnesses (including a young man named Saul, who would later become Paul) heard him claim to see something only faith could confirm, which only deepened their anger against him.