Acts 7 49

Acts 7:49 kjv

Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Acts 7:49 nkjv

'Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest?

Acts 7:49 niv

"?'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?

Acts 7:49 esv

"'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest?

Acts 7:49 nlt

'Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?'
asks the LORD.
'Could you build me such a resting place?

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 49 Meaning

This verse, a direct quotation from Isaiah 66:1-2, proclaims God's ultimate transcendence and universal dominion. It means that God, as the Sovereign Ruler of all creation, cannot be confined or adequately housed within any man-made structure, including the Temple in Jerusalem. Heaven is the seat of His infinite authority and power, and the earth itself, vast as it is to humans, is merely a humble footstool under His feet. The rhetorical questions emphasize the futility and misunderstanding inherent in attempts to build God a dwelling place or to define where He truly "rests," as if He were limited like humans. God's true dwelling and presence transcend all physical locations and human constructions.

Acts 7 49 Context

Acts chapter 7 contains Stephen's long sermon, a pivotal moment in early Christian history. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, is brought before the Sanhedrin on false charges, including speaking against the Temple and the Law. In his defense, Stephen recounts the history of Israel from Abraham to Solomon, meticulously demonstrating that God's presence was never exclusively confined to the Temple in Jerusalem. He points out that God first appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia, long before any land or temple, and spoke to Moses in the desert. The Tabernacle, a mobile dwelling, preceded the Temple and was God's dwelling during Israel's wanderings. Stephen's aim is to correct the prevailing Jewish overemphasis on the physical Temple, which had become a symbol of their nationalistic pride and a substitute for genuine faith in God Himself. By quoting Isaiah 66:1-2, Stephen directly challenges the notion that the grand Temple in Jerusalem could contain the transcendent God of the universe. This powerful polemic exposes their misunderstanding of God's nature and prefigures the new covenant reality where God's presence indwells believers.

Acts 7 49 Word analysis

• Heaven (οὐρανός, ouranos): Refers to the physical sky and, more profoundly, the abode of God and heavenly beings. Here, it denotes God's primary and infinitely vast domain, underscoring His transcendence beyond any earthly structure. It implies God's elevated, sovereign, and boundless nature.
• is (ἐστιν, estin): A straightforward verb of being, affirming a direct identity.
• my throne (μου θρόνος, mou thronos): "My" (μου, mou) emphasizes divine ownership and authority. "Throne" (θρόνος, thronos) signifies absolute sovereign rule, authority, and majesty. It's the seat from which a king reigns. God's throne in heaven signifies His universal reign over all creation.
• and (δὲ, de): Connective particle, often implying "but" or "and indeed," providing emphasis to the contrast or relationship.
• earth (ἡ γῆ, hē gē): The planet, the created world. In context, it represents the entire physical realm accessible to humanity, a vast space from a human perspective.
• my footstool (μου ὑποπόδιον, mou hypopodion): "My" again indicating divine possession. "Footstool" (ὑποπόδιον, hypopodion) is a humble item placed before a throne or seat for resting one's feet. Metaphorically, it implies complete dominion and subjugation of what it supports. For God, the entire earth is under His complete control and utterly subservient to His will, highlighting His immense power and sovereignty.
• what house (ποῖον οἶκον, poion oikon): "What kind of house?" (ποῖον, poion) is a rhetorical interrogative, expressing incredulity and implying the impossibility or inadequacy of any house. "House" (οἶκον, oikon) refers to a dwelling place or building, specifically here the Temple.
• will ye build (οἰκοδομήσετέ μοι, oikodomēsete moi): "Will you build" (οἰκοδομήσετέ, oikodomēsete) signifies human effort and construction. "Me" (μοι, moi) implies offering it to God. The rhetorical question challenges the idea that human hands can construct something fitting or necessary for the omnipresent God.
• me? (μοι, moi): Dative case of "I," showing God as the indirect object.
• saith (λέγει, legei): Present tense, indicating an authoritative declaration.
• the Lord (Κύριος, Kyrios): The title of divine authority, frequently used in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) for Yahweh (YHWH), God's covenant name. It underlines the divine origin and unquestionable truth of the statement.
• or (ἢ, ē): Connective particle introducing an alternative, parallel rhetorical question.
• what is the place (τίς τόπος, tis topos): "What kind of place?" (τίς, tis) similar to "what house," emphasizing the impossibility of specifying a physical location. "Place" (τόπος, topos) refers to a specific geographic spot.
• of my rest? (τῆς καταπαύσεώς μου, tēs katapauseōs mou): "Of my" again indicates divine possession. "Rest" (καταπαύσεώς, katapauseōs) implies a settled, final, or permanent dwelling place, a cessation of wandering. This concept often relates to God leading Israel into the Promised Land for "rest." Here, applied to God Himself, it challenges the notion that He requires a static "place of rest" like humans do, for He is eternally present everywhere.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool": This majestic parallelism asserts God's absolute sovereignty and immense scale. His presence encompasses all reality, both heavenly and earthly, rendering any single structure inconsequential for His dwelling. It's an idiom demonstrating God's supreme authority, where heaven is His dominion and earth is beneath His feet.
• "what house will ye build me? saith the Lord": This rhetorical question highlights the absurdity of human attempts to contain the uncontainable God. It implies an accusation against human arrogance or a misunderstanding of divine nature. The inclusion of "saith the Lord" reinforces that this isn't Stephen's personal opinion but a divinely revealed truth from scripture.
• "or what is the place of my rest?": This second rhetorical question serves as a strong parallel, further underscoring the impossibility of localizing God. It challenges the human-centric idea that God needs a specific geographical location to "rest" or reside, as if weary or confined, emphasizing God's omnipresence and boundless energy.

Acts 7 49 Bonus section

• Stephen's choice of Isaiah 66:1-2 is highly significant, as Isaiah chapter 66 is the very last chapter of that prophetic book and ends with a strong indictment against those who rigidly cling to the law and temple, contrasting them with those who have a humble and contrite spirit. It signals a new era of worship not centered on a physical building.
• The concept of God using the earth as a "footstool" is an ancient Near Eastern image of divine or imperial conquest and control. By employing this imagery, God emphasizes His supreme dominion over all earthly affairs, rendering any human attempt to build Him a "house" a futile and almost humorous endeavor from His eternal perspective.
• Stephen’s sermon, and specifically this verse, forms a crucial bridge from the Old Covenant focus on a physical temple to the New Covenant understanding that God dwells in His people through the Holy Spirit. The tearing of the temple curtain at Christ's death (Matt 27:51) symbolically represented this shift: access to God was no longer limited by physical barriers but made possible through Jesus.
• This verse contributes to the understanding of Jesus's earlier declaration that He was the "temple" (John 2:19-21), suggesting that God's presence would be uniquely embodied in Christ and subsequently in His body, the Church, not in a material edifice.

Acts 7 49 Commentary

Acts 7:49 stands as a powerful declaration of God's limitless nature, quoted by Stephen directly from Isaiah 66:1-2. In the face of Jewish leaders who rigidified their faith around the Temple in Jerusalem, Stephen asserted that the transcendent Creator of the universe cannot be confined to any building. Heaven itself is God's sovereign seat, and the vast earth merely a humble support for His divine authority. This verse critiques the misplaced emphasis on external, physical structures or rituals, arguing that true worship and understanding of God must acknowledge His omnipresence and spiritual nature. God's dwelling is not primarily a geographical location but a relational presence, culminating in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within believers. Practically, this means we must guard against reducing God to institutions or limited sacred spaces, recognizing that He seeks worshippers who engage Him "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24), dwelling in our hearts rather than in buildings made with human hands.