Something similar can be said for many of the traditions handed down by the Jews. Certainly, not all traditions are problematic. The Fiddler on the Roof movie portrays well how tradition can keep a community together and be a positive thing. But not all traditions are reliable and good. We must evaluate each one, and discard any that contradict the Word of God. In this case, the Spirit Being who led the Israelites in the wilderness was not evil - He only seemed so in the minds of those who were carnal.
Remember, the Israelites carried idols with them throughout their time in the wilderness (Amos 5:25-26; Acts 7:42-43). Their idols seemed good to them, but the true God did not. God's way of life undoubtedly seemed devilish - it was chaffing and constraining, which is one reason they always complained. They did not see the true God as a force for good in their lives. They believed He was bent on their destruction (Deuteronomy 1:27-28). Joshua rebuked Israel because, as he said, serving the true God seemed evil to them (Joshua 24:15)! The Israelites accepted Baal, Molech, and other demons, and yet, as Stephen told the council during his trial, the fathers always resisted the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51).
Isaiah castigated ancient Judah for calling evil good and good evil, for putting darkness for light and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20). Their backwards judgment was still on display during Christ's ministry, which is why He denounced their traditions that interfered with true worship. The Jewish leadership considered the Son of God to be evil, and they put to death their own Messiah. If they were unable to identify God in the flesh when He walked among them, how trustworthy is their folklore about a spirit being in the wilderness?
Stephen had called them out on their hypocrisy and they were cut to the heart. My margin says they were furious. They became as ravenous wolves, gnashing at him with their teeth. The King James version renders this scripture, "They gnashed on him with their teeth." Were they so furious at the hearing of the truth that they literally bit him? Truth being the key word here, for there was no blasphemy and they judged wrongly, killing an innocent servant of God. They did not want to hear the truth. They were comfortable with their position in the synagogue, and this young punk was dangerous and he had to be silenced. "Who does he think he is anyway? And where does he get his education?"
