Acts 7:17-43 – Stephen: Moses
The Living Word With Chuck Davis
Acts 7:17-43 – Stephen: Moses
Welcome to the Living Word with Chuck Davis. Acts 7, 17 to 43. Stephen Moses. But as the time of the promised true near which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants so that they would not be kept alive. At this time Moses was born and he was beautiful in God's sight, and he was brought up for three months in his father's house. And when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up on her own. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. When he was 40 years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them wrong, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, "Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?" But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, "Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" At this retort, Moses fled and became an exile on the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. Now when 40 years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai in a flame of fire and a bush. When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near, to luck there came a voice of the Lord. "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob." Moses trembled and did not dare luck. Then the Lord said to him, "Take off your sandals from your feet for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I will come down to deliver them, and now come I will send you to Egypt." This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, "Who made you a ruler and a judge?" This man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for 40 years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, "God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers." This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, saying to Aaron, "Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. And they made a calf in those days and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven as it is written in the book of the prophets. Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices during the 40 years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your God Rifan, the images that you made to worship, and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon." This section contains the reminders of all the things that God did through Moses. There's a timing declaration by Stephen at the beginning, but as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt. Once again, a clue that it's God who's telling the story. It's interesting, the pagan Egyptians are somewhat exonerated in the story. Moses failed attempt to bring liberation 40 years in the wilderness of burning bush. But that motif now appears a little more boldly, the rejecting leaders motif. Verse 35 says, "It was this Moses whom they rejected." Which Moses, the one who was sent by God to liberate them, our fathers refused to obey him, verse 39. They made gods. So what of this recounting is that Stephen is reminding us of the rebellious pattern of God's people. We have this proclivity to wander off and do it our own way when it becomes comfortable. We see that God telling his story is never in a hurry. He is waiting for us to cooperate with his plan. Then now what is a reminder to fiercely remove rebellion from my life? Those little indiscretions that lead me down a path of not trusting the creator and redeemer of all. So Lord, we give ourselves to you again this day. Help us to be not only good leaders but good followers of those that you send our way to keep us on your path. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.