ISRAEL: WHO YOU ARE AND HERE YOU ARE
Psalms 105
O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants. He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings. He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts. He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number, And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength. He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night. The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness: And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the LORD.
Acts 7:1
Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
- Either one of two things: He himself did not know enough about his own faith, or enough about "the Way"
- He also probably was not an eyewitness to the events that brought Stephen there in the first place, so wanted some clarity
- There is no way he did not know the effect the apostles were having around Jerusalem!
- The question is from the conversation recorded in chapter 6
And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
Acts 7:2
And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
- Men were there, his brethren in the flesh (Israelites) were there, and the fathers, leaders, priests were there. Stephen further was a young man at this time, on his last moments
- Stephen does not address the high priest directly, but everyone, like Paul did
- This is not out of disrespect, but out of God's love and their need
- The best place to begin is, of course, at the beginning!
- The title "God of glory" only appears one other place, Psalm 29:3
The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.
Genesis 12:1-4
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
"MEN AND BRETHREN"
- The phrase appears only in Acts, for a total of eleven times
- Peter used it thrice
- Paul used it six times
- The Jews used it once
- James used it once
[PETER]Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
Acts 2:29
[PETER]Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Acts 2:37
Now when they [JEWS] heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 13:15
[PAUL] And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.
Acts 13:26
[PAUL] Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.
Acts 13:38
[PAUL]Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:
Acts 15:7
And when there had been much disputing, [PETER]Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Acts 15:13
And after they had held their peace, [JAMES]James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
Acts 23:1
And [PAUL] Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
Acts 23:6
But when[PAUL] Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
Acts 28:17
And it came to pass, that after three days [PAUL]Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Acts 7:3
And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
- This event they all knew well, recorded in the Torah
- This is the beginning of them selves and their people-the perfect place to start
Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.
- Charran is Haran
- God waited for Abraham to finish caring for his elderly father, knowing this man could not be traipsed all over the area, being a burden to both Moses and himself
And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran. Acts 7:5
And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.
- Having only a promise, Abraham left for an unknown place, no land or heir yet
- He was given only PART of the overall, hundreds-thousands of years plan at that time. His ONLY task was to "believe and leave"
- This means 100% on faith, 100% trusting only in God. Stephen is telling them the exact requirements for their salvation in Jesus Christ here
And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Romans 4:3
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Galatians 3:6
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
James 2:23
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Hebrews 11:8-10
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Acts 7:6
And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
- This was bondage in Egypt, the Exodus and, again, the reason for the Passover
- This Passover continues today
Genesis 15:13
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Acts 7:7
And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.
- This is Egypt, and their Passover celebration, the biggest Passover ever, which was very recent to them, the sacrifice of the Lamb of God
- "This place" is the land that they are in at the time Stephen's speech, and now again today and forever
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Acts 7:8
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
- Circumcision was a ritual for them and theirs alone, not the Gentiles or any surrounding nations
- Now, they were expected to be circumcised in their hearts
- It was a sure fire way also to check if a man was a Jew if captured in war
- Abraham begat Ishmael also, but no mention, as Ishmael was not the child of promise, but of the flesh
- Abraham begat Esau also, but Esau is not mentioned either, as he rejected his birthright for a meal, and it passed to Jacob, who later became Israel
This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Romans 2:29
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Acts 7:9-10
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
- His brothers hated Joseph because he was Jacob's favorite, for his coat of many colors and his dream about them which eventually came true
- Reuben alone tried to stop them, unsuccessfully
- We must always remember that favor and wisdom come from God, through grace, prayer, etc.
- Joseph, rejected by his own, became a great leader
Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
Genesis 37:11
And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
Genesis 37:18-20
And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
Proverbs 14:30
A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
Genesis 39:2-4
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
Acts 7:11
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
- All of this is familiar history to the Jewish leaders Stephen was addressing
- The road through Egypt is
- Sell Joseph into Egypt
- Make him powerful, over especially the food supply
- Forewarn of a great dearth
- Preparation for famine, storage of food
- Bring a dearth over the entire region, widespread
- Bring Jacob and his sons into Egypt
- Reveal long lost Joseph to his family
- Make Israel grow
- Enslave them 400 years to the Egyptians
- Raise up Moses as a deliverer
- Do signs and wonders before Pharaoh
- Harden Pharaoh's heart to prevent Israel from leaving
- Judgments upon Egypt's gods to force their hand, (their own doing)
- The Passover
- The Exodus
- Protection for Israel throughout
And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
Acts 7:12
But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
- An old man would be unwise to go on hearing of some food that far away, risking a certain desert death
And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
Acts 7:13
And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
- The first time Joseph was not recognized in face or voice...it had been too long, and not the time yet.
- Starting at the second time, he still wasn't recognized, and had to reveal to them who he was
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
Genesis 45:1-4
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Acts 7:14
Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
- This is a classic example of a "contradiction in the Bible"! Can you answer it?
- Three times in the Old Testament, the number is recorded as seventy (three score and ten)
- Did Luke follow the spurious LXX?
- Stephen was "full of the Holy Ghost" and was seen as having the "face of an angel". Therefore, how could me make a mistake?
- In the passage in Genesis (chapter 46, verse 27), neither Jacob's wife Rachel (see Genesis chapter 35, verse 19) nor any of his concubines are included in the calculations, arriving at the "seventy" number.
- Despite the mention of Jacob's "daughters and his sons daughters" (Genesis 46, verse 7), it seems that the only daughter included in the calculation, arriving at the number "seventy" was Dinah (Genesis chapter 46, verse 15), and the only granddaughter mentioned was Serah (Genesis chapter 46, verse 17).
- The wives of Jacob’s sons are not included in the seventy (46:26).
- Finally, whereas only two descendants of Joseph are mentioned in Genesis 46 in the Masoretic text of the Old Testament, in the Septuagint, Joseph’s descendants are calculated as being nine.
- So, there is no error and no reason to appeal to the Septuagint (LXX), which no one in the Bible used and the English translators ignored
Genesis 46:15
These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.
Genesis 46:17
And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
Genesis 46:26-27
All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six; And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
Deuteronomy 10:22
Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
Exodus 1:5
And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
Acts 7:15
So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
Genesis 49:33
And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
Exodus 1:6-8
And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
Acts 7:16
And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
- Again, this verse is a perfect example of what unbelievers and conservative scholars call a "contradiction"
- Good for us, it is not. We are never to use "scientific and philosophical standards" of men (scholars)to judge whether the Bible is true on any verse, nor did those reading and believing it in the Bible itself
- IOW, it is not our job to "correct", "criticize" or "restore" the book, just to read and to believe it. It is not even our job to FULLY understand every passage, as we cannot.
- Abraham bought the sepulchre from the sons of Emmor, who gave birth to Shechem and other children.
- Ephron is a Hittite and dwells with the children of Heth (Gen. 23: 10)
- The field Jacob buys has nothing to do with any intention of anybody burying anybody in, nor did he intend to, according to the verses
And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city. And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.
Genesis 23:17-18
And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
Genesis 49:32
The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
Acts 7:17
But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
- Being fruitful and multiplying is a command to all, and Israel was blessed for doing it
- The time of the promise was the deliverance from the four hundred years of bondage in Egypt
Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. Exodus 1:15-20
And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
Exodus 1:7
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
Genesis 15:14
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
Acts 7:18
Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.
- This person for sure would have known OF Joseph and would have known all ABOUT Joseph
- They simply did not know him personally, and did not care who he or who his people were
Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
Acts 7:19
The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
- This entire scenario was the epitome of Joseph's life, now lived out in the whole nation: "But God was with him"....
In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:
- There was a deliberate attempt to destroy the Deliverer of Israel of their bondage by the enemy
- God thwarted the attempt
And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
Acts 7:21
And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
- This is both God's sense of humor and the ultimate irony.
- Pharaoh's own daughter raised his future Israelite conqueror
Exodus 2:5-10
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?
And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
Acts 7:22
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
- Moses did not consider himself mighty in words...but wrote the Torah
- Moses did not consider himself mighty in words...so God gave him Aaron
And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
Acts 7:23
And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
- Living thirty five plus years in Egypt, is why he was "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians"
- "it came into his heart".....from God
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. Acts 7:24
And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
- It is as though Stephen is reading the books of Genesis and Exodus directly to them
- Moses was just like us; hateful of injustice
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
Acts 7:25
For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
- Moses idea of the deliverance was an uprising and overthrow
- After forty years, he himself still did not understand how they would come out
- This is works versus grace through faith personified
- God's idea was for He Himself to simply do it.
And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
- Moses thought no one saw or cared what he did to the Egyptian
- "Set them at one" simply means to reconcile, agree and be at peace; it does not mean to eliminate one to set two back to one!
- When it was his own beaten by his own, Moses tried to make peace. When it was his own beaten by an Egyptian, he decided to exact revenge and justice his way
And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?
Acts 7:27-28
But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
- Only certain, important highlights and facts are retold by Stephen, which is specifically what they need to hear from their past
- OOPS! Busted!
- Even the people at this time did not accept Moses as a leader...who became one of the greatest ones in their history
- This shows that if God is with you, great. He will make you a great godly leader and ensure the people He wants to follow you, do so. If not, men do not make people godly leaders, just leaders who they want to follow
- Therefore, like Joseph, Moses likewise was rejected by his own people and yet became a great leader in Israel
And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
Acts 7:29
Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
- Again, part of God's timing and plan
- God took His time preparing Moses for this important role, miles apart from the Israelites.
- Perhaps because, if not, he would have become a murmurer himself, just like them
And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
- Forty is the number of testing, trials
- Forty days on the mountain
- Spies sent by Moses for forty days
- An entire Bible study can be done on just the number forty, by itself
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Acts 7:31
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
- God is jealous for His people Israel, and for us
- God is judgment in a moment and for forever for His enemies, the unbelievers
For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 9:3
Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.
Hebrews 12:28-29
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.
Acts 7:32
Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.
- This is one of God's most important names, identities, separating Himself from all other false gods, just like the title I AM
- No one could bear to look upon God Himself in their flesh
- The voice of the LORD, I AM, consuming flame of fire, jealous God, the angel of the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who sees, hears, delivers.
Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
- The only way it can be Holy is that God is there
- Whether God is there in Spirit or in the Flesh, it is Holy Ground
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Joshua 5:15
And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Acts 7:34
I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
- God had heard it for four hundred years straight, but it was not the time, not the season
- The time of the "fullness of the sins of the Amorites" had not come yet, either
- God has arrived personally to deliver them
- Moses has a new mission and purpose
But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
Acts 7:35
This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.
- "This same Moses".......is ironic
- Ruler, not a judge. Ruler and a deliverer, not a judge-not yet
He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
- Signs and wonders again for Jews, past and then in Stephen's days
- These were signs and wonders while both in Egypt (represents the world) and in the wilderness (represents trials, tests in the world)
This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
- This, that was once represented to you by Moses, is Jesus (like unto me)
- They heard from Jesus, but rejected Him
- Peter said the same thing in Acts 3
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Acts 3:22
For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
John 4:25-26
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Acts 7:38
This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
- This is that same Jesus, there all of the time
- Jesus spoke to Moses, through angels
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Acts 7:39
To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
- No Jew was to ever return back into Egypt for any reason, in any way
- No Christian is to ever go back into the world for any reason, in any way
Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
- Egypt is idolatry, idols, false gods to worship
- Idolatry is Israel's number one sin throughout Scripture
- Some things never change
The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:
And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Acts 7:41
And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
- This is what we call RELIGION
- Reject the true God
- Make a false god
- Sacrifice to that false god
- Rejoice in your own works
- God's plan for them and us and all of mankind was always GRACE
- Believe and accept God
- Reject all false gods and all religions
- Recognize He alone is the sacrifice for your sins
- Rejoice in Him and His Works
Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
- Astrology, stargazers, diviners, magicians, prognosticators, all part of the same paganism enjoyed today as then.
- Joseph encountered them, as did Moses, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednigo
And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
Daniel 1:20
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.
Exodus 7:11
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Isaiah 47:13
Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
Acts 7:43
Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
- Idolatry was the main purpose for Israel's judgments, always
- They had one task: WORSHIP GOD with all of their heart, soul, mind. That was it.
- These images were not given from God; they decided on their own to make and worship them
- Today, the star of Remphan is the "Star of David", something God never told them to make
(Amos 5:26)
But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.
THE STAR OF REMPHAN
- This star was the sign/symbol of Moloch
- This is the result of "turning their hearts back into Egypt"............adopting their six pointed star
- This symbol is made of six triangles, originally representing "The Land of the Spirits"
- Called by Jews the Star of David
- Also later called "the seal of Solomon"
- Ancient Egypt had it
- Ancient Babylon had it
- Rome called it Saturn (planetary name for satan)
- On the popes' fish god hat
- Was a mark of shame on Jews by Hitler
- This was then brought to the Knesset, as the symbol of Zionism
- It is incorporated into the symbol for the Israeli version of the Red Cross
But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.
Acts 7:44
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
- The tabernacle was a shadow of things to come, which was its witness
- Moses had to mediate the fashion of the tabernacle to them, as only he knew it.
And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
Hebrews 8:5
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Acts 7:45
Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
- If your Bible does not read "JESUS" here, it is in error.
- The word means "JESUS", not "JOSHUA".
- The English translation is the word JOSHUA from the GREEK JOSHUA!
- The Hebrew to the Greek is two different words for Jesus and Joshua
- You can do the translations on the web on numerous translational web sites
- God's sovereignty is what gave them the Promised Land, not their efforts
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Leviticus 26:36-39
And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth. And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies. And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
Acts 7:46
Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
- David wanted to build God a house; God said no, Solomon would do that
- David was a man of war; Solomon of peace
Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains. Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee. And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
2 Samuel 7:1-2
And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
2 Samuel 7:12-13
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
Acts 7:47
But Solomon built him an house.
- David found the favor, and did not get to build it.
- Solomon sinned profusely, and got to build it-SOVEREIGN GRACE
- David was a man after God's own heart. Despite his faults
- Solomon was more worldly, but God is sovereign
And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.
Acts 7:48-49
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 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?
- He said it because the prophet said it. The prophet said it because they believed God could live in a house they made
- In other words, their God was too small!
Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
1 Kings 8:27
But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
2 Chronicles 2:6
But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?
Jeremiah 23:24
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
Acts 7:50
Hath not my hand made all these things?
- Since God made the Universe and is bigger than it, and His feet rest upon the earth, how could man build a house God could fit into?
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
- Both barrels, direct hit, fatal shots each
- "Their fathers" were not the believers, the real patriarchs, the followers of God. Their fathers were of a different father
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
- Apparently they could not even name any who did not kill prophets, since Stephen asked and they simply answered him with stones
- For prophesying of the Messiah, the suffering Messiah-and they were slain
- The sins of the fathers
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
THE SINS OF YOUR FATHERS
(Exodus 20:5)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
(Numbers 14:18)
The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
(Deuteronomy 5:9)
Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
(Ezekiel 18:20)
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
- Stephen was rebuking them because of the actions of their fathers, but...
- Not because of their heritage, but because they were indeed continuing the legacy, forward to that day
- They were as responsible as their fathers were, because they were practicing the exact same thing-rejection of the LORD Jesus Christ and His prophets
Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
- Disposition: The disposal; alienation; distribution; a giving away or giving over to another;
- National repentance by one man, for the nation and then rejected by the nation!
- So the very last thing Stephen gets to tell them before they stone him is, "You had the Law and did not keep it!", the very thing they cherished more than God Himself, their laws
- The act of disposing, or state of being disposed.
- Manner in which things or the parts of a complex body are placed or arranged; order; method; distribution; arrangement. We speak of the disposition of the infantry and cavalry of an army; the disposition of the trees in an orchard; the disposition of the several parts of an edifice, of the parts of a discourse, or of the figures in painting.
- Natural fitness or tendency. The refrangibility of the rays of light is their disposition to be refracted. So we say, a disposition in plants to grow in a direction upwards; a disposition in bodies to putrefaction.
- Temper or natural constitution of the mind; as an amiable or an irritable disposition.
- Inclination; propensity; the temper or frame of mind, as directed to particular objects. We speak of the disposition of a person to undertake a particular work; the dispositions of men towards each other; a disposition friendly to any design.
- Disposal; alienation; distribution; a giving away or giving over to another; as, he has made disposition of his effects; he has satisfied his friends by the judicious disposition of his property.
Galatians 3:19
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Acts 7:54
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
- Gnashing the teeth is an extreme amount of anger
- To date, many of them are still gnashing their teeth, in addition to weeping
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
BRUXISM: GNASHING OF TEETH
Teeth grinding (bruxism) is involuntary clenching, grinding and gnashing of the teeth. It is thought that about half of the population bruxes from time to time, while around five per cent are habitual and forceful tooth grinders. It generally happens during sleep, but some people experience it when they are awake. Bruxism can be a physical expression of stress; for example, susceptible people may tend to grind their teeth when they are angry, concentrating hard on a particular task or feeling anxious.
Matthew 13:42
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:50
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 22:13
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 24:51
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 25:30
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Luke 13:28
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Acts 7:55
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
- His reaction is not fear, with them gnashing and closing in
- This is not the first death of a member of "The Way" by these men's hands
- He was "full of the Holy Ghost (did not speak in tongues, heal, do signs and wonders), and he already had the Holy Ghost from prior to this
- Jesus is standing, not sitting...
And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
- A vision of where he is about to be in seconds
- It does not say they or anyone else nearby saw this; this is for him and him alone
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
- They did not want to hear about Heaven, the Son of Man who they knew and had killed, or God on His Throne so badly they put their hands to their ears
- The leaders of God's chosen people acted exactly like atheists do today
And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
- "Out of the city, for he is a blasphemer!"
- Being taken out of the city was for lepers, blasphemers, accursed ones sentenced to death for crimes against God and Israel
- They gave Saul their coats because, like a school yard fight or street brawl, people always say, "Hold my coat, will ya please?" because they have physical business to do
And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Leviticus 14:45
And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.
1 Kings 21:13
And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
Acts 7:59
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
- They probably could not silence him fast enough!
- It does not record a trial, or charges read-they heard his testimony and that was it
And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
- The epitome of Christ-likeness-forgiveness for them killing him
- IT was not their only sin, just the only one against him
