The leadership, looking at Stephen, saw the anointing that Moses had on his face. This man was full of the Holy Spirit, and signs and wonders were following him. Because of the wisdom and gifts the Holy Spirit has poured on him, he is on trial. He is about to show how much wisdom the Lord has truly poured out on him.
Acts 7:1-8
And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
Stephen is starting to develop an argument that needs the clear attention of leadership. First, he honors the men, calling them brothers and Fathers, even though they are attacking him, he still speaks with respect. An important lesson for us to keep in mind is that you never know if your enemy will turn into a friend, respect is free, and something you can freely give.
Stephen begins telling Abraham’s story, and there’s something you could miss if you don’t pay attention. He says that God spoke to Abraham and told him to go into the land that he was showing him, but instead of going into the land, he went up to Haran to be with his father and stayed there for 25 years. God had to speak to Abraham twice to get him to do what God called him to do. Abraham and his offspring would be given a land by the Lord but it would come after they spent 400 years in slavery. They actually spent 430 years in Egypt, but for the first 30 years, the pharaoh of Egypt recognized the God of Joseph. Then another pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph. In Greek, there are two words for “another.” There is one Greek word that means “another,” just like the one that I have, and there is another Greek word that means “another” that is totally different. When Jesus talked about the Holy Spirit being another helper, he was saying one just like me, of the same essence as I am. When Stephen is talking here about another pharaoh, it means one totally different than the pharaoh that knew Joseph. Which we will see in a moment.
On a side note, God gave the nations in Canaan over 400 years to repent and turn to God, which is part of why the Israelites suffered in Egypt, and it also gave the nation a chance to grow without constant wars from 75 to 2million.
Sometimes our trials and struggles are for a greater “God purpose” than we could ever imagine.
God gave Israel a sign that they were special and “called of God” through circumcision. It served various purposes: protecting them from certain widespread diseases, physically setting them apart, and acting as a sacrifice that kept the culture united. Interestingly, on the eighth day after a child’s birth, vitamin K and a chemical called prothrombin reach their peak levels to prevent bleeding. That must have been a God-thing because I don’t believe it was by trial and error that they circumcised on the eighth day.
Acts 7:9-16
And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
Here’s a second instance where Stephen points out that Israel kept missing the opportunity. The anointing was on Joseph. God gave him a dream, but instead of embracing it, they sold him into slavery, and a second time, they recognized Joseph and were saved. No matter how many times Israel misses it, God always turns it around for good!
God loves you and will always keep talking to you until you finally get it!
Acts 7:17-29
But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 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, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 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?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
Here is that phrase “another” king (pharaoh). The Pharaoh who accepted Joseph was of Egyptian descent. This new king was Assyrian (Isaiah 52:4); his daughter, choosing to raise him, actually positioned him to become the next pharaoh. Notice that Moses was trained in the best ways possible in all wisdom and insight, and he was taught to speak well, as well as being a trained warrior. This means he lied to God when he said he couldn’t speak well. Additionally, Moses was educated in all the astrology and witchcraft the Egyptians believed in. None of that witchcraft or astrology made it into the Torah; God renewed Moses’ mind. Also, take note: Stephen is saying that 40 years before the actual deliverance, Israel could have been delivered, but once again they failed to choose God.
Can I ask you a question? How many times has God spoken to you and you have chosen not to do what he asked? This disobedience or even delayed disobedience can cost you your future, your joy, the blessing of the Lord….
I want to pause right here and ask you to silently pray and ask the Lord if you have said “No” to him.
If he told you, you have, what are you going to do about it? Will you now say yes?
Acts 7: 30-37
Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’
35 “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. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’
The angel in the burning bush was none other than the angel of the Lord, the pre-incarnate Christ, as Jesus alluded to in John 8:58—that he was the voice of the burning bush. Stephen is referencing Jesus here because we know the leadership’s claim against Jesus wanted to stone Him, and Stephen is reminding them of that as well! He emphasizes that Jesus is the prophet Moses predicted would come, just like him!
Acts 7: 38-50
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 to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 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.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 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 forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You took up the tent of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
49 “‘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? 50 Did not my hand make all these things?’
Now he is saying you have not changed; not only have you continued to reject God, but you are still like you were in the early days—you worship the temple instead of God. You accused me of desecrating the temple when it is actually you who have desecrated God by choosing your idol worship and turning God’s things into idols. He was implying, without saying it outright, that God is now in the hearts of men, not in the stone edifice you now worship. The tabernacle and the temple were meant to be places where you worshiped God, but instead, you have chosen to worship the temple itself! You are just as idolatrous as your ancestors were!
Acts 7:51-53
You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
Remember, it’s always about relationships! They had focused on the religious system rather than the Creator of all things, which made it harder for people who didn’t know and understand to come to God.
It cost Stephen to call them out on this, but Stephen actually won!
Acts 7:54-60
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
The Holy Spirit was filling him again, preparing him for what was next. With that additional filling, he saw Jesus as our High Priest (because he was standing) in heaven. They had crucified Him, but Jesus was alive, standing next to the Father. Stephen, like Jesus, asked that they be forgiven and that this sin would not be held against them.
- God is faithful and will continue to work on us until we say, “Yes”
- We need to keep our traditions and our relationship clear and not confuse the two, always keeping our relationship strong
- The true temple of God is not made with human hands but now, because of Christs’ death on the cross we are the temple of God. He lives in all who surrender and believe in Him
- A true mature believer lives in forgiveness, always working to see things not as man sees but as God sees….
Isaiah 55:8,9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.