Acts 7:20-41

MOSES Stephen now tells the Sanhedrin something about the character of this new Pharaoh. He tells them how this Pharaoh mistreated the people. He tells of Pharaoh’s cruelty against the people. It was in this dreadful time that Moses was born. Verse 20 says that he was lovely in the sight of God. Moses was hidden and kept in his mother’s home for three months. This was in direct disobedience to the commands of Pharaoh. Pharaoh had decried that all male children be put to death. Verse 21 tells us how Pharaoh’s daughter came to find Moses. It tells us how she brought him up as her own son. Verse 22 informs us that he was brought up learning the knowledge of the Egyptians. Before Moses fled Egypt, he was a man of power in words and deeds.

In verse 23, Moses is nearing forty years of age. This verse tells us that Moses thought it best to go and visit with his brethren. In verse 24 he saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian. Moses then killed the Egyptian thinking his people would see that he was trying to help them. Verse 25 tells us this. He thought that they would realize that he had come to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. Verse 26 tells us that the very next day Moses saw two of the children of Israel fighting and tried to intercede. He asked them why they were fighting. They told him it was none of his business. Verse 27 tells of their rebuke. Verse 28 shows that they saw him when he killed the Egyptian the day before. Moses must have thought that no one saw him do that evil deed. Verse 29 says that Moses fled the land of Egypt. Verse 29 further states that Moses sojourned in the land of Midian where he married and fathered two sons. This section ends with Moses trying to aid his people and them rejecting him. God’s people bad rejected the messengers of God all through -the Old Covenant times. It was just as -the Sanhedrin was doing at the present time during the life of Stephen.

 MOSES RETURNS TO EGYPT TO LEAD THE EXODUS: ACTS 7:30-41 The Record here in Acts simply says that 40 years had taken place. By reading the Book of Exodus, we are told of the events -that took place in the life of Moses. History tells us that the Pharaoh whom Moses fled had died. Moses is now 80 years of age. The time had come for God to bring about the plans to free His people from Egyptian bondage. Verse 30 gives us the account of the burning bush. Just like you and I would do Moses marveled at the sight. It is not natural for a bush to be on fire and not be consumed. But it happened then. The God we serve is all powerful and can control the elements of nature. In verse 31 Moses went a little closer to see what was happening. It was at this time that the voice of Jehovah God began speaking to him. Verse 32, proves, without a shadow of a doubt, that Jehovah God is eternal. He was not only the God of the living, here He says He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Record then informs us that Moses shook with fear. I’m sure that you and I would do the same. In verse 33 God tells Moses that he is standing on holy ground and to remove his shoes.

In verse 34, the Father reassures Moses that He has been aware of the oppression of the Children of Israel in Egypt. He says that He has heard their groans. He informs Moses that the time has come for deliverance. God says that He is going to send Moses. Stephen is referring to Exodus 3:7-10.

          Forty years earlier the people had rejected and disowned Moses, saying, “Who made you a ruler and a judge.” God now is sending Moses to be both a ruler and a deliverer.

In verse 36, Stephen refers to the deliverance of the Children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. He also refers to the Exodus. He refers to the Red Sea and also to the forty years of wanderings in the wilderness. In the 37th verse Stephen is referring to a speech made by Moses to the sons of Israel which is recorded in Deuteronomy 18:15-18. It was in this passage that Moses looked forward to and gave the prophecy that God would raise up the Messiah. One of the charges against Stephen was that he was blaspheming Moses. Here we see that he holds Moses in high esteem and it was the Sanhedrin, in their rejection of Jesus, were the ones Who were opposing Moses.

Verse 38 refers to the “ekklesia” in the wilderness. It is a Greek word that we have translated church. But this is referring to an event in the Old Testament. There was no church before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The New American Standard gives the proper translation of ekklesia. It is translated as congregation. Perhaps the term church, even today is a misnomer. A better rendering might be community.

Here in verse 38, the fact is brought forth that God was with His people wherever they were. He was not confined to a certain locale. In verse 39 we find that the people were disobedient to God and wanted to go back to Egypt. In verse 40 they even stooped to idolatry. This is the account of the golden calf. (Exodus 32)

-Larry Miles lives in Louisville, KY and is a member at Cherry Street Church of Christ in New Albany, IN. He is Co-Editor of Word and Work