Free Bible Commentary
“Acts 7:1-19”
Categories: Acts“The high priest said, ‘Are these things so?’ And he said, ‘Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, “Leave your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.” Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living. But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground, and yet, even when he had no child, He promised that He would give it to him as a possession, and to his descendants after him. But God spoke to this effect, that his descendants would be aliens in a foreign land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. “And whatever nation to which they will be in bondage I Myself will judge,” said God, “and after that they will come out and serve Me in this place.” 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. The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household. Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was disclosed to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all. And Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died. From there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive..”
---End of Scripture verses---
As Stephen stood before his abusers, he addressed them with the utmost respect and courtesy (verse 1). He would ultimately tell them the hard truth and not tickle their ears, but he made his case by telling them a historical account that all patriotic Jews loved to hear. He held his captors captive as he sketched out for them the story of their national ancestry from Abraham to Solomon. It is always good for a preacher to know his audience and Stephen struck right at the hearts of his intended targets.
These “spiritual” leaders proved themselves unworthy recipients of the oracles of God, but the Lord always takes care of his faithful servants even in the face of hardship. When Joseph’s brothers became jealous of him and threw him in a pit and sold him into slavery; “God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions” (verses 9-10). The council would soon follow in the sinful footsteps of the patriarchs, but God would rescue Stephen as He had delivered the godly Joseph. It is true that Stephen soon lost his life on earth, but he gained true life for eternity by staying faithful to Jesus unto death (Matthew 16:25; Revelation 2:10).
Friends, death is not the end of the road for God’s obedient children. It is merely the portal to a glorious eternity in heaven!
Please read Acts 7:20-40 for tomorrow. Appreciate you all very much!
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
