Luke the physician wrote how, “Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people”, and after being interrogated by the people in the synagogue, “all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel. Then said the high priest, Are these things so?”, and Stephen defended his faith by referring to, “Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph”. He spoke about “Moses” seeing God in a burning bush and how God sent him, “into Egypt. This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made you 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. He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 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 you hear”, and in chapter seven and verse thirty-eight of the book of Acts Luke shared how Stephen said, “This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel” where we read:
This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
The verse begins, “This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers:” Luke began with the words, “this is he” which means “the selfsame prophet Moses is the One”, “that was in the church” or “who came into existence within the gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place as an assembly”, “in the wilderness” which means “within the deserted, lonely and desolate place” “with the angel” or “alongside and beside the messenger and envoy from God” “which spoke to him” which means “who uttered a voice and emitted a sound to Moses” “in the mount Sina” or “within the hill and rising above the plain known as Sinai which means thorny and was a mountain or rather a mountainous region in the peninsula of Arabia Petraea which was made famous by the giving of the Mosaic law”, “and with our fathers” which means “and alongside and beside the people of Israel's male progenitors, ancestors and founders”. Luke shared how “Stephen” said “Moses”, who gave the prophesy concerning the “coming prophet”, was the selfsame one who was among the people of Israel who assembled in the “wilderness” and heard “God's angel” speak to Him upon Mount Sinai.
The verse continues, “who received the lively oracles to give unto us:” Luke added the words, “who received the lively oracles” which means “the selfsame Moses was the one who laid hold of, received and was granted access to the active, blessed and living utterances of God” “to give unto us” or “to grant, bestow, furnish and supply to us, the people of Israel”. Luke shared how “Stephen” referred to “Moses” being granted access to the “living utterances” of God which were to be “bestowed” upon the people of Israel.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we see how “Stephen” continued to share about the “prophesy” given by “Moses” concerning the “raising up” of a “prophet” who would be like Him. “Moses” was given the “law of God” upon “Mount Sinai”, and these laws were to be shared with the people of Israel. “Moses”, who received the law of God, was the prophet who spoke of the future “prophet” or Messiah who was Jesus, and Jesus would be the One who would save people from their sins. God loves people, and His desire is to have a personal relationship with them through His Son Jesus. When they submit to Jesus, He will forgive them of their sins and grant them everlasting life. Those who are wise will understand the blessing given to “Moses” who received not only the “law of God”, but also the prophesy of Jesus who would fulfill the “law” and provide salvation to all mankind.
Next time Luke shares how Stephen says, “to whom our fathers would not obey”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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