The physician Luke 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 began to defend his faith by referring to how God, “spoke 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. 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. 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. 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 favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house”, and in chapter seven and verse eleven of the book of Acts Luke shared how Stephen said, “there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction” where we read:
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction:
and our fathers found no sustenance.
The verse begins, “Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction:” Luke began with the words, “now there came a dearth” which means “moreover there arose and appeared a scarcity of harvest or famine” “over all the land of Egypt” or “in a position above and within the whole and complete territory, region and country belonging to Egypt which means double straits and was a country occupying the northeast angle of Africa” “and Chanaan” which means “Canaan and was the part of Palestine lying west of the Jordan”, “and great affliction” or “and pressing, oppression, distress and straits”. Luke shared how Stephen told about the “great famine” and oppression that happened in Egypt and Canaan land.
The verse goes on to say, “and our fathers found no sustenance.” Luke continued with the words, “and our fathers” which means “and the people of Israel's forefathers, progenitors and ancestors” “found no sustenance” or “did not discover, observe and detect any food or sustenance”. Luke shared how Stephen said the “forefathers” of Israel did not discover any food or sustenance for them to eat.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how Stephen continued to share the history of the people of Israel as he referred to the time of “famine” and “affliction” that came over all the land of “Egypt” and “Canaan”. We shall see how this worked into the story of Jesus coming as the Messiah in our next few verses, but let us take note of “Stephen's” knowledge of the scriptures. God wants everyone to enjoy a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when a person studies the scriptures, they will discover each story leads to the coming of Jesus as the Messiah and Savior of the world. Those who are wise will yield to Jesus who came through the lineage of those who experienced “famine and affliction” because God was intentional in sending His Son to be the “Savior” of the world.
Next time Luke shares how Stephen said, “when Jacob heard there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first”, 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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