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 defended his faith by referring to, “Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph”. He spoke about “Moses” being raised in Egypt and defending his fellow countryman. After “Moses' act” of killing an Egyptian was known, “Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him, Saying, I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and did not dare to behold it. Then said the Lord to him, Put off your shoes from your feet: for the place where you stand is holy ground. I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you into Egypt”, and in chapter seven and verse thirty-five of the book of Acts Luke shared how Stephen referred to the people who asked Moses, “who made you a ruler and a judge? The same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer” where we read:
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.
The verse begins, “This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge?” Luke began with the words, “this Moses” which means “the selfsame Moses whose name means drawing out and was the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion” “whom they refused” or “that the people of Israel previously rejected and denied”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring, proclaiming and asking”, “who made you a ruler” or “what person is it that fashioned and formed you, Moses, as a leader, chief and commander” “and a judge” which means “and an arbitrator or umpire”? Luke shared how “Stephen” referred to “Moses” whom the people of Israel previously rejected by asking what person made him “chief, leader and arbitrator” over them.
The verse goes on to say, “ 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.” Luke continued with the words, “the same did God send” which means “the equal and selfsame Moses God the Heavenly Father dispatched and assigned” “to be a ruler” or “the leader, chief and commander” “and a deliverer” which means “and a rescuer, redeemer and liberator” “by the hand of the angel” or “through the spiritual hand belonging to the messenger and envoy” “which appeared to him” which means “who allowed himself to be seen with open eyes by Moses” “in the bush” or “within the thorn or bramble bush”. Luke shared how “Stephen” referred to “God” dispatching “Moses” through His “angel in the burning bush” to be the “deliverer” the people of Israel even after he was rejected by them previously”.
When we mediate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn that “Stephen” recounted how the people of Israel previously rejected “Moses” by questioning his authority over them, but later God the Heavenly Father dispatched “Moses” to be the “deliverer” of Israel. God's love for people goes well beyond their rejection of His “rescuers”, and even when they refuse to accept His provision for “salvation”, He continues to reach out to them. God sent His Son Jesus to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world, and Jesus died on the cross to “deliver” people from the “bondage and enslavement” of sins. Anyone who believes and trusts in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Those who are wise do not question or refuse God's “deliverer”, Jesus, but rather completely surrender their lives to Him to be “rescued”.
Next time Luke shares how Stephen says Moses, “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”, 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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