The physician Luke wrote, “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 he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelled in Charran, … ”, and in chapter seven and verse three of the book of Acts Luke shared how Stephen continued to answer the high priest and the people in the synagogue by referring to God telling Abraham, “Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and come into the land which I shall show you” where we read:
And said unto him, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred,
and come into the land which I shall show you.
The verse begins, “And said unto him, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, ...” Luke began with the words, “and said unto him” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to Abraham”, “get you out of your country” or “leave and depart from your personal arable land, territory and region”, “and from your kindred” which means “and apart and from your relations and family”. Luke shared how God told “Abraham” to separate himself from his territory and family.
The verse goes on to say, “... and come into the land which I shall show you.” Luke continued with the words, “and come into the land” which means “and arose and appeared in the arable land, ground and country” “which I shall show you” or “that I, God, will reveal and expose to you, Abraham”. Luke shared how God told “Abraham” to go to a country that He would reveal to him.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Stephen” reviewed how God told “Abraham” to leave his “country” and “family”, and he was to travel to a “place” that God would reveal to him when he arrived. This may seem incredulous at first glance, but let us remember, God was guiding “Abraham” and He would take care of him. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him, He will forgive them of their sins, grant them everlasting life and guide them to the place He desires for them to be. Let all who read these words yield themselves to Jesus who knows the best place for them to exist in the world.
Next time Luke shares how Stephen continues his speech by saying Abraham came, “out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran”, 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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