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 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 said unto him, Get you out of your country, and from your kindred, and come into the land which I shall show you. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelled in Charran: and from there, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein you now dwell. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child”, and in chapter seven and verse six of the book of Acts Luke shared how Stephen continued his speech by referring to how God said, “That his seed should sojourn in a strange land” where we read:
And 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.
The verse begins, “And God spoke on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land;” Luke began with the words, “and God spoke” which means “and the Heavenly Father God uttered, declared and proclaimed” “on this wise” or “in this fashion or manner”, “that his seed should sojourn” which means “that Abraham's progeny and offspring was to dwell, live and exist as a foreigner” “in a strange land” or “in a foreign, alien and unfamiliar territory, region or arable land”. Luke shared how God told “Abraham” that his “offspring” would live in a region that was foreign to him.
The verse continues “and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.” Luke added the words, “and that they should bring them” which means “and the people within the foreign land would carry, make and reduce the offspring of Abraham” “into bondage” or “into servanthood and slavery”, “and entreat them evil” which means “and oppressed, afflicted, harmed and maltreated the offspring of Abraham” “four hundred years” or “for four hundred years”. Luke shared how the progeny of “Abraham” was to be brought into “slavery” and be treated with oppression and harm in the “foreign land” for “four hundred years”.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Stephen” continued to retrace the history of the people of Israel through the lineage of “Abraham”. Event by event “Stephen” was leading to God's plan of “salvation” for people. The oppression of the people of Israel became a part of human history, and although this was another attempt to stop the coming of the Messiah Jesus, God would prevail. God loves people, and his desire is to “save” them from their sins so they may live with Him forever. Anyone who yields to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life. Let all who consider the path of “Abraham and his offspring” understand, these people became the source for the “Messiah and Christ” of the world - Jesus.
Next time Luke shares how Stephen continues his speech by referring to how God said, “the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge”, 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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