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 how God, “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. Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first, and at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, and were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulcher that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. But when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, till another king arose, which knew not Joseph”, and in chapter seven and verse nineteen of the book of Acts Luke shared how the king, “dealt subtlety with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers” where we read:
The same dealt subtlety with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers,
so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
The verse begins, “The same dealt subtlety with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, ...” Luke began with the words, “the same dealt subtlety” which means “that selfsame Pharaoh circumvented by fraud, outwitted and conquered craftily” “with our kindred” or “with the family and relations of the people of Israel” “and evil entreated” which means “and oppressed, afflicted, harmed and maltreated” “our fathers” or “Stephen and the people of Israel's forefathers”. Luke shared how “Stephen” said this new “Pharaoh” “outwitted and fraudulently oppressed” the forefathers of the people of Israel.
The verse goes on to say, “... so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.” Luke continued with the words, “so that they cast out” which means “and the people of Egypt forced the people of Israel to throw out and abandon” “their young children” or “the people of Israel's offspring and progeny”, “to the end” which means “toward the conclusion” “that they might not live” or “that the children who were tossed out by the people of Israel would die”. Luke shared how “Stephen” said the “crafty fraud and oppression” of the people of Israel caused them to “abandon” their children so their offspring would die.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn through “Stephen” that the people of Israel were treated with such evil and oppression that they “cast out” their children so they might die. The anguish was so horrific that the people in Israel did not want their children to suffer such hardship. God loves people, and even this oppressive time when the children of Israel were desperate, God was working His plan to send for His Son Jesus to be the “Savior and Lord” of the world. Anyone who believes and trusts in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Let all who read these words yield to Jesus who came by way of the people of Israel were so desperate they were abandoning their children in their distress.
Next time Luke shares how Stephen said, “Moses was born”, 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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