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, “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”. However, later a Pharaoh arose who did not know Joseph who made the people of Israel as slaves in Egypt for four hundred years in which time, “Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months. And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian. For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. And the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, you are brethren; why do you wrong one to another?”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-seven of the book of Acts Luke shared how the neighbor asked Moses, “who made you a ruler and a judge over us?” where we read:
But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying,
Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
The verse begins, “But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, ...” Luke began with the words, “but he that did his neighbor wrong” which means “moreover the one who violated his fellow Hebrew or Israelite unjustly, wickedly, criminally” “thrust him away” or “pushed Moses apart from him”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring, proclaiming and asking” the following question. Luke shared how the Israelite who was fighting with his fellow Hebrew pushed Moses away from him when he attempted to stop them and asked him the following question.
The verse goes on to say, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?” Luke continued with the words, “who made you a ruler” which means “what person set, placed and appointed you, Moses, as a commander, chief or leader” “and a judge” or “and an arbitrator or umpire” “over us” which means “above we Israelites”? Luke shared how the Israelite who was fighting with his fellow countryman asked “Moses” what person made him to be the “chief leader” and “arbitrator” over them.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Stephen” referred to the reaction the Israelite had to “Moses” breaking up the fight he had with his fellow countryman. The man asked “Moses” who made him to be the “leader” and “mediator” above them. This question motivated “Moses” to leave Egypt, and all this was according to God's plan. God would use “Moses” to bring about “salvation and deliverance” to the people of Israel in the same way He sent Jesus to be the “Savior and Lord” of everyone who believes and trusts in Him. Let all who consider these words yield themselves to Jesus who alone brings “eternal salvation and deliverance” to all who believe.
Next time Luke shares how Stephen told how the neighbor asks Moses, “will you kill me, as you did the Egyptian yesterday?”, 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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