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Acts Chapter Seven

                             

I. Content of the Chapter

 

The Appeal and Martyrdom of Stephen

I. Stephen was questioned by the high priest (v.1).

II. Abraham was called (v.2-7).

III. The origin of the twelve fathers (v.8).

IV. The people of Israel went down to Egypt (v.9-17).

V. The people of Israel were persecuted (v.18-19).

VI. God arose Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt (v.20-39).

VII. The people of Israel worshipped the golden calf in the wilderness (v.40-43).

VIII. They brought the tabernacle of witness to Canaan to build the temple (v.44-50).

IX. He rebuked the Jews that they resisted the Holy Spirit as their fathers did and killed the righteous (v.51-53).

X. Stephen saw the heavens open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (v.54-56).

XI. Stephen was martyred------he was stoned to death by the multitude (v.57-60).

 

II. Verse by Verse commentary

 

Acts. 7:1 “Then the high priest said, Are these things so?’”

   YLT: “And the chief priest said, ‘Are then these things so?'”

   Literal Meaning: “Are these things so?” “These things” indicates that Stephen was accused of “speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law” and declaring that “Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs” (Acts. 6:13-14). In conclusion, he was accused of slandering: 1) the holy place and the holy temple; 2) the Law and the customs. And therefore Stephen clarified these two things in his appeal.

 

Acts. 7:2 “And he said, Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

   YLT: “and he said, `Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken: The God of the glory did appear to our father Abraham, being in Mesopotamia, before his dwelling in Haran,”

   Literal Meaning: Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran” “Mesopotamia” means the river basins of two rivers and it refers to the vast areas between Great River Euphrates and Tigris River, including Ur, Babylon, Nineveh, Haran and etc. Here Stephen used it to refer to Ur because Abraham heard the calling of God for the first time in Ur (Gen. 15:7; Neh. 9:7) and later he was called again by God in Haran (Gen. 12:1-5).

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) This witness of Stephen starts from “the God of glory appeared” and it is diametrically opposed to the dead religion which lacked revelation and had the form only at that time. It’s no wonder that the witness cannot be accepted by the religious believers and they had to put him to death.

2) God appeared to Abraham in the heretical land where men worship idols, showing that the place is not so important. Do we pay more attention to the place of worship than God Himself?

3) The Lord Jesus said that, “you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father” (John. 4:21). What’s important is whether we have worshipped God and seen God’s appearance.

4) The turning point of life lies in God’s appearance. Every story of one’s being saved attributes to having seen God’s glory (2Pet. 1:3).

 

Acts. 7:3 “and said to him, Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.'

   YLT: “and He said to him, Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and come to a land that I shall shew thee.”

   Literal Meaning: Get out of your country and from your relatives” “your country” refers to Mesopotamia (v.2), i.e. Ur in the Chaldeans (See v.4; Neh. 9:7); “your relatives” refers to relatives with blood relationship, including father’s house.

  “And come to a land that I will show you” Please note that here God did not tell him where he should go. It is said in Hebrew that he went out, not knowing where he was going (Heb. 11:8). He followed God’s guidance step by step by faith.

   Spiritual Meaning: “your country” typifies the world; “your relatives” typifies the flesh.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) All spiritual way starts when God speaks to us. It is God that calls us and speaks us and inspires us to run on the heavenly way.

2) God is the beginning of all things. We should not do something by our own ideas unless it is initiated by God.

3) If God indeed speaks to you, He will be responsible for your while life.

4) The world (“your country”) and the flesh (“your relatives”) are the two elements that harm our spiritual life. If believers want to enter the better spiritual realm, we have to deal with the world and the flesh.

5) The environments, customs (“your country”) and interpersonal relationship (“your relatives”) will harm our spiritual pursuit.

6) “And come to a land that I will show you” God did not point out the aim all at once and He guided us step by step. It’s no wonder that someone says that, “Christians do not have the right to know the future”.

 

Acts. 7:4 “Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.

   YLT: “`Then having come forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Haran, and from thence, after the death of his father, He did remove him to this land wherein ye now dwell,”

   Literal Meaning: Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran” “The land of the Chaldeans” was in the southern part of Mesopotamia and Ur was one of the cities there. “Haran” was in the northwest part of Mesopotamia and it was an important town on the business route from Ur to Canaan.

God called Abraham, however, his father Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there (Gen. 11:31).

  He moved him to this land in which you now dwell” “He moved him” refers to God’s second calling to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-5); “this land in which you now dwell” refers to the land of Canaan.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) “Dwelt in Haran” means stopping halfway. Many times, though we have obeyed God, we only have obeyed Him halfway and haven’t fully obeyed Him.

2) God must let the father of Abraham died before calling Abraham for the second time. The earthly relation of believers always becomes our block to run on the heavenly way and makes us stop halfway.

3) “He moved him…” God is responsible for the accomplishment of what He has initiated.

 

Acts. 7:5 “And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.

   YLT: “and He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a footstep, and did promise to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him -- he having no child.”

   Meaning of Words: “inheritance”: patrimony, possession; “promise”: to engage to do something; “descendants”: seed (a singular number).

   Literal Meaning: God gave him no inheritance in it” “It” refers to the land of Canaan. During the first decades when Abraham moved to the land of Canaan, he lived in the tent, moved from place to place and did not have fixed land.

    “Not even enough to set his foot on” It describes that he did not have a piece of land as his own inheritance and he sojourned as a stranger (Heb. 11:9).

   Spiritual Meaning: He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him” “descendants” in the original is a singular number and means seed which refers to one, i.e. Christ (Gal. 3:16).

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) This verse is quite contradictory: God promised to give the land to him for a possession, however, he did not have a place to set his foot on; God mentioned his descendants, however, he had no child. It shows us that what God has promised him is spiritual and “cannot be touched” (Heb. 12:18). They seem to be visionary but could be seen by the eyes of faith (Heb. 11:13).

2) All “blessings” that God has given us “in Christ” are spiritual and heavenly (Eph. 1:3). They are abstract and unreal to the carnal ones, however, to those who have the spiritual visions, how glorious and real they are.

3) All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us (2Cor. 1:20).

4) Those who have God have everything and those do not have God have nothing. What we should seize is “God” Himself and His promises instead of the material blessings.

 

Acts. 7:6 “But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years.

   YLT: “`And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,”

   Literal Meaning: “dwell in a foreign land” refers to sojourning in Egypt.

  “And oppress them four hundred years” is quoted from Gen. 15:13.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) The deprivation and trial (“dwelling in a foreign land, being brought into bondage and oppressed”) of the cross are the way that we have to pass to obtain and enjoy the spiritual inheritance of God (v.5).

2) If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Rom. 8:17).

 

Acts. 7:7And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,' said God, and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.'

   YLT: “and the nation whom they shall serve I will judge, said God; and after these things they shall come forth and shall do Me service in this place.”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) This verse is a freehand drawing, showing that we previously were enslaved by Satan and suffered its oppression in the world for the livelihood and now we have been delivered from the power of darkness and serve the living and true God in the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col. 1:13; 1Thess. 1:9).

2) God has saved us out of the world with the purpose of making us serve Him in Christ and in the church (“serve Me in this place”) in stead of making us have nothing to do and wait for heaven.

 

Acts. 7:8 “Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.

   YLT: “`And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac [begat] Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs;”

   Literal Meaning: Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision” “circumcision” means to cut the foreskin of men’s genitals as the sign and token of the covenant between God and the people of Israel (Gen. 17:11).

  “And circumcised him on the eighth day” It is proved in the modern medicine that men do not feel the pain when they were just born and on the eighth day there are the maximum hemostatic compositions in men’s body and therefore the flow of blood could be staunched at the quickest speed.

   Spiritual Meaning: “circumcision” typifies that in Christ we have put off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ (Col. 2:11). The reception of circumcision means that men do not rely on their natural flesh and only trust and rely on God.

  “On the eighth day” symbolizes walking in the life of resurrection (the Lord Jesus was risen on the first of the week, i.e. the eighth day. See Mark. 16:9).

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) “The covenant of circumcision” shows that if believers want to enjoy the blessings of the New Testament, we have to deal with the flesh.

2) We must live in the resurrection life of the Lord (“on the eighth day”) in order to deal with the flesh.

 

Acts. 7:9And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him

   YLT: “and the patriarchs, having been moved with jealousy, sold Joseph to Egypt, and God was with him,”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Though the brothers of Joseph were in the land of promise------the land of Canaan, they did not have God’s presence and the abundant favor, Joseph was sold into Egypt, he fully enjoyed God’s abundant presence. From this we should know that what’s important is not “the holy land” and “the holy temple” but whether there is God’s presence.

2) “Jesus said to her…you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father” (John. 4:21). The true worship does not lie in places but in spirit and truth (John. 4:23-24).

 

Acts. 7:10 “and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

   YLT: “and did deliver him out of all his tribulations, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he did set him -- governor over Egypt and all his house.”

   Literal Meaning: “gave him favor and wisdom” “favor” indicates that God gives Himself and what He has to men as men’s enjoyment; “wisdom” refers to the discernment of God. These are the two distinguishing characteristics of Joseph.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1Cor. 10:13).

2) God’s presence (v.9) makes us overcome all troubles. The favor and wisdom that God gives us make us different from the world.

 

Acts. 7:11 “Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.

   YLT: “`And there came a dearth upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great tribulation, and our fathers were not finding sustenance,”

 

Acts. 7:12 “But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

   YLT: “and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time;”

 

Acts. 7:13 “And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh.

   YLT: “and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh,”

   Literal Meaning: and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh” It means that Pharaoh also heard the matter of Joseph’s family (Gen. 45:16).

 

Acts. 7:14 “Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people.

   YLT: “and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred -- with seventy and five souls --”

   Meaning of Words: “all his relatives”: all the kindred.

   Literal Meaning: and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people” “seventy-five people” is different from “seventy” in the Genesis (Gen. 46:27). The reason may be that Stephen used the Septuagint (the Greek version) in which the son and grandson of Manasseh and two sons and a grandson of Ephraim were added to the name list and there were altogether seventy five people.

 

Acts. 7:15 “So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers.

   YLT: “and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers,”

   Meaning of Words: “die”: finish life, end.

 

Acts. 7:16 “And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

   YLT: “and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem.”

   Literal Meaning: according to Genesis, Abraham bought a burying place with silver from Ephron, the son of Heth in Kirjath-Arba, i.e. “Hebron” (Gen. 23). And Jacob was also buried there (Gen. 50:13). However, it was Jacob that bought the portion of the field in Shechem from the sons of Hamor with silver (Gen. 33:19) and later Joseph was buried in Shechem (Josh. 24:32). According to the research of the Jewish historian Joseph, the brothers of Joseph were all buried in Hebron.

  In order to make this verse be in concordance with other scriptures, many Bible exegetes said that Abraham bought the burying place first and later the land was occupied by the sons of Hamor for some reasons and then the land was bought by Jacob. There were about eighty years from the time when Abraham bought the burying place to the time when Jacob bought the land. However, the greatest hole of this explanation is that the lands that the two men bought were not the same land: one was in Hebron and the other was in Shechem.

  Actually, Stephen mentioned the two lands in general terms. It seems to be contradictory to us, however, to the Jewish listeners, it is a brief expression which is easy to understand. He briefly stated that though Jacob and his offspring had went down to Egypt and all died there (See v.15), they were not buried there and they were buried in the land of Canaan.

 

Acts. 7:17But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt

   YLT: “`And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,”

   Literal Meaning: But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham” Please note that God had promised to give “the land of Canaan” to Abraham and his descendants after him for a possession (v.5).

  “The people grew and multiplied in Egypt” It shows that the descendants of Abraham took root “in the land of Egypt” contrarily.

  The conditions of the people of Israel in Egypt seem to make them have much enjoyment and forget to go back to Canaan. It shows that the accomplishment of God’s promise does not lie in men’s great effort or pursuit but in God’s arrangement and promotion.

 

Acts. 7:18 “till another king arose who did not know Joseph.

   YLT: “till another king rose, who had not known Joseph;”

   Meaning of Words: “another” refers to the difference in character.

   Literal Meaning: around the period when Joseph was the ruler, Egypt was under the dominion of the dynasty of the foreigner Hyksos. Later the natives arose and drove the Hyksos out of Egypt. The “another” king who arose later may be the initiator of the XVIII dynasty Ahmose.

 

Acts. 7:19 “This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.

   YLT: “this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Before “the time of the promise drew near” (v.17), the people of Israel suffered tribulations contrarily. It shows God’s steps in doing something: the night becomes darker before the dawn. We always experience that the more we pray, the conditions seem to be worse contrarily.

2) Actually when “the night is far spent”, “the day is at hand” (Rom. 13:12). When we face adverse conditions, it is the time that God’s promise is about to be realized and His salvation is about to come.

 

Acts. 7:20 “At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father's house for three months.

   YLT: “in which time Moses was born, and he was fair to God, and he was brought up three months in the house of his father;”

   Literal Meaning: “at this time” is the time when the people of Israel were forced to “expose their babies” and all the boy babies might not live (v.19).

   Enlightenment in the Word: though the people of Israel suffered the condition that “another king arose who did not know Joseph” (v.18), “Moses was born” at this time! God’s savior came timely. It tells us that when the night becomes darker, the day is at hand (Rom. 13:12).

 

Acts. 7:21 “But when he was set out, Pharaoh's daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son.

   YLT: “and he having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and did rear him to herself for a son;”

   Literal Meaning: “But when he was set out” “was set out” means “being exposed outside and let him fend himself”.

 

Acts. 7:22 “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.

   YLT: “and Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in words and in works.”

   Meaning of Words: “wisdom”: intelligence (the intelligence of learning).

   Literal Meaning: And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” Since Moses grew up in the palace of the daughter of the Pharaoh, he must have received the most complete education in the palace of Egypt.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Though Moses had all the wisdom and abilities and seemed to be good at words and deeds, these were not the conditions that God could use him but the reasons why God could not use him. And therefore God let him flee to the land of Midian and be dealt with and disciplined by God in the wilderness for forty years (See v.29-30).

2) God does not need men to help Him. The reason why God does not need many people is not that they lack wisdom and power but that they have too much wisdom and power. It is of God that Moses was rejected by the people of Israel (See v.25-28).

 

Acts. 7:23Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.

   YLT: “`And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel;”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Moses had a willing (“it came into his heart”) to take care of his brothers. Though men did not appreciate his willing (v.25-28), God treasured men’s willing towards Him and therefore God still remembered him after forty years and went to find him (v.30).

2) For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted (2Cor. 8:12).

 

Acts. 7:24 “And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian.

   YLT: “and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian;”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Moses served God by the flesh and as a result he struck down a man. The Jews were very jealous for God by the flesh and as a result they killed Stephen (v.58).

2) Those who do not know God always kill men and think that they render service to God (John. 16:2-3).

 

Acts. 7:25 “For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.

  YLT: “and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand.”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Though God does something through “the hand of men”, He never relies on the hand of men. Moreover, if men presume to do something by their own hands, they will contrarily block God’s works.

2) When we only know our wisdom and power and do not know our stupidity and weakness, God uses men or things that are around us to teach us. Even though we do something according to the purest motive and the best power, the expected effect cannot be achieved.

 

Acts. 7:26 “And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and tried to reconcile them, saying, Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?'

   YLT: “`On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another?”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God (Matt. 5:9).

2) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Ps. 133:1)!

 

Acts. 7:27 “But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

   YLT: “and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us?”

   Spiritual Meaning: Moses typifies the Lord Jesus who was made by God the ruler and judge for God’s elect and was rejected by the people of Israel.

   Enlightenment in the Word: Though the willing of Moses was not bad (v.24-26), he cannot be accepted by his brothers. It shows that men’s flesh cannot accomplish the will of God.

 

Acts. 7:28 “Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?'

   YLT: “to kill me dost thou wish, as thou didst kill yesterday the Egyptian?”

   Literal Meaning: obviously, the word implies that he threatened to inform against Moses. And therefore Moses was forced to flee (v.29).

 

Acts. 7:29 “Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons.

   YLT: “`And Moses fled at this word, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he begat two sons,”

   Literal Meaning: “became a dweller in the land of Midian” “Midian” was on the west of the Arabian Peninsula and it was the district on the East coast of the Gulf of Aqaba.

   Enlightenment in the Word: when Moses was imprisoned by God in the wilderness of the land of Midian and was strictly dealt with by Him, God made him find grace in the sight of Jethro, the priest and marry his daughter Zipporah (Exod. 3:16-22) and “have two sons there”. It shows that God is still full of mercy and love in his strict discipline so that we could enjoy the rest (what marriage stands for) and manifest life (what having a son stands for).

 

Acts. 7:30And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.

   YLT: “and forty years having been fulfilled, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai a messenger of the Lord, in a flame of fire of a bush,”

   Literal Meaning: “when forty years had passed” Moses fled when he was forty years old because he had killed the Egyptian (See v.23) and therefore after forty years, when he was eighty years old (Exod. 7:7), he met God.

  “In the wilderness of Mount Sinai” It is recorded in Mount Horeb in Exodus (Exod. 3:1). Mount Horeb may be another name of Mount Sinai and it is a high hill in Sinai.

  “An angel of the Lord” is God Himself actually (See v.31-32; Exod. 3:2-6). In the Bible, Jehovah Elohim always appeared to men as “an angel” (Gen. 16:7-13; Judg. 6:12-16; Zech. 2:3-5).

   Spiritual Meaning: a flame of fire in a bush” symbolizes that the people of Israel had not been burnt out in their bitterness because of God’s presence.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) “And when forty years had passed” God always calls us out of the work and makes us have a rest so that we could take advantage of it and learn a something and find out the place where He has appointed to work again. This waiting period is absolutely not the waste.

2) Before receiving a great mission, long wait and preparation are needed. God may delay but He never forgets. He is preparing His vessel and gives them the considerable training and education. God will use them to bear their work in due time that God has appointed. Even Jesus of Nazareth must have the preparation of thirty years and began to work until He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

3) God is not hasty and He is willing to spend long time in preparing the vessels whom He is about to put in the important positions. He never thinks that the days of preparations are too long or boring. 

4) The toughest part of hardships is the long time. It is easy for men to suffer the short hardships and it is hard for them to bear the long hardships. However, God trains us now for our future------the greater service and more blessings in future.

5) We should learn all lessons with endurance and hearts in God’s school of hardships and do not hope for the immediate salvation. Every lesson is prerequisite and if we have learned it, the salvation will come naturally. At that time we will see that if we have not been well educated in trials, we can in no wise bear the more important work in the greater workshop.

6) We hope that we do not take away tomorrow in God’s hand and give God enough time to cultivate us. He never comes too late and we should learn to wait patiently.

7) We should never be hasty and walk before God and we should learn to wait for His time. The moving of the minute hand and the hour hand in the clock has certain laws.

 

Acts. 7:31 “When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him,

   YLT: “and Moses having seen did wonder at the sight; and he drawing near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord unto him,”

   Meaning of Words: “observe”: observe fully.

   Literal Meaning: “the voice of the Lord” “the Lord” proves that “an angel” in v. 30 is God Himself.

   Enlightenment in the Word: Where there is no vision, the people perish (Prov. 29:18). Only those who see the “vision” can be used by God.

 

Acts. 7:32 “saying, I am the God of your fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses trembled and dared not look.

   YLT: “I [am] the God of thy fathers; the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. `And Moses having become terrified, durst not behold,”

   Literal Meaning: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” the Lord Jesus once used this sentence to prove that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matt. 22:32).

 

Acts. 7:33Then the LORD said to him, Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.

   YLT: “and the Lord said to him, Loose the sandal of thy feet, for the place in which thou hast stood is holy ground;”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) What’s important in “the holy ground” is not “the ground” but “God”. No matter how remote the place where God has appeared and spoken is, it is still the holy ground. No matter how solemn and sacred the place where God’s glory has departed is, it has no difference with “the common ground”.

2) No matter believers are at home or in the workshop, if they can keep the close communication with God and have God’s appearance and words, the place is “the holy ground”.

 

Acts. 7:34 “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’”

   YLT: “seeing I have seen the affliction of My people that [is] in Egypt, and their groaning I did hear, and came down to deliver them; and now come, I will send thee to Egypt.”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) It’s not that God does not know believers’ tribulations in the world or is unwilling to save them. Everything that happens to us is of His goodwill (Rom. 8:29). God works in due time.

2) God must have a suitable vessel before He begins to work. God’s work is always restricted by men because men are lacked to be sent and to go for Him (Is. 6:8).

 

Acts. 7:35This Moses whom they rejected, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the Angel who appeared to him in the bush.

   YLT: “`This Moses, whom they did refuse, saying, Who did set thee a ruler and a judge? this one God a ruler and a redeemer did send, in the hand of a messenger who appeared to him in the bush;”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) The one whom men reject is chosen by God. What’s important is not how men estimate us but how God estimates us.

2) In this verse “judge” is interchanged with “deliverer”, showing that the aim of “judgment” is not for perdition but for salvation.

 

Acts. 7:36 “He brought them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years.

   YLT: “this one did bring them forth, having done wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness forty years;”

 

Acts. 7:37This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.'

   YLT: “this is the Moses who did say to the sons of Israel: A prophet to you shall the Lord your God raise up out of your brethren, like to me, him shall ye hear.”

   Literal Meaning: The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me” In the mind of Stephen, a Prophet must refer to Jesus Christ. Moses typifies the Lord Jesus: 1) he was sent by God to the world to save God’s people (v.34); 2) he was unexpectedly rejected by the people of Israel (v.35).

   Enlightenment in the Word: those who believe the Lord Jesus will by no means contend with Moses and they are his true followers. Believing and obeying the teachings of Moses include receiving Jesus instead of resisting Jesus.

 

Acts. 7:38This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us,

   YLT: “`This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us;”

   Literal Meaning: This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness” “congregation” is translated from the Greek word ekklesia and it refers to the assembly of the people of Israel in public places. The plural number of this word refers to the assembly that is made up of believers in the New Testament.

  “The one who received the living oracles to give to us” The word of God is full of the power and vitality of the Holy Spirit and therefore it is called “the living oracles”.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12).

2) For the letter kills, but the spirit gives life (2Cor. 3:6). When reading and using the Bible, we should avoid stressing on the outer letters and words only and neglecting the inner “spirit”.

 

Acts. 7:39 “whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,

   YLT: “to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) The Jews thought that they had obeyed the Law of Moses, however, it is said that they were unwilling to listen to Moses and contrarily rejected him. It shows that whether one obeys is not according to the outer letters and regulations but whether they obey “the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10).

2) Those who are unwilling to listen to God’s “living oracles” (See v.38) to us “today” cannot overcome the temptations of the world and as a result they will fall in the world gradually (“in their hearts they turned back to Egypt”).

 

Acts. 7:40 “saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

   YLT: “saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him.”

 

Acts. 7:41 “And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

   YLT: “`And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands,”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) If men rely on sight instead of faith, they will worship the invisible idols unconsciously.

2) Many times, what believers love is “the works of their own hands” instead of God’s works.

 

Acts. 7:42 “Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

   YLT: “and God did turn, and did give them up to do service to the host of the heaven, according as it hath been written in the scroll of the prophets: Slain beasts and sacrifices did ye offer to Me forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?”

   Literal Meaning: as it is written in the book of the Prophets” The following words are quoted from Amos. 5:25-27.

 

Acts. 7:43 “You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of your god Remphan, Images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.'

   YLT: “and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon.”

   Literal Meaning: You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch” “Moloch” is the idol of Ammonites and men sacrifice the living children to it; “the tabernacle of Moloch” is a kind of tabernacle that could be carried everywhere.

  And the star of your god Remphan” “Remphan” is the name of the god of a star and it is related to Saturn.

  And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.” The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyria B.C. 721 and the people were carried away into Assyria (2Kings. 17:6). Later Assyria was defeated by Babylon B.C. 606. And the southern kingdom of Israel was conquered by Babylon B.C. 586 and its people were carried away into Babylon (2Kings. 24:14-16).

 

Acts. 7:44Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen,

   YLT: “`The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen;”

   Literal Meaning: Stephen mentioned the matter of the holy temple from v.44-50 because he was accused of speaking blasphemous words against this holy place (Acts. 6:13).

  Had the tabernacle of witness” There were two tables of the testimony in the ark of covenant and therefore it was also called “the ark of the testimony” (Exod. 40:20). At that time, the tabernacle in the wilderness centered on the ark of the testimony in the Holiest of all (Exod. 26:33-34) and therefore the tabernacle was also called “the tabernacle of witness”.

 

Acts. 7:45 “which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David,

   YLT: “which also our fathers having in succession received, did bring in with Joshua, into the possession of the nations whom God did drive out from the presence of our fathers, till the days of David,”

 

Acts. 7:46 “who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob.

   YLT: “who found favour before God, and requested to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob;”

 

Acts. 7:47 “But Solomon built Him a house.

   YLT: “and Solomon built Him an house.”

 

Acts. 7:48However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

   YLT: “`But the Most High in sanctuaries made with hands doth not dwell, according as the prophet saith:”

   Literal Meaning: as the prophet says” the following words are quoted from Is. 66:1-2.

 

Acts. 7:49Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest?

   YLT: “The heaven [is] My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what [is] the place of My rest?”

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) The temples made with hands cannot make God have rest. It shows that God seeks a temple that could make Him have rest, i.e. “a new creature” made with His hands (2Cor. 5:17; 1Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:22).

2) Our hearts that magnify the Lord are the place where God could have rest.

 

Acts. 7:50 “Has My hand not made all these things?'

   YLT: “hath not My hand made all these things?”

   Literal Meaning: please note that, in the original of the book of Isaiah, the following sentence is that, “but on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word”. From this we could know that the only place where God can have rest is the new spirit in those who repent (Ezek. 35:26-27).

 

Acts. 7:51You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

   YLT: “`Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and in ears! ye do always the Holy Spirit resist; as your fathers -- also ye;”

   Literal Meaning: “You uncircumcised in heart and ears” It indicates that though they were circumcised in the flesh, their hearts towards God were still hardened and they were unwilling to obey the word of God. And therefore they were uncircumcised in heart and ears.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter (Rom. 2:29).

2) Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16), i.e. those who are truly circumcised. Conversely, those who “always resist the Holy Spirit” are those who are “uncircumcised in heart and ears”.

 

Acts. 7:52 “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

   YLT: “which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed those who declared before about the coming of the Righteous One, of whom now ye betrayers and murderers have become,”

   Enlightenment in the Word: the religious believers who stick to established practice not only persecute prophets but also kill the word of God.

 

Acts. 7:53 “who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.’”

   YLT: “who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep [it].'”

   Literal Meaning: who have received the law by the direction of angels” God did not give the Law to men directly and gave the Law to men through the angels indirectly. It implies that concerning the matter of giving the Law to men, God does not feel that it is a kind and sweet thing to men from Him because the Law is not the original intention of God and it is merely used by God to keep His people (Gal. 3:23).

 

Acts. 7:54 “When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

   YLT: “And hearing these things, they were cut to the hearts, and did gnash the teeth at him;”

   Meaning of Words: “were cut”: saw asunder.

 

Acts. 7:55 “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

   YLT: “and being full of the Holy Spirit, having looked stedfastly to the heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,”

   Literal Meaning: But he, being full of the Holy Spirit” Concerning “being full of the Holy Spirit”, please see the note in Acts. 6:3.

  “And Jesus standing at the right hand of God” The scriptures in other places tell us that Christ of glory sits on the right hand of the power (Ps. 110:1; Matt. 26:64; Eph. 1:20; Col. 3:1; Heb. 8:1). It is only recorded here that the Lord stood at the right hand of God and it may show that Christ was welcoming His faithful servant to the glory.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) The feature of Stephen is that he was always full of the Holy Spirit. He was not filled with the Holy Spirit one time (Acts. 6:5) and he was always abundant in life.

2) Those who are full of the Holy Spirit always look above. They do not look at the things that are seen but at the things that are unseen. And those who are full of the Holy Spirit shall see the Lord Himself because the work of the Holy Spirit makes men see the Lord Jesus.

3) Men in the council saw Stephen’s face as the face of an angel (Acts. 6:15). Those who are full of the Holy Spirit shall shine the glory of God.

4) If we could see “the glory of God”, the persecution and sufferings that others put on us are unworthy (Rom. 8:18).

 

Acts. 7:56 “and said, Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’”

   YLT: “and he said, `Lo, I see the heavens having been opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.'”

   Enlightenment in the Word: “the heavens” are opened for those who have been rejected by “the earth”. Though the earth is closed to them, the heavens are opened to them.

 

Acts. 7:57 “Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;

   YLT: “And they, having cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and did rush with one accord upon him,”

   Spiritual Meaning: this verse is a painting which shows the ways of religious believers: 1) “they cried out with a loud voice”------they use their voice to oppress others; 2) “stopped their ears”------they refuse to listen to the different ideas; 3) “and ran at him with one accord”------they get united with each other by the fleshly ideas.

 

Acts. 7:58 “and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

   YLT: “and having cast him forth outside of the city, they were stoning [him] -- and the witnesses did put down their garments at the feet of a young man called Saul --”

   Literal Meaning: and they cast him out of the city and stoned him” It is the punishment to those who blaspheme God (Lev. 24:14-16; Heb. 13:12-13).

  “Laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul” “Saul” was the name of Paul the apostle before he was saved (Acts. 13:9). When he was young, he advanced in Judaism beyond many of his contemporaries, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of his fathers (Gal. 1:14) and therefore someone held that he was the person in charge in putting Stephen to death.

  The Lord allowed Stephen to be killed and Saul to make havoc of the church in order to push His disciples to obey His commandment of leaving Jerusalem to be witnesses everywhere (Acts.1:8). As expected, after this the disciples were scattered into Judaea and Samaria and they went everywhere preaching the word (Acts. 8:1, 4).

   Enlightenment in the Word: God seems to have lost Stephen, however, He wins Paul the apostle who preached the gospel and saved millions upon millions souls. Every thing that believers encounter is God’s goodwill no matter it is good or not (Rom. 8:28).

 

Acts. 7:59 “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’”

   YLT: “and they were stoning Stephen, calling and saying, `Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;'”

   Meaning of Words: “Stephen”: crown.

   Enlightenment in the Word: Stephen bore witness not only by words but also by “himself”. His state of being martyred especially reappeared the model of “Christ crucified”: 1) full commitment to God------“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”; 2) complete forgiveness to men------“Lord, do not charge them with this sin” (v.60).

 

Acts. 7:60 “Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

   YLT: “and having bowed the knees, he cried with a loud voice, `Lord, mayest thou not lay to them this sin;' and this having said, he fell asleep.”

   Literal Meaning: “he fell asleep” “fell asleep” means (1Thess. 4:13-16). Stephen was the first martyr in the church history. 

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1) To the one who truly knows the cross, like Stephen, his death is kingly, quite and self-controlled. He gives his spirit to God (v.59) and asks for remission for those who kill him.

2) All those who truly take up the cross do not complain but love. They do not seek men’s compassion but have pity for others. 

 

III. Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons

 

The Error in Keeping the Substantial Temple and the Letters of “the Law”

I. God appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia (the heathen place) (v.2)------where there is the appearance of the glorious God, it is the true holy land and the holy temple.

II. When God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham for a possession, and to his descendants after him, he had no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on and had no child (v.5)------seize God Himself and His promises with faith and overcome the visible facts.

III. God was with Joseph in Egypt (v.9) and his brothers suffered the famine in the land of Canaan (v.11)------having God’s presence is fairer than dwelling in the holy land and the holy temple.

IV. When the Egyptian king arose and began to oppress the people of Israel (v.18-20)------there is God’s preparation of salvation in hardships------God’s works cannot be measured by the practical aspect.

V. When Moses wanted to save the people of Israel with his own hands, he was contrarily rejected (v.25-28)------God’s works never rely on men’s hands.

VI. God appeared to Moses in the bush (v.35)------where there is the appearance of God, it is the holy ground and the holy temple.

VII. Moses was only the type of the Prophet (Christ) that God will raise up (v.37)------the word of Christ is more important than the Law which is given by Moses.

VIII. What Moses received and gave to the people of Israel is the living oracles (v.38)------it is not the Law of the letters or the oral regulations of ancestors.

IX. The people of Israel worshipped the work that they made (a calf of gold) and God turned and gave them up (v.39-43)------sticking to the substantial temple obstinately is equal to worshipping idols and the tabernacle of the Gentile gods.

X. God does not dwell in temples made with hands (v.44-50)------the substantial temple is not the place where God has rest.

XI. The people of Israel stressed on the outside circumcision and they were uncircumcised in the heart and ears so that they always resisted the Holy Spirit and killed the Just One Jesus (v.51-52)------circumcision is in the spirit and not in the letter.

XII. The people of Israel did not obey the Law indeed (v.53)------obey the Law according to the spirit instead of the letters.

XIII. The Prophet that God will raise up (v.37)------speak for God.

 

The Three Periods of the History of the People of Israel

I. They were afflicted in the land of Egypt (v.6, 15-19)------they are enslaved by Satan in the world.

II. They turned back to Egypt in their hearts in the wilderness (v.36-42)------they are delivered out of the world and still love the world.

III. They lost the presence of God in the land of Canaan (v.45-50)------they have the form of the temple but lack the reality of it.

 

The Description of Religious Believers

I. Be jealous of their brother (v.9a).

II. Betray their brother (v.9b).

III. Do not understand the works of God (v.25).

IV. Fight with and bully each other (v.26).

V. Do not obey others (v.27).

VI. Be unwilling to listen to the living oracles of God (v.38-39a).

VII. Turn back to Egypt in their hearts (v.39b).

VIII. Make gods and sacrifice to the gods (v.40-41a).

IX. Rejoice in the works of their own hands (v.41b).

X. Be stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears (v.51a).

XI. Always resist the Holy Spirit (v.51b).

XII. Persecute prophets and kill the Just One (v.52).

XIII. Do not obey the Law (v.53).

XIV. Be cut to the heart and gnash with their teeth (v.54)------walk by the flesh.

XV. They cry out with a loud voice (v.57a)------overcome the other with voice.

XVI. Stop their ears (v.57b)------reject to listen to the word of others.

XVII. And run at him with one accord (v.57c)------the union of the fleshly ideas.

XVIII. They cast him out of the city (v.58a)------kick men out of their sphere of influence.

XIX. Stone men to death (v.58b)------wipe men out and swear not to coexist with them.

XX. Be consenting to other’s death (v.60b)------they not only do not know their wrongness but also regard their wrongness as right.

 

The Three “Forty Years” of Moses

I. The first forty years (v.20-28)------he thought that “he can”.

II. The second forty years (v.29)------he knew that “he cannot”.

III. The last forty years (v.30-38)------he experienced that “God can”.

 

Men’s “can” Contrarily Holds Back God’s “can”

I. Moses was well pleasing to God (v.20).

II. Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (the world) (v.22a).

III. Moses was mighty in words and deeds (v.22b).

IV. Moses was fervent in taking care of brothers (v.23).

V. Moses was physically strong and redressed an injustice for the weak (v.24).

VI. Moses thought that he worked for God (v.25).

VII. Moses persuaded brothers to be in peace with good intention (v.26).

 

Moses Typifies Christ

I. Moses was sent by God to Egypt (v.34)------He was sent by God to the earth.

II. Moses was rejected by the people of Israel (v.27, 35)------He was rejected by the Jews.

III. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt (v.36)------He saved the people that God has chosen.

 

The True Witness of God

I. He was full of the Holy Spirit all the time (v.55a; Acts. 6:3).

II. He gazed into heaven (v.55b).

III. He saw the glory of God (v.55b).

IV. He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (v.55c; v.56c).

V. He saw the heavens opened (v.56c).

VI. He gave his spirit to God (v.59).

VII. He prayed for the enemy (v.60a).

VIII. He was not “dead” but “fell asleep” (v.60b).

 

── Caleb HuangChristian Digest Bible Commentary Series

   Translated by Sharon Ren