Acts 7:1-16
The God of Glory Appeared
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1Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?”
2And Stephen declared: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
3and told him, ‘Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.’
4So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place and into this land where you are now living.
5He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.
6God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
7‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’
8Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
9Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
10and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
11Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
12When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.
13On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
14Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
15So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
16Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Asked whether the charges are true, Stephen begins with the God of glory appearing to Abraham. God calls him while he is still in Mesopotamia, before he reaches the promised land. God's relationship with His people begins with His own initiative.
Abraham receives a promise of land for his descendants while he has neither a child nor an inheritance there. God also speaks of their coming enslavement and His eventual judgment on the nation that oppresses them. The promise extends beyond what Abraham can see in his own lifetime.
Stephen follows the family through Isaac and Jacob to Joseph. Joseph's brothers are jealous and sell him into Egypt, but God is with him. He gives Joseph favor and wisdom before Pharaoh. When famine comes, the brothers must seek food in the country to which they sold him.
Joseph eventually makes himself known, and the family comes to Egypt. The brother they rejected becomes the person through whom they receive help. Their wrongdoing does not prevent God from caring for His people.
Stephen has been accused of speaking against the holy place. His opening reminds the council that God met Abraham before he reached the land and remained with Joseph in Egypt. The God they honor has never depended on one location to keep His promise.
Questions
1 Where was Abraham when the God of glory appeared to him?
AnswerHe was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. God called him to leave and go to the land He would show him.
2 What made the promise to Abraham require trust?
AnswerGod promised the land to him and his descendants while he had no child and no inheritance there. Its fulfillment reached beyond what he could see.
3 What happened to Joseph after his brothers sold him?
AnswerGod was with him and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh. During the famine, his family came to Egypt for food.
4 What do these accounts show about where God can act?
AnswerGod meets Abraham outside the promised land and cares for Joseph in Egypt. His faithfulness is not confined to the places His people expect.
What This Means for Us
A move or an unfamiliar place can make us feel far from the settings where faith has been comfortable. Stephen's account reminds us that God's care is not limited to familiar surroundings.
Pray for someone adjusting to a new place. Offer friendship or practical help while remembering that God was present before you arrived to help. His work is larger than the places we know.
Abraham's promise and Joseph's story also keep us from measuring faithfulness by immediate results. We may not see how a difficulty will be resolved. We can still bring it to the God who keeps His word.
Prayer
God of glory, thank You for calling Abraham and remaining with Joseph in Egypt. Help us trust Your care in unfamiliar places and through long waits. Keep us attentive to the promises You have given. Amen.