Acts 7:17-43
A People Who Resisted the Deliverer
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17As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
18Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.
19He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.
20At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.
21When he was set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.
22So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
23When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
24And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.
25He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.
26The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’
27But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?
28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.
30After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
31When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight. As he approached to look more closely, the voice of the Lord came to him:
32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
33Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
34I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’
35This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36He led them out and performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and for forty years in the wilderness.
37This is the same Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
38He was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. And he received living words to pass on to us.
39But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
40They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’
41At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
42But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Stephen continues with Israel growing in Egypt as the time of God's promise draws near. A new king oppresses them and orders their infants abandoned. Moses is preserved, taken in by Pharaoh's daughter, and educated in Egypt.
As an adult, Moses defends an Israelite by killing an Egyptian oppressor. The next day he tries to reconcile Israelites who are fighting. The man mistreating his neighbor challenges his authority and mentions the killing. Moses flees to Midian.
Years later, God speaks to him from the burning bush. The Lord has seen His people's oppression and heard their groaning. He sends Moses back to Egypt. The man they rejected is the one God appoints as ruler and redeemer.
Moses leads them out, performs signs, and receives living words to pass on. Yet the people refuse to obey. In their hearts they turn back to Egypt and ask Aaron for gods to lead them. They make a calf and rejoice in what their own hands have made.
Stephen also speaks of God's judgment in giving them over to the worship of heavenly bodies. Rescue has not made their disobedience harmless. His account challenges people who claim loyalty to Moses to notice how often their ancestors resisted the very messenger through whom God helped them.
Questions
1 Who challenges Moses when he tries to stop Israelites fighting?
AnswerThe man mistreating his neighbor asks who made Moses ruler and judge. He refers to Moses' killing of the Egyptian the day before.
2 What does God say He has seen and heard before sending Moses back?
AnswerHe has seen His people's oppression in Egypt and heard their groaning. He has come to deliver them and will send Moses.
3 How do the people respond to Moses in the wilderness?
AnswerThey refuse to obey him, turn back toward Egypt in their hearts, and ask Aaron to make gods. They make a calf and offer sacrifice to it.
4 What warning can we receive from people who were rescued but still resisted God's words?
AnswerPast experiences of God's help do not make our present disobedience unimportant. We need to receive His correction rather than assume that belonging to His people excuses refusing Him.
What This Means for Us
The Israelites could remember deliverance and still prefer a god they had made. Gratitude for past help must be joined to listening to God now.
Consider whether something you want has become more important than what God has said. A desire for comfort, approval, or control can make obedience seem inconvenient. Name that desire in prayer instead of disguising it as faithfulness.
The Lord who heard Israel's groaning also gave them living words. His care includes both rescue and direction. Ask for a heart willing to receive both.
Prayer
Lord, You heard Your people's groaning and sent help. Thank You for Your mercy. Keep us from turning Your gifts into excuses for disobedience, and help us receive the living words You have given. Amen.