“He came out of the land of the Chaldeans, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.” God called Abraham and he responded immediately. Though the Jews claimed to be Abraham’s seed, they did not respond to God as he did. The Word of God reveals Abraham as believing (Genesis 15:6), obedient (Genesis 22:18; 26:5), walking with God (Genesis 24:40; 17:1), faithful (Nehemiah 9:7,8), friend with God (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8), circumcised in heart and ears (Romans 2:28,29; Acts 7:51), affirming the saving power of scripture (Luke 16:29-31), rejoicing to see the day of Christ (John 8:56), being justified and righteous (Romans 4:1-3; Galatians 3:6-9) and believing in the resurrection of the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). The Jews did none of these.
Recalling the history of Abraham, “our father” should have drawn his hearers to a thoughtful consideration of their standing with God. Hearing Stephen and reading the records concerning Abraham, “the father of us all” (Romans 4:16) should lead us to a re-examination of our faith in God and our faithfulness to God.
God promised that He would give Abraham an inheritance of land for possession, “when as yet he had no child.” He believed God for the earthly possession, yet his “affection was set on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1,2). “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:9,10). “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city,” (Hebrews 11:15,16).
The land in which Abraham dwelt was his temporary residence. Even his descendants would be strangers in a land that was not theirs, a place of bondage for 400 years, before moving into the Promised Land. Abraham and … believers among his descendants “having seen (the promises) afar off, were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
We must not miss Stephen’s train of thoughts. His story-telling approach was for a purpose. He was recounting the history of the nation of Israel, highlighting the lives and ministries of their patriarchs and prophets to show them that they had done to Jesus, the Anointed One, the Appointed Deliverer, the Approved Redeemer, the Only Saviour, what their fathers had done to the deliverers sent by God in the past. “Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers,” (Acts 7:51,52).
The nation of Israel, represented by the council and the accusers “men, brethren, and fathers” (verse 2), must have felt the sharp arrows of conviction as they heard Stephen review the steps from Joseph’s humiliation to his exaltation. “And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt” (Acts 7:9). They continued in this vice at the time of Jesus. “For he (Pilate) knew that for envy they had delivered Him (Jesus)” (Matthew 27:17,18).
“And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren,” (Acts 7:13). The first time the Lord Jesus came, Israel did not know or accept Him. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). When they see Him the second time, He shall be known by them. History is repeated again and again. It was thus with Moses and Israel. He was only received “the second time.” “This Moses whom they refused, the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer” (Acts 7:35). In effect, Israel said of Christ, when He came the first time, “We will not have this Man to reign over us,” (Luke 19:14).
As it happened to Moses, the second time when Christ, the Messiah returns, Israel will receive Him with open arms and contrite hearts. During the long period of time, before Christ’s Second Coming, Israel in their state of rejection will suffer. Indeed, the suffering of rejecters will culminate in the great tribulation, “such as was not since the beginning of the world,” (Matthew 24:21). At this Second Coming, Israel shall be saved (Romans 11:26).
• Further reading (King James Version): Acts 7:1-16. Acts 7:1-3; Psalm 29:3-11; Genesis 12:1-4; Joshua 24:2,3; Nehemiah 9:7,8; Isaiah 51:1,2; Genesis 13:10-18; 15:4-7; Hebrews 11:8-10; Genesis 17:1-8; 22:16-19; Romans 4:12-16. Acts 7:4-8; Genesis 15:5-7, 13-16; 17:9-14; Exodus 6:7,8; Nehemiah 9:7-11; 2 Chronicles 20:7; Romans 4:1-5, 9-12,16,22-25; Acts 13:38-41; Romans 2:28,29; Colossians 2:9-11; Deuteronomy 30:6; Hebrews 11:9,10,13-16; Acts 7:9-16; Genesis 37:4-11,28; Matthew 27:17,18; Genesis 39:2,5,21-23; Psalm 105:19-22; Genesis 42:1-24; 45:1-18; Zechariah 9:9; 12:10; Romans 11:25-27; Matthew 23:37-39; Acts 4:12.
