But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt till there arose over Egypt another king who had not known Joseph. He dealt craftily with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, that they might not be kept alive. At this time Moses was born, and was beautiful before God. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house; and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking the Egyptian. He supposed that his brethren understood that God was giving them deliverance by his hand, but they did not understand. And so, the following day when he appeared to them as they were quarrelling, he was intent on reconciling them, saying, 'Men, you are brothers, why do you wrong each other?' But the man who was wronging his neighbour thrust him aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you want to kill me as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?' At this retort Moses fled, and became an exile in the land of Mid'ian, where he became the father of two sons.
In a Nutshell
Stephen tells how God chose Moses to bring God's promise to Abraham to fulfilment even after he was rejected by the israelites.
Questions
Note how Stephen describes God's people resisting God's plans. Put it in your own words. Is God's plan ever just "common sense"? Why? Why not?
Some of Stephen's accusers were originally from Egypt. The Synagogue of the Freedmen included Cyrenians and Alexandrians. Their accusations were serious. Stephen, they alleged, was not an authentic worshipper of the Almighty. He was not a true Jew. He did not give genuine respect to the Temple. His attitude to the Law of Moses was suspect. Or so they said.
Stephen did not enter into a counter debate about the religious credentials of his accusers. He simply gave an account of his own understanding. He reminded them about Abraham. He described how Israel came into the story of God's merciful dealings with His people, the people who were to carry His promises for all mankind. And he gives his view of Moses, the law-giver raised in Egypt.
Stephen reminded his hearers that baby Moses was kept alive by a miracle that saw him grow up in the household of Pharaoh's daughter. But this Pharaoh did not recognise Joseph's honoured place and so Joseph's people no longer enjoyed the privileges he had secured for them. It was Moses who had to continue Joseph's defence of his people in that foreign land. And though he had a place in Pharaoh's household from which to exert some influence, his own people rejected him. The punishment Moses meted out on their behalf did not bring him acceptance; it made his position dangerous. God intervened so that the one chosen to deliver Israel could do what he had been called to do. Moses fled and in the wilderness of Midian married and fathered two sons. It was there, in exile, that God Almighty discussed with Moses His tactics to deliver Israel from Egypt's slavery.