A Demonstration of Spiritual Boldness

Acts 7:35-53

Israel rejected Moses as their deliverer forty years before he returned to lead them out. In Exodus 5, they blamed him for making things worse for Israel when Pharaoh increased the level of persecution after Moses requested permission to leave to worship God.

“This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.” (Acts 7:35-36)

For forty years, Moses led Israel, from Egypt through the wilderness and to the very edge of the promised land. Along the way they saw tremendous miracles by God, and giving the Law. As a result, Moses is and was one of the most revered of the leaders and prophets of Israel.

“This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.” (Acts 7:37-41)

Moses had prophesied about another prophet, like himself, that they needed to hear him. When he went to the mountain to receive the law from God, the people turned away to worship other gods, rejecting God again. Despite their pride in their faithfulness to God, Israel had rarely been faithful in their history, and had been punished repeatedly, finally being carried off to Babylon.

“Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.” (Acts 7:42-43)

The Tabernacle had been built under Moses’ leadership as a testimony to them of what Christ would do for them and a reminder of their covenant with God. They had carried it with them for about six hundred years, from Joshua’s day until Solomon became king, being reminded of God every time they saw it.

“Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.” (Acts 7:44-46)

David had wanted to build a permanent house for God, but it was Solomon who actually built the temple. The tabernacle emphasized that God did not actually dwell in it. The munificence of the temple made it easier to focus on it rather than on God, forgetting who he is.

“But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?” (Acts 7:47-50)

Israel’s rejection of the Holy Spirit’s action in arresting Stephen was just a continuation of what they had done repeatedly through the ages, even though they had God’s law and prophecies, and either the Tabernacle or the Temple to remind them of God for all those years.

“Ye stiffnecked 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 showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.” (Acts 7:51-53)

Stephen made it very clear that it was the religious Jews who had killed and ignored the prophets they claimed to revere, and then, ignoring the prophets’ teachings, had turned and killed the Messiah, and had not obeyed the law they purported to practice. What they were doing was not something new, or unusual.

Rather than defending himself, Stephen focused on his attackers need for repentance. The Holy Spirit gave him a different perspective as to what was needed. It resulted in an humble boldness with no element of self glory or self preservation. He was neither defensive nor defiant. It is not the attitude many stories of martyrs portray.