Title: Great Second Half
Contents
Stephen's story of Moses continues.
1. The sight Moses saw (30, 31)
Moses saw the glory of God in the thorn bush. Forty years have come to an end (verse 30). In other words, at the age of 80, he returned to the place of honor of his birth. It was in the wilderness of Sinai where God appeared to him (verse 30). There God appeared to Moses, and the place became a holy place (verse 33). Stephen pointed this out to remind them of their pride that they could not communicate with God except in the temple where they were. They deceived themselves into thinking that God was only in a limited place. God could lead his people into the wilderness and speak to them there. God appeared in the flames of thorn bushes, and even in the flames the bush was not burned. The effect of this fact on Moses is as follows. (1) When Moses saw this scene, he was amazed (verse 31). At first, I was curious. Come closer to find out. But the closer he got, the more startled he became. (2) Moses was afraid and did not dare to recognize him. For he knew immediately that it was the angel of the Lord. This made him tremble with fear.
2. Hearing the word of God (32,33)
Moses heard God's covenant being proclaimed. The voice of the Lord, I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (verse 32). The meaning of this word is as follows.
[1] "I am the unchanging God now as I was before." God's covenant with Abraham was 'I will be your God'. Therefore, God said, "Even now, that covenant is still in effect. I am the God of Abraham as before." God's love and mercy toward Israel are based on the covenant with Abraham.
[2] "I am the God who will be forever as I am" (1) He will become the God of souls who are now separated from the body. Our Savior uses this fact to prove our future condition (Matt. 23:31,32). Abraham is dead, but God is still his God. So Abraham is alive. This is the life and immortality illuminated by the light of the Gospel. Therefore, those who defend the gospel do not blaspheme Moses, but pay him the most honorable homage. (2) He will be the God of their children. The God who declared Himself to be the God of their fathers is kind to their descendants. They will be loved by their ancestors. Now the evangelists must preach this covenant, the promise God made to the ancestors (Acts 26:6,7). Shall we break the covenant God made with Abraham before the law was given in the name of holiness and keeping the law, and long before the holy place, the temple, was built?
God wants to work out our salvation by promise, not by law. Therefore, the Jews who persecuted Christians for blaspheming the law were themselves blaspheming the promise.
3. Entrustment of Mission (34)
4. The role of Moses (35,36)