A STUDY GUIDE ACTS 7:20-41
1. A Study Guide
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 7:20-41
a) The verses describe Stephen’s narrative of Israel’s history during the time of Moses.
#1) Acts 7:20-22
20 It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. 21 And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.
i) Birth of Moses. Moses was born at a time when a new Pharaoh ruled Egypt, and this king had no knowledge of Joseph. So he mistreated and enslaved the Israelites. They were multiplying and becoming numerous, so the new Pharaoh forced them to throw out their babies to die (Acts 7:17-19).
ii) Moses thrown out. Moses’s parents took a risk in hiding and keeping him for three months, time for him, on his mother’s milk, to gain some strength. The parents then had to “throw him out” but they did this in a most lovely manner, setting him among the reeds in a specially made floating cradle, and committing him to the providence of God. And Pharaoh’s daughter, no less, was the one who found him, took pity on him, and raised him as her own child (Exodus 1-2). Here again, we see people showing faith in the most trustworthy God.
iii) Mighty in word and deed. Moses became mighty in word and deed not only because of the amazing education he received, but because he was aware of his roots and believed in the God of his fathers.
#2) Acts 7:23-25
23 But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. 25 And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.
i) Defended and avenged. Moses showed courage and strength in going to the aid of the oppressed. Moses probably didn't intend to kill the Egyptian, since that would hardly be a mighty deed or wise.
ii) They didn't understand. Stephen here contrasts Moses with his fellow Israelites who had no real interest in God and his plan for their deliverance.
#3) Acts 7:26-29
26 On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’ 27 But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 28 You do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29 At this remark, Moses fled and became an alien in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
i) Moses rejected. Next day was a shock for Moses. He finds his brothers fighting each other, and one oppressing another. They didn't need an Egyptian to make them miserable apparently. Worse, when Moses tried to reconcile them he was pushed away and insulted with the words, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?”. Indeed God intended to make Moses exactly that. So in rejecting Moses they were rejecting God. Stephen had no need to say that Christ was like Moses, and the Sanhedrin were like the stupid brothers.
ii) The Egyptian you killed. Moses gets another shock. It was probably news to him that the Egyptian he'd struck had died. But it was news well known to everyone else including Pharaoh who was then out to kill Moses.
iii) A stranger in Midian. Moses had to flee from Pharaoh. By God’s grace and his own, Moses found refuge in the country, at the home of the priest in Midian. Moses married one of his daughters, and inconspicuously worked as a shepherd.
#4) Acts 7:30-34
30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. 33 But the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to rescue them; come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’
i) Forty years. Moses’s life was split into three periods each of 40 years: His time living as an Egyptian from his birth until he fled to Midian; the time he spent in exile; and his leading a generation of the children of Israel around the wilderness. Moses was 120 years old when he died (Deuteronomy 34:7).
ii) Moses trembled. First Moses wondered at this bush, aflame but not burned. Next, Moses investigated. Then the bush spoke, and Moses trembled. For the first third of his life Moses was interested in God despite his pagan education. In the second third of his life, as part of a quiet priestly family, he no doubt worshiped God faithfully. Now, marking the final third of his life, God starts speaking to him —a privilege not granted many. No wonder he trembled.
iii) I will send you. God assures Moses that he is hearing the true God of Moses’s ancestors. God then informs Moses that where Moses stands is holy ground. The mountain of Sinai would be the most special place where Moses would commune with God as he shepherded God’s people. Then God calls Moses to go to Egypt to free those people with God s help.
#5) Acts 7:35-37
35 “This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.’
i) A Prophet like Moses. Now Stephen drives home his main point. He makes no attempt to defend himself. Why waste words on that? The hypocritical Sanhedrin is giving him a mere show trial. Stephen instead preaches Jesus through the mouth of Moses whom his accusers say he blasphemes. Moses foretold that God would raise up a prophet of whom Moses is a likeness. That prophet was Jesus who also worked miracles as Moses did.
#6) Acts 7:38-41
38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. 39 Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.’ 41 At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
i) Make us gods. Now Stephen presses home his other point. The fathers rejected Moses and wouldn't obey him. Indeed they blasphemed him. Having no loyalty to Moses or his God, they demanded idols. They made their golden calf and rejoiced in it. And God denied the promised land to all of them.
ii) Living oracles rejected. Moses received the words of the living God to give to the people but they refused to listen and obey. Jesus likewise received the words of the living God to give to the people. Would the Sanhedrin listen and obey? No, they rejected Jesus as their fathers had rejected Moses. The Sanhedrin knew that this was Stephen’s counter accusation against them. And they knew it was no trumped up accusation. It was true. And the truth hurt.
a) A study guide of Acts of the Apostles. It is intended to be expository — to explain and bring out the meaning of the original text. You may use this for your personal bible study or even group bible study.
2. Acts 7:20-41
a) The verses describe Stephen’s narrative of Israel’s history during the time of Moses.
#1) Acts 7:20-22
20 It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. 21 And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.
i) Birth of Moses. Moses was born at a time when a new Pharaoh ruled Egypt, and this king had no knowledge of Joseph. So he mistreated and enslaved the Israelites. They were multiplying and becoming numerous, so the new Pharaoh forced them to throw out their babies to die (Acts 7:17-19).
ii) Moses thrown out. Moses’s parents took a risk in hiding and keeping him for three months, time for him, on his mother’s milk, to gain some strength. The parents then had to “throw him out” but they did this in a most lovely manner, setting him among the reeds in a specially made floating cradle, and committing him to the providence of God. And Pharaoh’s daughter, no less, was the one who found him, took pity on him, and raised him as her own child (Exodus 1-2). Here again, we see people showing faith in the most trustworthy God.
iii) Mighty in word and deed. Moses became mighty in word and deed not only because of the amazing education he received, but because he was aware of his roots and believed in the God of his fathers.
#2) Acts 7:23-25
23 But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel. 24 And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. 25 And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.
i) Defended and avenged. Moses showed courage and strength in going to the aid of the oppressed. Moses probably didn't intend to kill the Egyptian, since that would hardly be a mighty deed or wise.
ii) They didn't understand. Stephen here contrasts Moses with his fellow Israelites who had no real interest in God and his plan for their deliverance.
#3) Acts 7:26-29
26 On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’ 27 But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us? 28 You do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’ 29 At this remark, Moses fled and became an alien in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
i) Moses rejected. Next day was a shock for Moses. He finds his brothers fighting each other, and one oppressing another. They didn't need an Egyptian to make them miserable apparently. Worse, when Moses tried to reconcile them he was pushed away and insulted with the words, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?”. Indeed God intended to make Moses exactly that. So in rejecting Moses they were rejecting God. Stephen had no need to say that Christ was like Moses, and the Sanhedrin were like the stupid brothers.
ii) The Egyptian you killed. Moses gets another shock. It was probably news to him that the Egyptian he'd struck had died. But it was news well known to everyone else including Pharaoh who was then out to kill Moses.
iii) A stranger in Midian. Moses had to flee from Pharaoh. By God’s grace and his own, Moses found refuge in the country, at the home of the priest in Midian. Moses married one of his daughters, and inconspicuously worked as a shepherd.
#4) Acts 7:30-34
30 “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning thorn bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he approached to look more closely, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look. 33 But the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt and have heard their groans, and I have come down to rescue them; come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’
i) Forty years. Moses’s life was split into three periods each of 40 years: His time living as an Egyptian from his birth until he fled to Midian; the time he spent in exile; and his leading a generation of the children of Israel around the wilderness. Moses was 120 years old when he died (Deuteronomy 34:7).
ii) Moses trembled. First Moses wondered at this bush, aflame but not burned. Next, Moses investigated. Then the bush spoke, and Moses trembled. For the first third of his life Moses was interested in God despite his pagan education. In the second third of his life, as part of a quiet priestly family, he no doubt worshiped God faithfully. Now, marking the final third of his life, God starts speaking to him —a privilege not granted many. No wonder he trembled.
iii) I will send you. God assures Moses that he is hearing the true God of Moses’s ancestors. God then informs Moses that where Moses stands is holy ground. The mountain of Sinai would be the most special place where Moses would commune with God as he shepherded God’s people. Then God calls Moses to go to Egypt to free those people with God s help.
#5) Acts 7:35-37
35 “This Moses whom they disowned, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren.’
i) A Prophet like Moses. Now Stephen drives home his main point. He makes no attempt to defend himself. Why waste words on that? The hypocritical Sanhedrin is giving him a mere show trial. Stephen instead preaches Jesus through the mouth of Moses whom his accusers say he blasphemes. Moses foretold that God would raise up a prophet of whom Moses is a likeness. That prophet was Jesus who also worked miracles as Moses did.
#6) Acts 7:38-41
38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. 39 Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what happened to him.’ 41 At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.
i) Make us gods. Now Stephen presses home his other point. The fathers rejected Moses and wouldn't obey him. Indeed they blasphemed him. Having no loyalty to Moses or his God, they demanded idols. They made their golden calf and rejoiced in it. And God denied the promised land to all of them.
ii) Living oracles rejected. Moses received the words of the living God to give to the people but they refused to listen and obey. Jesus likewise received the words of the living God to give to the people. Would the Sanhedrin listen and obey? No, they rejected Jesus as their fathers had rejected Moses. The Sanhedrin knew that this was Stephen’s counter accusation against them. And they knew it was no trumped up accusation. It was true. And the truth hurt.
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