SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 11/16/2017 10:04 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-1 “Moses”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts 7:17-37
Message of the
verses: In this section we will look
how Stephen deals with the charge against him of rejecting Moses. Moses was very important to the Jewish
spiritual leaders even though if Moses would have been alive at this time he
would have rejected what they had been teaching as their teachings came from
Satan. Remember what Jesus said to them
in the 8th chapter of John “You are of your father the devil.” Stephen pleads “not guilty” to this charge
and will go on to making his defense.
The first sixteen verses he has covered the period from Abraham to
Joseph, which began at the call of Abraham all the way to the captivity of
Israel in Egypt. Now we will see that he
moves into the second period of Israel’s history which goes from Moses all the way to the Babylonian captivity.
17 "But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt.” When we read of “the time of the promise” we are talking about that promise that was promised to Abraham by the Lord. God promised to give Abraham the “Promised Land” and this was about to happen under the leadership of Moses and then Joshua. Now as this time grew near the people of Israel had multiplied and Egypt was using them as slaves to build their cities. God had told Abraham that this was going to happen in the 15th chapter of Genesis “13 God said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 “But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16 “Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete."”
We move on to verse 18 “until THERE AROSE ANOTHER KING
OVER EGYPT WHO KNEW NOTHING ABOUT JOSEPH.”
This verse is from Exodus 1:8 which shows that Stephen knew the Old
Testament very well. 19 “It was he who
took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would
expose their infants and they would not survive.” This goes along with what we wrote about
earlier that the Egyptians took advantage of Israel by making them slaves.
God was preparing the children of Israel for His deliverer as we will see in verse “20-21 "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.” Stephen did not go through all of the details of Moses’ early life as he knew that the Sanhedrin knew all of that so he “hit the highlights of Moses life.” Stephen goes on to say “22 “Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.”
We know from studying the OT that Moses was a remarkable
man. He had great natural leadership
qualities along with the most comprehensive education that the ancient world
had and this made him uniquely qualified for the task that the Lord had
prepared him for. Moses’ life can be
divided into three forty year sections as we will see. The first forty years were spent in Egypt
living under Pharaoh and working for him, next he spent forty years tending
sheep which would be useful when he was leading Israel out of Egypt. The last forty years he spent leading Israel
to the brink of the Promised Land, and this was no easy task. We will continue looking at Moses’ life in
our next SD as we will begin to look at the last two phases of his life.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I cannot compare
my life with what Moses did in his life in service to the Lord, but I do
remember when I was in high school that it was not my plan to be in a typing
class for a year, but I do believe that the Lord was even preparing me to be
able to type so that I could write my Spiritual Diaries each day. No it is not like leading the children of
Israel out of Egypt but my prayer is each day that my Spiritual Diaries will
bring honor and glory to the Lord as they go around the world on my blogs.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
Trust that the Lord will be with my
wife as she continues to prepare for her dad’s 100th birthday party
this upcoming Saturday.
Memory verse: Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever
is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever
is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and anything
worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Isaac” (Genesis 27:22).
Today’s Bible
question: “Where was written ‘Mystery,
Babylon the great mother of harlots and abomination of the earth’?”
Answer in our next SD
11/16/2017 10:49 AM
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