(མཛད་པ། 7:1-16)

 

And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

(Acts 7:1-16)

 

History of Israel

1. Story of the Fathers

The council listened attentively to the long story. They loved to hear how Israel was called by God to be his own people.

It started with Abraham (in what is modern Iraq) to whom God promised a land which at that time was called Canaan. So Abraham and his few followers went as nomads to go and live there in tents. There Isaac was born as Abraham’s son; then Jacob his grandson. And Jacob had sons, the twelve ancestors of Israel, of whom Joseph was the youngest.

But still they had no land except a field for a burial place.

Then, through the remarkable appointment of Joseph as viceroy, they came to live in Egypt for many generations.

(མཛད་པ། 7:17-34)

 

17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. 23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons. 30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’ (Acts 7:17-34)

  

History of Israel

2. The Training of Moses for Leadership

Stephen has been accused of blasphemy against Moses and God. So now he describes how carefully God chose, directed and prepared the life of his man, Moses, with the result that the once-proud prince became Israel’s greatest leader.

a. As a babe he was rescued in a remarkable way

b. The lion-like mature man had to be tamed. For another 40 years he earned his living as an exile and shepherd for his father-in-law, and learned to be a humble  servant. (Moses wrote the story of these years in the book of Exodus, chapters 2 and 3)

c. Then an angel drew Moses to a burning bush, and he abased himself. So God spoke to him, “I am the God of your people (in Hebrew language, the ‘Yahweh, I am God’). Now go and save the Israelites, my people.” (Read the story in the book of Exodus, chapter 3)

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Editor’s note: God describes himself as “I am”. I.e. He is what he is; so he is truly himself (rang dgnos nges). He is not dependent, but self-established (rang bzhin gyis grub pa).

 

 

(མཛད་པ། 7:35-43)

 

35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices, during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’ (Acts 7:35-43)

     

History of Israel

3. Moses, Israel’s Greatest Leader

In his defence, Stephen continues to speak with praise of Moses ‘the ruler and saviour’ of Israel. Several times he says, ‘This Moses …’( mo she ‘di  ):

v.36  this Moses, whom they had rejected, led their escape from Egypt

v.38  he, Moses, would speak with God’s angel (in a special tent that he constructed – read about it next time, v.44)

v.39  to Moses God gave the Law for worship and daily living

v. 37  this Moses spoke of a prophet to come one day, some one like himself (As for these words, the Jews believed they foretold the coming of the Messiah)

However the Israelites refused to obey him. They did not want the guidance given by God in the tent; rather they wanted the guidance of gods (v.43) whose golden idols they could see.

God would punish them, said the prophets. The example quoted came true in years to come.