Acts 7:25, commentary and pictures

Moses, raised up as God's chosen instrument to free Israel, expected his brethren to understand that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not recognize God's purpose in him and were not prepared for freedom. In his readiness to defend them he struck down an Egyptian oppressor, yet he acted too quickly, violently and rashly in his own strength, mistaking God's purpose for deliverance by warfare with himself leading the Hebrew host against Egypt's armies. God intended to deliver Israel by His own mighty power so that the glory would belong to Him alone, though He overruled even that rash act to serve His purpose. The failure made Moses a fugitive and exile from Egypt, and that flight became his further training, for after beginning on his own plan at forty he spent forty years as a shepherd in Midian learning gentleness, humility, patience and dependence on divine power before God entrusted him with leading Israel out of bondage. Stephen rehearsed this history in his final Spirit-filled defense before the council to show that God's people had repeatedly failed to recognize God's work and that Christ was foretold by Moses and the prophets, a thrilling testimony that held the assembly spellbound until his stoning, to which Saul consented before later seeing its truth about Jesus.

Stephen's Defense Setting

Acts 7:25 belongs to Stephen's defense answering the charge of blasphemy before the council, given as his final testimony by the Holy Spirit before a hostile audience. He spoke in a clear, thrilling voice that rang through the council hall and held the assembly spell-bound. It is part of his rehearsing of the history of God's chosen people, beginning with Abraham and tracing down from generation to generation through Israel's national records to Solomon. He took up the most impressive points to vindicate his cause, showing thorough knowledge of the Jewish economy and of its spiritual interpretation now made manifest through Christ.

The review showed that God's people had repeatedly failed to recognize God's work and that Christ had been foretold in prophecy. It followed the pattern of showing from Moses and the prophets that Christ was the Messiah, as inspired proof of his mission, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension. The witness ended with Stephen's stoning, at which Saul stood by consenting. Afterward Saul continued against the disciples, breathing threatenings and slaughter and seeking letters to bind believers.

Saul later remembered the sermon after Christ was revealed to him, when words once accepted as blasphemy appeared true as part of the truth about Jesus.

Moses' Mistaken Deliverance Plan

Moses supposed that his brethren would understand that God would deliver them by his hand, but they understood not, for though he was God's chosen instrument raised up for their deliverance, they failed to recognize God's purpose in him and were not prepared for freedom. He believed God would use him to deliver Israel and looked for his people to recognize it, yet his first attempt rested on his own abilities and favor instead of fitting him to represent God. In killing the Egyptian who wronged an Israelite he showed his readiness to defend his people, but he acted too quickly, violently and rashly. By that violent deed he proved unfit at that time to represent the God of mercy, love and tenderness.

His attempt to deliver them by force sprang from a mistaken understanding of God's purpose, for his desire to deliver them was genuine yet he mistook what God intended. He wrongly thought deliverance would come by warfare and force of arms, with himself leading the Hebrew host against the Egyptian armies. He expected God to deliver Israel through his own action in that way of war. God intended instead to deliver Israel by His own mighty power, not through the warfare Moses had in mind, so that the glory would belong to Him alone, yet He overruled Moses' rash act to serve His purpose.

That failed attempt by force left him a fugitive and exile and drove him from Egypt in flight. When God afterward sent him to demand Israel's release from Pharaoh, Moses shrank from the task. His failure and flight became the means of further training, by which God taught him the gentleness, goodness and patience needed for the work. After the attempt failed God undertook his further training and taught him dependence on divine power, with humility, showing that his own judgment and abilities were not enough. At forty Moses began acting on his own plan to help his people, but God had a different plan, so Moses first spent forty years in Midian as a shepherd learning the lessons needed before God entrusted him with leading Israel out of bondage.