214 - Les Feldick Bible Study Lesson 3 - Part 2 - Book 18 - Acts Chapters 6, 7, & 8 - Part 2

https://lesfeldickbiblestudy.com Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 3 * PART 2 * BOOK 18 ACTS CHAPTERS 6,7 & 8 We hope you learn to enjoy this Book. "The same (the new Pharaoh) dealt subtilly with our kindred (the Children of Israel), and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live." Now verse 20: Acts 7:20 Moses was a special child in God's line of service. God did not specifically instruct him here, but Moses, using his own position and power, by faith, knew that Israel had to be taken out of Egypt. When Moses went out as the second man in Egypt, with all the power and wisdom that he had, he honestly thought he was going to lead the Children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. He supposed they would have understood that God, by using him, would deliver them. What's the rest of the verse say? Now do you see what a parallel you have when Christ came to the Nation of Israel the first time? Remember, Stephen's whole purpose of this sermon is to bring the Nation of Israel to the knowledge that the One they had killed was The King. Peter, in Chapters 2 and 3, states it plainly. "You killed Him! Moses is showing it. Remember Moses had hoped the children of Israel would have understood in verse 25, but they didn't. "Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? How God sent him back to Egypt and his confrontations with Pharaoh. Stephen is rehearsing it with the Nation of Israel's religious leaders. Let's go to the end of Stephen's sermon. Verse 47: saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Stephen is emphasizing the fact that this Messiah that they crucified was the promised Son of God, The King of Israel, The Son of David. All of these terms filled the Old Testament promises. Acts 7:51 in heart..." "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye." "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?..." The Old Testament economy. Stephen is showing them the same thing. The prophets came to their forefathers and they killed them. Now verse 54, Stephen has been building his case against the Nation, and God is convicting their hearts. People never get more vicious than in the name of religion. Usually, we think of Christ seated at the Father's right hand, after His ascension. Most people never catch that, but these Jewish religious leaders did. Stephen saw Him standing rather than sitting. In Acts Chapter 3, Israel could still have their King and Kingdom if they would only believe. Christ is alive! God has raised Him from the dead and called Him back to Heaven. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (that's the fulfilling of the Covenant promises and Kingdom promise); And he (God) shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:" Israel was aware of what Peter and the rest of the disciples had been preaching, that they killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead, and He can still be our King because He's alive. Now Acts Chapter 7. In verses 55 and 56 we see Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Turn to Psalms Chapters 67 and 68. Something was attracted to the fact of Stephen seeing Jesus standing that aroused the Jews' anger. The religious leaders knew their Old Testament, And I think this was the cause. Psalms 67:1-7 "GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth, Selah." The Kingdom, when He would come and set up His Kingdom) Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. "LET God (remember God The Son is just as much God The Father, and God The Spirit) arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him." This struck those Jews Stephen was preaching to. "As smoke is driven away, so drive them away (His enemies): as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God" Was Israel ready for that? Now remember as we have come up through the Book of Acts it's been Jewish, Jewish, Jewish. But here at the stoning of Stephen, Israel has come to the crescendo point of her rejection. So as they reach their pinnacle of rejection, we see God introduce Paul to the scene. The man who will now go to the Gentiles, without benefit of Israel. Normally everyone will say Jesus The Christ introduced Christianity. Galatians 1:13 "For ye have heard of my conversation (my lifestyle) in time past in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it." Saul wasn't just a casual onlooker here at Stephen's stoning. #LesFeldick #BibleStudy #Bible