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37 This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear." 38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, 39 whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, "Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." 41 And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 42 Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: "Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon." ~ Acts 7:37-43
Today, we return to our study of Acts 7 where Stephen continues his presentation about the children of Israel in reference the God of the Bible. He spoke of the training Moses received during his first forty years in Egypt. Then Stephen transitioned to the next 40 years of Moses' life while in exile in Midian. It was there that he shepherded sheep. Today, we will consider the third 40 years of Moses' life as the deliverer of Israel out of Egypt. Although Stephen focused on Moses and God's activity in his life, his point was that God's people have always had a hard time with God's culture. This was the case due to the fact that God had made them His people, they were still sinful and His culture was yet foreign to them.
In v.37-41 of today's passage we read, "37 This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.' 38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us, 39 whom our fathers would not obey, but rejected. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 41 And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands."
Moses was raised up by God to speak to His people on His behalf. In fact, God gave to Israel the Law of Moses through him. Just like Israel, if we are in the family of God we will love the Law of God especially since the Lord Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. But, there will always be those moments that we have conflict with the Law of God because we are still sinners who are at times bent on sinning.
Stephen then reminded the religious leaders of Israel that Moses said that the Lord would raise up a Prophet like him who would deliver the New Covenant. This explains Moses words at the end of v.37, "Him you shall hear." The word "hear" is not just to listen to His words, but to heed them with their hearts. The people of Israel rejected the Word of the Lord Jesus as they did those of Moses. In fact, they desired to be led by other gods. They had lived in Egypt so long that they adopted some of their ungodly ways. This explains why they made a golden calf while Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving from God the Ten Commandments.
In v.42-43 of today's passage we read, "42 Then God turned and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets: "Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 43 You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which you made to worship; And I will carry you away beyond Babylon."
God gave the people over to astrology or the worship of the stars. And, in time, the people rejected God causing Him to cease to appeal to them to worship Him. By the way, God doesn't need our worship. He knows it is a must for us to worship Him because He knows that what we worship is what defines us. Essentially, the Lord let them have it their way. The Lord allowed Israel to follow their own gods, and when times of trouble came, their gods were no where to be found. According to Amos 5:25-27 Israel worshipped "Moloch" and the star of their god "Remphan." Moloch, sometimes called Molek is a name for a variety of different Canaanite gods. Many different gods of these cultures were called Molek or Moloch. The most accurate translation of this god is: "the ruler of shameful deeds." Part of the worship of Moloch was the sacrificing of babies alive. Live babies were placed on the red hot, or white hot arms of a cast iron "god" and it would be heated up to white hot. The baby, alive, was placed on the very hot arms until it was consumed by the fire and killed. Fried to death as a form of worship. Remphan was said to be the god of Saturn who was worshipped as one of the many deities in the heavens.
Israel did not lose their salvation, they chose another. This is the point Stephen was making to these religious leaders of Israel who worshipped more than one god, more than they knew. Man worships that which he believes will save him. Like many today, the religious leaders of Israel thought human nature is basically good but the Bible makes it clear that all are sinners by nature and deserving of the wrath of God. In fact, the whole world is under the righteous judgment of God. There is coming a day when God will judge all for their sin and rebellion. God will finally and ultimately reject sinful people who do not submit to Him. He allows those who do not believe in His Son to turn away. But, He has also provided a means of salvation from His judgment. He sent his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die upon the cross so that sinners would not have to suffer eternal damnation. All who repent and believe will be saved and made children of God.
