Acts 7: 1-16

(Acts 7: 1-16)

Then said the high priest, Are these things so? And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.  And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.  Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.  But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.  And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.  Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.  So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,  And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

This is the first part of Stephen's sermon before the Sanhedrin Court. False witnesses said that Stephen preached that Jesus would destroy the temple. Since this was regarded as blasphemy by the Jews, the high priest, chairman of the Sanhedrin court, asked Stephen if this was true, and the answer to that question is the content of the text. Stephen's statement from verse 2 continues through verse 53, which mentions the ancestors of faith such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Joshua, David, and Solomon.

Stephen is talking about the temple, and the story begins with the God who calls Abraham. It is said that the building of the temple was not done in one morning, but there are steps, and the first step is from God's call to Abraham. This is, Stephen says, that the subject of the temple is not the temple building, but God, the ruler of history.

While the Jews sacrificed and administered in the temple, they missed the essence of the temple, while Stephen was able to hold on to God, the essence of the temple, because he had a right understanding of God. The basic stage of faith begins with a good understanding of God. This understanding is what makes Stephen stand as a believer unshakable even in times of crisis. When we examine Stephen's understanding of God, God is the ruler of history.

God's first step toward building a temple starts with calling Abraham. Before the temple was built, God began to draw the sketch of the temple through Abraham, revealing to Abraham as the God of glory from distant Mesopotamia. Neither Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph realized whether God was trying to draw a temple. However, to accomplish all this, God called Abraham of Mesopotamia, led him to Canaan, and used Egypt to save the Israelites from a severe famine.

If they know that God is the ruler of history, they should be able to see God, who is the ruler and savior of history, rather than taking on the grandeur and old-fashionedness of seeing the temple. Anyone who sees God beyond the temple can make it a temple to worship God in any place, whether or not there is a temple, and can become a person of faith who is not influenced by circumstances and circumstances.

God is the one who gives promises. 『And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child . And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years』. The fact that God is the God of promise is a measure of God for those who have received the promise. God is the saving God.

The reason God faithfully keeps the covenant made with the people is for the salvation of the people. The reason God called Abraham of Mesopotamia and promised an untouchable and invisible land and descendants was for the salvation of the people through the temple. The reason why God judged Egypt, circumcised Egypt, and led Israel was to save those who were destined to die due to lack of food in a severe famine. God, who is the ruler of history and who gives promises, comes to the saints as the God of salvation.

The person of faith who meets this kind of God shows Joseph through life how to live. 『And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. Joseph did not fall into despair and discouragement even though he was a slave and prisoner unfairly. When he became Egypt's prime minister, he did not retaliate against those who were proud or despised. Because Joseph realized that it was God's providence. Because he had faith, as well as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were able to use Shechem, who bought them with silver. This was to inform our descendants that the spiritual destination was not Egypt of prosperity, but Canaan, a barren but promised land.