“But as the time of
the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased
and multiplied in Egypt until there arose over Egypt another king who did not
know Joseph. He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose
their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 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, and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter
adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all
the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds” (Acts 7:17-22).
The Holy Spirit inspired Stephen to remind the
council about Moses. He recalled that there were many changes during the 430
years of Israel’s sojourn in Egypt. The Israelites increased in number and
became a strong, contributing workforce in the growth of Egypt. There were
political changes that led to the abuse and persecution of the Hebrews. A new
king who did not know or respect the God of Joseph ordered a terrible kind of
birth control in order to slow the amazing growth of the Jewish population. It
was difficult for the Jews to see through the mounting persecution and to
remember God’s promise to Abram… “Then the LORD said to Abram, ‘Know for
certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and
will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But
I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall
come out with great possessions’” (Genesis 15:13-14). Like the children
of Israel in Egypt, we live like exiles in this temporal world as we journey
toward our promised land, heaven. We are encouraged today by Stephen’s
testimony, to overcome the difficulties of this life by exercising the faith
that is commendable.
Commendable faith remembers the promise is
pending. Despite the physical evidence, God’s promise to Abram was
approaching. Despite what we see in our daily lives, God’s promises to us are
always drawing nearer too… “For all the promises of God find their Yes in
him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory”
(2 Corinthians 1:20). That’s because the promises of God do not depend
on what’s happening around us or on what others might do to us. The promises of
God depend on His character and His faithfulness… “Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews
10:23). Let your trials direct your heart toward God where your faith will
be refreshed and encouraged by His amazing faithfulness and you’ll be reminded
that despite the physical evidence, God’s promises are pending.
Commendable faith knows the people will
be persecuted. The new Egyptian king was disturbed by the prosperity of
the Jews. We can be sure that others will be jealous of our peace and
confidence in the midst of tough times. Often, they attack or provoke us to see
if our faith is real… “If you were of the world, the world would love you
as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the
world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). Let persecution
remind you that your faith is being noticed by others as you wait for God’s
promises to arrive and rejoice as one of His people who are persecuted.
Commendable faith believes the servant
will be saved. Into the middle of this trying time, God’s servant leader
Moses was born. God wonderfully preserved Moses’ life and intentionally placed
him right in the house and family of the king. No one saw clearly or understood
what God’s purpose for this special child was, but his faithful parents and the
pagan first family were used in God’s perfect plan to fulfill His promise to
His children. We can trust that even when we cannot see His hand moving, God is
at work fulfilling His promises to us… “For I know the plans I have for
you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a
future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). In fact, God is always at work in
every situation, fulfilling His good promises for those who love and serve Him…
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Let your trials move you to serve the God who is sovereign over all that
happens to you, and you will be His servant that is saved.
As we grow up into Christ, we rise above the trials of this temporary
life as we grow in…
The Faith that is Commendable.
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