How does Acts 7:27 connect to Jesus' rejection by His own people? The Scene in Acts 7:27 “ ‘But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed Moses away and said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?” ’ ” (Acts 7:27) • Stephen recounts Moses’ first attempt to intervene for an Israelite slave. • Instead of gratitude, Moses receives a shove and a sneer: “Who authorized you?” • This rejection delays Israel’s deliverance for forty years until God sends Moses back. Parallels Between Moses and Jesus • Both are divinely chosen deliverers—Moses from physical bondage, Jesus from sin’s bondage (Luke 4:18). • Both act out of compassionate concern: Moses defends a beaten slave; Jesus heals, teaches, and forgives (Matthew 9:36). • Both are rejected at their first appearance: – Moses: “Who made you ruler…?” (Acts 7:27). – Jesus: “We do not want this man to rule over us” (Luke 19:14). • Both return later with unmistakable authority—Moses with signs in Egypt; Jesus in resurrection power (Acts 2:36). Israel’s Pattern of Rejecting God’s Appointed Deliverers • Joseph—sold by his brothers (Acts 7:9). • Moses—pushed away (Acts 7:27). • The prophets—mocked and killed (Matthew 23:37). • Jesus—“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). Fulfillment in the Gospels • Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men.” • Psalm 118:22: “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” • Mark 6:3: Hometown skepticism—“Isn’t this the carpenter?” • John 19:15: “We have no king but Caesar.” Prophetic Echo Confirmed by the Apostles • Peter—Acts 4:11 cites Psalm 118:22 to explain Jesus’ rejection. • Paul—Romans 11:11 shows Israel’s stumble opens salvation to the nations, yet God has not cast them off. God’s Sovereign Plan Through Rejection • Human unbelief cannot thwart divine purpose; it often advances it (Acts 2:23). • The cross—ultimate expression of rejection—becomes the very means of redemption (1 Corinthians 1:18). • Jesus’ resurrection vindicates Him just as Moses’ later miracles vindicated him before Israel (Acts 7:35-36). Takeaway Acts 7:27 is more than a historical footnote; it foreshadows the national response to Jesus. The same heart that shoved Moses away centuries earlier pushed Jesus toward the cross. Yet in God’s wisdom, rejection became the doorway to deliverance, proving again that “the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” |
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