How does Exodus 2:14 provide context for Acts 7:28's narrative? Setting the original scene—Exodus 2:14 • Moses intervenes in a dispute between two Hebrews the day after killing an Egyptian slave-master (Exodus 2:11-13). • One Hebrew pushes back: “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14). • Moses realizes his act is public knowledge, fears Pharaoh’s reprisal, and flees to Midian (Exodus 2:15). Echoes picked up in Acts 7:28 • Stephen quotes the same Hebrew’s challenge almost verbatim: “Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” (Acts 7:28). • By repeating the line, Stephen anchors his audience in the historical record they already accept—establishing that his retelling is grounded in Scripture, not folklore. Why Exodus 2:14 matters to Stephen’s narrative • It proves Israel’s initial rejection of Moses as God-appointed deliverer. • Stephen uses that rejection to illustrate a broader pattern: Israel has often resisted the very saviors God sends (Acts 7:9, 27, 35, 51-52). • The wording “ruler and judge” (Exodus 2:14) matches Stephen’s later description: “This Moses, whom they rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one God sent as ruler and deliverer” (Acts 7:35). • The irony is palpable—what the people denied, God affirmed. In the same way, the Sanhedrin is now denying Jesus, whom God has exalted (Acts 7:52-56). Key theological threads running between the verses • Repeated rejection of God’s chosen: – Joseph rejected by brothers (Acts 7:9-10; cf. Genesis 37). – Moses rejected at first (Exodus 2:14; Acts 7:23-35). – Jesus rejected by His own (John 1:11; Luke 19:14). • God’s sovereignty: Human disbelief does not nullify divine purpose—Moses still leads the Exodus; Jesus still accomplishes redemption. • Foreshadowing Christ: Moses’ initial rejection, exile, and eventual return mirror Jesus’ death, resurrection, and future return as Judge (Matthew 21:42-44; Hebrews 9:28). Practical takeaways for readers today • Don’t mistake delay or opposition for God’s absence—His plan often unfolds through seasons of apparent setback. • Evaluate whether pride or fear is causing resistance to God-sent truth-bearers. • Trust Scripture’s unified story: the God who acted in Exodus is the same God vindicating His servants in Acts and in our lives now. Supporting cross-references • Exodus 3:10-12—God commissions Moses despite earlier rejection. • Deuteronomy 18:15—Moses foretells another Prophet like himself, fulfilled in Christ (Acts 3:22-23). • 1 Samuel 10:19; 12:12—Israel’s recurring pattern of rejecting God’s leadership. • Romans 9:31-33—Israel’s stumbling over the “stone,” paralleling rejection themes. By tying Acts 7:28 directly to Exodus 2:14, Stephen underscores a long-standing historical pattern and invites his hearers—as Scripture invites us—to recognize and receive the Deliverer God has truly appointed. |
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