How does this verse connect to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises? Setting the Stage in Stephen’s Sermon Acts 7:45: “And our fathers who received it brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before them. It remained until the time of David,” Stephen is rehearsing Israel’s history to the Sanhedrin, drawing a line from Abraham all the way to the Messiah. This single verse ties together God’s promise of land, His promise of presence, and His promise of a kingly line—all kept to the letter. Promises Made to Abraham, Fulfilled under Joshua • Genesis 12:7; 15:18-21 – God swore that Abraham’s offspring would inherit Canaan. • Joshua 21:43-45 – “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everything was fulfilled.” • Acts 7:45 shows the physical entry with the tabernacle into that very land. Every tribe received its inheritance exactly as God said centuries earlier. Key takeaway: the conquest under Joshua is concrete evidence that God’s word never falls to the ground. The Tabernacle: Tangible Proof of God’s Ongoing Presence • Exodus 25:8 – “Have them make a sanctuary for Me, and I will dwell among them.” • The same portable sanctuary travels from Sinai through the wilderness and crosses the Jordan. • By noting that “our fathers…brought it in,” Stephen highlights that God didn’t abandon His people once the land was taken; His dwelling place moved right in with them. Promise kept: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6). The tabernacle’s journey is a visible emblem of that pledge. From Joshua to David: A Line of Unbroken Faithfulness • The verse ends “until the time of David,” pointing forward to the next layer of promise: the covenant of an eternal throne (2 Samuel 7:12-16). • 1 Kings 8:56 celebrates both stages: “The LORD has kept every promise He made.” • God’s track record from Abraham → Moses → Joshua → David forms an unbroken chain, setting the stage for the ultimate Son of David, Jesus (Luke 1:32-33). Faithfulness pattern: land secured, worship established, king prepared—each link fulfilled exactly on schedule. Living it Out Today • Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” • The God who kept His word across centuries still keeps every detail of His Word now—from daily provision (Philippians 4:19) to the return of Christ (John 14:3). • Acts 7:45 invites us to trace the record and rest assured: if He fulfilled the hardest promises (conquest, covenant, coming King), He will surely fulfill the rest. |
    |