What is the meaning of Acts 7:18? Then The opening word places us in a clear timeline. Stephen has just reminded his listeners that “the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham” (Acts 7:17). The “then” signals that God’s plan was still moving forward even after centuries of peace in Egypt. History never drifts outside His control (cf. Galatians 4:4; Genesis 15:13-14). Another king • Exodus 1:8 repeats the same note: “Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt”. • “Another” alerts us to a break with the favorable dynasty that had welcomed Jacob’s family (Genesis 47:5-6). • God allowed this political shift to prepare the setting for Israel’s deliverance, just as later He would raise up Cyrus to free Judah (Isaiah 45:1-4). • Scripture shows that rulers change, but the Lord remains sovereign (Psalm 75:6-7; Daniel 2:21). Who knew nothing of Joseph • Joseph had once been Egypt’s savior during famine (Genesis 41:55-57), yet human gratitude is short-lived (Judges 2:10). • Forgetting Joseph meant forgetting the covenant people he represented. This neglect quickly turned into fear and oppression (Acts 7:19; Exodus 1:9-14). • Psalm 105:17-25 summarizes both sides: God “sent a man before them—Joseph…; then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. The LORD made His people very fruitful and made them stronger than their foes, whose hearts He turned to hate His people”. • The verse warns how cultural amnesia toward God’s works breeds hostility toward God’s people. Arose over Egypt • “Arose” points to the sudden ascent of authority; one ruler’s decisions affected an entire empire and a growing nation within it. • Egypt, symbol of worldly power, would soon be the stage for God’s dramatic judgments (Exodus 7–12). • Romans 9:17 recalls this lesson: “For Scripture says to Pharaoh: ‘I raised you up for this very purpose, to display My power in you’ ”. • What looked like a setback for Israel became the catalyst for the Exodus, revealing God as Deliverer (Acts 7:34). summary Acts 7:18 marks a turning point: after generations of safety, a new Pharaoh—unmoved by Joseph’s legacy—takes the throne. His rise shows how quickly human favor can evaporate, yet it also demonstrates God’s unbroken plan. The forgotten Joseph becomes the backdrop for remembering God’s faithfulness. Political shifts, cultural amnesia, and rising hostility all fold into the larger story in which the Lord preserves and delivers His people, fulfilling every promise He made. |
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