Open to Truth

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

OPEN TO TRUTH

Acts 7:17-22

17 "As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. 18 Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. 20 "At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house. 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

NIV

Stephen is laying out a very carefully crafted case against those who are accusing him of blasphemy. Of course, we know he is innocent, and most likely they knew it also, but again; jealousy drives men to act in their self-interest and preservation, and Stephen, a man full of faith, and the Holy Spirit threatens their hold over the people. It seems obvious enough they were not full of faith or of the Holy Spirit. Nor were they doing any wonders or miraculous signs as evidence of being full of God’s grace and power. Stephen is showing the leaders of Israel how they came to be who they are. It is by the power of God, the grace, the divine influence upon the heart of the mother of Moses to hide her child and then to insure he is found by the daughter of Pharaoh. God’s righteous right hand was upon Moses and Stephen recounts the fact that Moses was educated in all the ways of the Egyptians and was a man of powerful speech and action. Is this not much like Stephen? However, it does not appear Stephen is using Moses to show anything about himself, but he is leading them along to the place where the people rejected Moses, rejected all the prophets, and even rejected the anointed one. Men reject anything that interferes with their own agenda. We will get to this point that Stephen makes at the conclusion of his answer. Still, it is interesting that his new Pharoah knew nothing of Joseph and how he not only saved all of Israel but saved the people of Egypt from a seven-year drought. All this new Pharoah was concerned about was his own power and control over the people. There could be a parallel there between this new Pharoah having no knowledge of a man who saved them, and the Sanhedrin, having no knowledge of Jesus, who came to save them. Perhaps the Pharoah had some knowledge about Joseph and the Sanhedrin had some knowledge about Jesus, but both refused to acknowledge their actions. We will see later, as we think ahead, that Pharoah wanted Moses killed, and the Sanhedrin wanted Jesus killed. Men always refuse truth in the face of their traditional thinking. The mind of man is incredibly strong when it comes to holding on to its own thoughts. This type of strength blinds them from seeing the truth. Although Stephen is laying out the truth for them, they will not only refuse to see it but become so irate that evil will fill their minds instead of the truth. We must always be open to the correction and direction of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We cannot allow our own agenda to sway us from hearing the truth and making the needed changes in ourselves so that we reflect the glory of God in ever-increasing amounts. We must always be open to the truth.