Stephen's Defense: Moses as a Foreshadowing of Christ

 

Summary

In the passage from Acts 7:17-29, Stephen, the first Christian martyr, stands before the Sanhedrin, accused of blasphemy for preaching Jesus as the Son of God. Stephen's defense is a historical review of Israel's history, highlighting how their rejection of Jesus mirrors their ancestors' rejection of God's messengers. He uses the story of Moses as a type of Christ, illustrating how Moses' life foreshadows the coming of Jesus. Stephen's aim is to show the Sanhedrin that their rejection of Jesus is a denial of their own history and God's plan.

Moses, like Jesus, was raised up by God to deliver his people. His life is a type, a foreshadowing of Christ's coming. The concept of typology is crucial for understanding the Bible, as it reveals the divine inspiration and unity of Scripture. The Old Testament is filled with types that point to Jesus, preparing the people for the Messiah. Moses' life, from his miraculous preservation as a baby to his leadership in delivering Israel, prefigures Jesus' mission to save humanity.

The timing of Moses' birth and mission is significant, illustrating God's sovereignty over history. Just as Moses was born at a time of great need, Jesus came into the world when humanity was in spiritual darkness. The attempts to kill Moses as a baby parallel Herod's attempt to kill Jesus, highlighting the spiritual conflict between God's purposes and the forces of evil.

Moses' willingness to leave his royal position to identify with his suffering people is a pale shadow of Jesus' condescension. Jesus, though equal with God, humbled himself, taking on human form to save us. This act of divine love and humility is the heart of the gospel. Despite rejection, both Moses and Jesus fulfilled their God-given missions, delivering their people.

The message is clear: God's plan of salvation, revealed through the types in the Old Testament, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the only Savior, sent by God to redeem humanity. The question remains: have you recognized your need for deliverance and accepted Jesus as your Savior?

Key Takeaways:

- Typology in Scripture: The concept of typology is essential for understanding the Bible's unity and divine inspiration. The Old Testament is filled with types that foreshadow Christ, preparing the people for the Messiah. Recognizing these types helps us see the continuity of God's plan throughout history. [05:05]

- God's Sovereignty Over Time: The timing of Moses' birth and mission illustrates God's control over history. Just as Moses was born during a time of great need, Jesus came into the world when humanity was in spiritual darkness. This demonstrates God's perfect timing in fulfilling His purposes. [22:56]

- The Spiritual Conflict: The attempts to kill Moses as a baby parallel Herod's attempt to kill Jesus, highlighting the ongoing spiritual conflict between God's purposes and the forces of evil. Recognizing this conflict helps us understand the true nature of history and our place in it. [27:54]

- Christ's Humility and Love: Moses' willingness to leave his royal position to identify with his suffering people is a pale shadow of Jesus' condescension. Jesus, though equal with God, humbled himself, taking on human form to save us. This act of divine love and humility is the heart of the gospel. [35:47]

- The Fulfillment of God's Plan: Despite rejection, both Moses and Jesus fulfilled their God-given missions, delivering their people. God's plan of salvation, revealed through the types in the Old Testament, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the only Savior, sent by God to redeem humanity. [46:49]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Stephen's Defense Before the Sanhedrin
- [01:15] - Historical Review of Israel
- [02:31] - Introduction to Moses as a Type
- [04:27] - Understanding Typology
- [06:15] - Old Testament Types of Christ
- [08:05] - Moses as a Type of Christ
- [09:04] - Divine Inspiration of the Bible
- [12:00] - God's Plan and Purpose
- [14:17] - God's Consistent Work
- [16:29] - Moses' Prophecy of a Greater Prophet
- [18:11] - Stephen's Use of Moses
- [20:01] - Moses Raised by God
- [22:56] - God's Timing in History
- [27:54] - Spiritual Conflict and Deliverance
- [35:47] - Christ's Humility and Love
- [46:49] - Fulfillment of God's Plan

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Acts 7:17-29
- Hebrews 2:9-10
- Philippians 2:5-8

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Observation Questions:

1. What was Stephen's main argument in his defense before the Sanhedrin, and how did he use the story of Moses to support it? [01:46]

2. How does the sermon describe the concept of typology, and why is it important for understanding the Bible? [05:05]

3. What parallels are drawn between the early life of Moses and the birth of Jesus, according to the sermon? [27:54]

4. How does the sermon illustrate the humility and condescension of Christ through the actions of Moses? [35:47]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of typology help believers understand the continuity of God's plan throughout the Bible? [10:57]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's timing is perfect, and how does this relate to the birth and mission of both Moses and Jesus? [22:56]

3. How does the sermon explain the spiritual conflict between God's purposes and the forces of evil, as seen in the attempts to kill Moses and Jesus as infants? [27:54]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the significance of Christ's humility and love, and how does this relate to the heart of the gospel message? [35:47]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on the concept of typology. How can recognizing the types in the Old Testament enhance your understanding of Jesus' role as the Messiah? [05:05]

2. Consider a time when you felt God's timing was not aligning with your own plans. How can the examples of Moses and Jesus help you trust in God's sovereignty over time? [22:56]

3. The sermon highlights the ongoing spiritual conflict between good and evil. How can you become more aware of this conflict in your daily life, and what steps can you take to align yourself with God's purposes? [27:54]

4. Christ's humility and love are central to the gospel. In what specific ways can you demonstrate humility and love in your interactions with others this week? [35:47]

5. Stephen used the story of Moses to challenge the Sanhedrin's understanding of their own history. How can you use biblical stories to challenge and deepen your own faith and understanding of God's plan? [01:46]

6. Reflect on the rejection both Moses and Jesus faced. How can you find encouragement in their stories when you face rejection or misunderstanding in your own life? [46:49]

7. The sermon ends with a call to recognize the need for deliverance and accept Jesus as Savior. Have you recognized this need in your own life, and what steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Jesus? [49:47]

Devotional

Day 1: The Unity of Scripture Through Typology
The concept of typology is essential for understanding the Bible's unity and divine inspiration. Typology refers to the way certain events, persons, or institutions in the Old Testament prefigure and foreshadow Christ and His work in the New Testament. Recognizing these types helps us see the continuity of God's plan throughout history. For instance, Moses' life serves as a type of Christ, illustrating how his mission to deliver Israel prefigures Jesus' mission to save humanity. This understanding deepens our appreciation of the Bible as a cohesive narrative that points to Jesus as the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. [05:05]

"For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" (John 5:46-47, ESV)

Reflection: How can recognizing the types of Christ in the Old Testament enhance your understanding of Jesus' role in your life today?


Day 2: God's Perfect Timing in History
The timing of Moses' birth and mission illustrates God's control over history. Just as Moses was born during a time of great need, Jesus came into the world when humanity was in spiritual darkness. This demonstrates God's perfect timing in fulfilling His purposes. The sovereignty of God over time assures us that He is never late and always acts at the right moment. This understanding encourages us to trust in God's timing in our own lives, knowing that He is orchestrating events according to His divine plan. [22:56]

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to trust God's timing more fully, and how can you practice patience in waiting for His perfect plan to unfold?


Day 3: The Spiritual Conflict in History
The attempts to kill Moses as a baby parallel Herod's attempt to kill Jesus, highlighting the ongoing spiritual conflict between God's purposes and the forces of evil. Recognizing this conflict helps us understand the true nature of history and our place in it. Throughout history, there has been a battle between good and evil, with God's redemptive plan often facing opposition. This awareness calls us to be vigilant and prayerful, understanding that we are part of a larger spiritual battle that requires our active participation in God's mission. [27:54]

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively engage in spiritual warfare through prayer and action in your daily life, recognizing the spiritual battles around you?


Day 4: Christ's Humility and Love
Moses' willingness to leave his royal position to identify with his suffering people is a pale shadow of Jesus' condescension. Jesus, though equal with God, humbled himself, taking on human form to save us. This act of divine love and humility is the heart of the gospel. Jesus' humility challenges us to live selflessly, putting others before ourselves and serving with love. It is a call to embody the same humility and love in our interactions with others, reflecting the character of Christ in our daily lives. [35:47]

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:5-7, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific ways can you demonstrate Christ-like humility and love to those around you today?


Day 5: The Fulfillment of God's Plan
Despite rejection, both Moses and Jesus fulfilled their God-given missions, delivering their people. God's plan of salvation, revealed through the types in the Old Testament, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is the only Savior, sent by God to redeem humanity. This fulfillment assures us of God's faithfulness and the certainty of His promises. It invites us to place our trust in Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan and to live in the light of His salvation. [46:49]

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24:27, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding Jesus as the fulfillment of God's plan impact your faith and daily walk with Him?

Quotes

"Stephen gives his answer, that's what's recorded in this captain, and we have seen that what he does is to give a kind of historical review of the story of the children of Israel. They were Jews and it was abused they were rejecting the gospel so he takes their own history picks out some great outstanding salient features and shows them the real significance of those features." [00:01:10]

"Now this is of course a very essential principle in connection with the teaching of the whole Bible. We can't understand the Bible truly unless we understand this teaching concerning types. What kind of types does the Bible views? Well, it can be said the innocence that the Old Testament is a great book of types and the types take many different forms." [00:04:57]

"God was preparing these people, the children of Israel, for this tremendous thing that he was going to do when he sent his son into the world. So all the types are many and varied. Have you ever read books like the Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament and have you sometimes said yourself what's all this of that as this got any meaning is this just an ancient religion or what is it?" [00:06:02]

"Well, the answer is of course that it is full of meaning. You read about sacrifices and offerings and of that kind. What are they? Well, they're all types. These are all representations of what was going to happen in the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember for instance how we are told in the book of Exodus on that great night when these children of Israel were finally led out of the bondage of the captivity of Egypt by Moses." [00:06:31]

"Now Moses, I say, is one of these types of Jesus Christ. This is a most important question. Why is it important? Well, it's important for this reason: this teaching concerning the type's is of great value to us, where it merely that it shows us the divine inspiration of the Bible. Now, there are people who stumble at truth and they stumble at the offer of salvation in Jesus Christ." [00:08:34]

"Here is a book, 66 books, written by different mineral, many of them men who lived in different times, different centuries, long periods of time separating some of them from others. And yet, and this is the astounding thing, there is only one message in this book from beginning to end and the types turn it. You've got these many different types, but they're all pointing to the same great empty type." [00:10:01]

"God obviously has a great plan and a great purpose, and that is why he prepares the people followed. He gives a promise, he elaborates it, he states it in different ways. What is it? Well, it is his plan and his purpose, and the purpose is always the same. Now the types again prove that, as I say, you've got a great variety of types, but they're all teaching the same message." [00:12:45]

"Moses is therefore a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is made very plain in the pages of the New Testament. We are told that in hidden they sing the praises of Moses and the lamb. You get even contrast on the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. So you see, Moses is one of these great types of the law of Jesus Christ." [00:17:49]

"Here is the first great thing: Merces was a man was raised up by God to deliver the children of Israel in which time Moses was born. I've shown you already have that is not an accident. It was God who raised him up and who sent him amongst these people. Here of course is the very essence of the gospel: God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." [00:20:01]

"Well, when the trouble was at its height, when the poor children of Israel were drowning in their misery and slavery and unhappiness, and you know, my dear friends, our Lord came into this world at a similar time. Read even your secular history books about that time. The world was tired, the world was weary, the world was sinful, evil found practices were rampant." [00:23:38]

"This was the enactment of this king and the Egyptians were ready to work to this end. The king gave out recommend that all the male children that were born to the Israelites should directly or indirectly be put to death. He tried to destroy all the males and when he fell over to the Gospels and you read about the birth of the Son of God, the wise men coming from the east and interviewing King heaven." [00:26:44]

"Thank God in spite of our blindness and folly God delivers in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ while we were yet enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son that's the statement look at Saul of Tarsus blaspheming persecuting and Christ dies for him in spite of it I did it ignorantly in unbelief he says but Christ as died for me." [00:46:49]

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Transcript
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