Author: Charlie Garrett

Southern Confederacy, South Carolina Memorial. Austin, Texas.

Sunday, 8 May 2022

saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and dared not look. Acts 7:32

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, Moses had approached the burning bush. As he drew near, “the voice of the Lord came to him.” With that stated, it now says, “saying, ‘I am the God of your fathers.’” This would bring to remembrance the promises passed down among the Hebrew people that God had promised to deliver them.

Despite being raised among the Egyptians, it is likely that Moses was not only aware of his heritage, but also of what that heritage meant according to the stories kept in the collective mind of the people. Of note, the Hebrew text says, “I am the God of your father.”

The singular is taken by some to be a collective designation. However, it could just as likely mean that the Lord is referring to Amram, the father of Moses, ensuring that it is understood that the same God of his own father is the one who was also there all along with each generation that had passed. Stephen, however, focuses on the collective line by saying “fathers.”

With His words now introduced, the Lord continues, saying, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” The words speak of the Lord’s transcendence over time. He is the God of Moses’ father and the same God who was worshipped by his ancestors, even 400 years earlier. Jesus uses this exact passage to make a theological point concerning the resurrection –

“But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ³² ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” ³³ And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. Matthew 22:31-33

Stephen’s inclusion of these words, which would have been remembered by those who heard Jesus speak, provides suitable evidence that Jesus’ resurrection was not a mere fantasy, but something that has a precedent right from the words of Moses as recorded in Exodus. The Lord is the God of things that actually exist. If these fathers were alive to Him, even though they were dead to Moses, it means that the Lord is outside of time as we understand it, and He is in control of the state of His people in a way that we do not fully understand.

In Moses hearing these words issue from the burning bush that is not consumed, Stephen next says, “And Moses trembled and dared not look.”

The verb is an aorist participle, and it is united with an adjective. As such, it should read, “And Moses, having become terrified, dared not look.” The immensity of what he had seen and heard was beyond his ability to grasp. He was overwhelmed to the point that he could not raise his eyes to behold the sight before him.

Life application: The hope of the resurrection is no more impossible than the fact that there are fish in the ocean. God is not limited in what He can do, and He is fully capable of keeping every promise He has spoken forth.

If trials or loss have arisen in your life and you are wondering how God will work it all out, just remember the words of Jesus concerning the fathers. God has everything perfectly under control. We can, and should, absolutely trust that this is so. Demonstrate faith and be pleasing to God as you do.

Lord God Almighty, surely You are faithful to Your word. We can trust that Your plan will unfold exactly as You have stated. No fear here! We trust You to carry us through to the good land which You have promised to Your people. And may that day be soon, Lord! Amen.

Austin, Texas from Capitol Building

Saturday, 7 May 2022

When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight; and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him, Acts 7:31

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse said, “And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.” With that remembered, Stephen now says, “When Moses saw it, he marveled at the sight.”

The words are more fully explained in Exodus, saying, “And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, ‘I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn’” (Exodus 3:2, 3).

Seeing a bush on fire may not be that unusual, but one that burns and is not consumed would certainly draw one’s attention. The mountain is Sinai, where the law was given. Paul says that “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). Thus, we have a picture developed of the work of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

The bush anticipates Christ who became our sin and yet instead of being consumed through the judgment on our sin, He purifies us from it. He embodies the law given at Sinai for us, having never sinned under it. Through this account, the Bible gives us an anticipatory look into the work of Christ. As for Moses, Stephen continues with, “and as he drew near to observe, the voice of the Lord came to him.”

That is recorded in Exodus 3 as well –

“So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’
And he said, ‘Here I am.’” Exodus 3:4

There is the fire, and there is a voice, but there is no physical form. Moses responds to the voice, acknowledging his presence. It is a beautiful picture being developed. Moses means “He who draws out.” He is being called to draw out the word of the Lord to present it to the people. But first, He must draw the people out of the bondage of Egypt. The Lord is using Moses to anticipate the greater fulfillment of the redemptive plans of God in delivering His people from the bondage of sin through His drawing out the Word of God through the Person of Jesus Christ.

Life application: Although we should not expect divine appearances of the Lord, nor expect to hear audible voices from the Lord today, we have the word of the Lord right with us in the pages of Scripture. Too often, we look for the miraculous and ignore that which is right at hand, ready to serve us up a meal of what God desires us to do. Let us not have this attitude, but instead hold fast to the word, reading it all the days of our lives.

It is through this word that we can intimately fellowship with our Creator. And so, let us make use of this beautiful avenue of fellowship every day of our lives!

Lord God, Your word is a treasure for us to read and consider. May we be responsible in seeking out its guidance every day of our lives. To Your glory! Amen.

Cannon display. Capitol, Austin Texas.

Friday, 6 May 2022

“And when forty years had passed, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai. Acts 7:30

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse noted that Moses had become a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. Stephen now continues, going directly to the expiration of that time, saying, “And when forty years had passed.”

The verb translated as “had passed” signifies “to fulfill.” It is as if a divinely chosen interval of time had been fulfilled, and the events to follow were ready to be directed by the Lord. As such, Stephen continues, saying, “an Angel of the Lord appeared to him.”

The word translated as “angel” simply means a “messenger.” Here, it has no article before it. Who this messenger is must be determined from the surrounding text in the Exodus narrative. Stephen will explain it in the verses ahead.

As for the reason for the coming of this Messenger, it is to be remembered that the Lord had spoken out a timeline, in advance, to Abraham concerning the state of his descendants. The arrival of this Messenger means that the time for the fulfillment of those promises is at hand. As such, this Angel reveals Himself to Moses “in a flame of fire in a bush.”

The account is found as Exodus 3 opens –

“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, ‘I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.’” Exodus 3:1-3

The word used to describe the bush is batos. It signifies a bramble or thorn bush. This rightly corresponds to the Hebrew word used in Exodus, seneh. It too signifies a bramble, coming from an unused root meaning “to prick.” It is from this thorny bush that the angel will speak. The words of Stephen finish with, “in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.”

Again, the words of Moses correspond to verse 7:30. In Exodus, it said “Horeb,” but the name is used interchangeably with Sinai. Some believe it is two separate peaks of one mountain. Or it could be two separate names for the one mountain, regardless of the peaks. Either way, it is a word used synonymously with Sinai. This can be deduced from several verses where Sinai and Horeb are spoken of in the same context, such as –

“And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.” Exodus 19:11

“especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.’” Deuteronomy 4:10

&

“And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.” Exodus 31:18

“Nothing was in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.” 1 Kings 8:9

These and other references show that the names are being used synonymously when speaking of the same mountain and area around it.

Life application: In the life application from the previous verse, it was noted that Moses was not yet ready to lead Israel when he was in Egypt. Therefore, he went to Midian and spent forty years in obscurity. In this verse, we can see that the Lord appeared to him in a bush at Sinai. It wasn’t for Moses to decide when the Lord would act. Rather, it was the Lord who appeared and who will direct Moses.

It is not to be assumed that the Lord is going to appear to any of us and tell us what to do. It is even unscriptural to think that it could or will happen. The Bible says that we live by faith, not by sight. To have the Lord appear and direct us is not living by faith.

However, we can – and should – ask for the Lord to direct us. We can do this in various ways. One is to ask Him to direct your ways. “Lord, I am unsure of which way to go. I must make a choice, and so be with me to make the right one.”

In this, you are acknowledging His presence in your life and making a petition that He will be a part of the process that guides you.

Another way is to ask Him to not let anything happen contrary to His will. This is basically the same thing as before but in a negative petition. “Lord, please don’t let this happen if it is not what is right for us or if it is contrary to what You would want us to do.”

You can add others in when making such petitions as well. “Lord, I pray that the decision I make will not negatively affect anyone else.” And so on.

The main point of this is that you are including the Lord in your every action and decision. It is an acknowledgment of faith that you believe He is there and that He is truly concerned about the actions you take and the decisions you make. This is why Paul says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7).

Be sure to include Him in all you do. Acknowledge Him and He will be pleased with this.

Lord God, thank You for being ever-present with us. We know that You are there, and we pray that You direct our steps according to Your wisdom. Keep us from taking the wrong paths in life. Instead, may our steps always be in accord with what is right and proper, by which we will keep from harming others and ourselves. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Heroes of the Alamo Memorial

Thursday, 5 May 2022

Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons. Acts 7:29

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Moses, being challenged by one of the Israelites he encountered, was asked, “Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?” With that, Stephen continues the narrative with, “Then, at this saying, Moses fled.” The reason for this, which is left out by Stephen now, is found in Exodus 2 –

“So Moses feared and said, ‘Surely this thing is known!’ ¹⁵ When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.” Exodus 2:14, 15

Moses thought that his killing of the Egyptian was done in secret. That was seen earlier in Exodus 2 where it said, “So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand” (Exodus 1:12). He thought his act had gone unnoticed, but it had not. Soon, it became known even to Pharaoh who then sought Moses for punishment. That is when Moses fled. With this context more fully understood, Stephen’s words continue with, “and became a dweller in the land of Midian.”

The location of Midian has never been exactly determined. Those who believe Mt. Sinai is on the Sinai Peninsula (once known as Arabia Petraea) would place it in the body of land going from the land of Moab and extending south along the eastern shore of the peninsula. Others believe Mt. Sinai is where Saudi Arabia is today. If so, Midian would have to be somewhere further east in that area.

Its location is less important than the fact that the Lord was always aware of where Moses was, and He interacted with him there. The Lord is not simply a local god that dwells in the land of Canaan, but He is the one true God who is not bound by physical limitations. He can and does deal with people in any location in order to meet His set purposes.

As for Moses dwelling in Midian, Stephen notes that is “where he had two sons.” While in Midian, he married Zipporah. She was the daughter of Reuel, the priest of Midian. Their first son was named Gershom. This is recorded in Exodus 2 –

“Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷ Then the shepherds came and drove them away; but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
¹⁸ When they came to Reuel their father, he said, ‘How is it that you have come so soon today?’
¹⁹ And they said, ‘An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also drew enough water for us and watered the flock.’
²⁰ So he said to his daughters, ‘And where is he? Why is it that you have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.’
²¹ Then Moses was content to live with the man, and he gave Zipporah his daughter to Moses. ²² And she bore him a son. He called his name Gershom, for he said, ‘I have been a stranger in a foreign land.’” Exodus 2:16-22

The second son’s name is Eliezer. He is first recorded in Exodus 18:4.

Life application: Moses was forty (Acts 7:23) at the time he killed the Egyptian and fled to Midian. He was then in Midian for forty years. After all that time, the Lord visited him on Mount Sinai in the burning bush (Acts. 7:30). The Lord determined when He would appear to Moses, and it was at an age when most people were on their way out (see Psalm 90:10). And yet, he was just starting the most productive third of his life.

We may not see the big changes coming that the Lord plans for our lives, but when they come, we should be willing to recognize His hand in what has occurred and use the events to bring Him glory in whatever capacity He has chosen for us.

Moses shepherded flocks for forty years, as can be deduced from Exodus 3:1. Some might see this as a dull existence, but it was a part of the Lord’s plan for him. Today, he is one of the most well-known names in all of human history. Those forty years did nothing to detract from what we think of him. They were simply a part of what the Lord had determined.

No matter what our job is, where we live, or how simple we find our surroundings, let us consider that it is no different than what occurred with Moses. If the Lord keeps us there forever, or if He determines something great and exciting for the future, it really doesn’t matter if we are living for Him. For those in Christ, the days of the life we now live will end, and there will be eternal days of wonder when we are in our true, heavenly home.

Lord God, help us to be encouraged in the lives we live. Whatever our station is, You have allowed it to be so. May we consider this and be willing to live for You, no matter where we are or whatever our vocation may be. As long as we are honoring You with this life, we are doing what is good and proper. Help us in this, O God. Amen.

Terry’s Texas Rangers – Eighth Texas Cavalry

Wednesday, 4 May 2022

Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday? Acts 7:28

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse saw the Israelite who was doing wrong to his fellow Israelite push Moses away and ask, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us?” His words to Moses continue in this verse with, “Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?”

Stephen’s words are close to those of Exodus 2:14, which say, “Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” The tone of the man cannot be known, but it is obvious that he is poking at Moses. The intent of Moses was to separate the two and bring about harmony. However, the one who was bullying the other wanted to continue with his perverse actions and now flippantly speaks out his words to Moses as if he were some type of common murderer who took joy in killing.

The parallel to the leaders of Israel is obvious. Jesus had rebuked the leaders for their treatment of their own people. This is found in Matthew 23 and in Luke 11. Just a portion of that says –

“Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. ⁴⁷ Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. ⁴⁸ In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.” Luke 11:46-48

The leaders of Israel oppressed the people. Jesus addressed this personally and the leaders didn’t like it, just as the man Stephen is referring to took offense at Moses for trying to stop the wrong he was doing to his own brother Israelite. It is the same attitude of the heart that the Bible addresses between the two as it reveals the rejection of Moses’ words and later the rejection of Jesus’ words.

Life application: One has to beware of who to interact with, even in the church. Just because someone claims to be a Christian, it does not mean he has positive intent towards those around him. The epistles of Paul, James, Peter, John, and Jude all deal with people in the church who do not have the good of others in mind –

“But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. ¹⁷ And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, ¹⁸ who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.” 2 Timothy 2:16-18

“But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?” James 2:6, 7

“But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” 2 Peter 2:1, 2

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. ¹⁰ Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.” 3 John -9, 10

“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; ¹³ raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Jude -12, 13

As this is such a common warning among the writers of the New Testament, we should pay heed. Both those in the church and those over the church must be carefully evaluated in doctrine and in how they conduct their lives. Be accepting of the brotherhood but be careful at the same time.

Lord God, give us wisdom in our interactions with others. There are many who are out there to take advantage of the fellowship, tearing others apart like ravenous wolves. May we be mindful of them and keep them from dividing the church and bringing harm to the fellowship. Yes, give us wisdom in this, O God. Amen.