11/3/26

Acts 7:29 NASB95 “At this remark, MOSES FLED AND BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN, where he became the father of two sons.

In our text today, we see Stephen giving his defense to a group of people who have stirred up trouble against his Holy Spirit-guided proclamation of the Gospel.

In providing his defense, he shows us how the Old Testament scripture always points to the new, which is the revelation of Jesus.

The text says, "At this remark, MOSES FLED." Moses had attempted to do the righteous thing and help his fellow Hebrews. In doing so, he killed an Egyptian who was being harsh to them. Instead of being shown love and appreciation, he was instead called out for it. This put him in danger. Since he was a well-known member of Pharaoh's family, supporting the Hebrews would have meant death, so Moses fled. When we support the work of God like Stephen and Moses, we might think we will receive glory, but in the truth of Scripture, the majority of the time we will receive attacks and will sometimes need to flee or suffer death.

The text continues by telling us that Moses BECAME AN ALIEN IN THE LAND OF MIDIAN. Moses left and went to a foreign land. Stephen was in his home country while his attack and tribulations were happening. However, to both, it was truly a foreign land. They both were aliens in their place of residence. The word Alien means a foreigner who is passing through. They are not meant to stay but simply to sojourn there for a time. As Christians, we are aliens here on earth. We are foreigners. Our homeland is the Kingdom of God, and our time here is short. We only have a little time to share the importance of our trip. The Gospel is the reason we are here. So all may hear and come to the saving grace of Jesus. Moses went to Midian; it was a foreign land not too far from where he thought he belonged. Yet it was separated by a large gulf called the Red Sea, or if he traveled around it, there was a large gulf of wilderness. The word Midian means place of contention or strife. When we are in this foreign land, we can expect difficulties. At the writing of this devotional, I am visiting my son and daughter in Japan. I have been treated kindly in every way, yet I only know three words in Japanese. This means I struggle immensely to communicate. As Christians, we must expect this in the foreign land of the earth. We will suffer strife and contention.

The text ends with the scripture revealing that Moses was blessed in the foreign land. It says where he became the father of two sons. We must never forget that, in all the strife and contention, God has not left us alone, and He is still blessing us. He gave Moses two children during this time to further God's glory. Stephen experienced a blessing as well; during his stoning, Scripture says in Acts 7:55-56: But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

As Christians, you are not at home; you will be persecuted for doing right. In the midst of difficulties, strife, and contentions, never forget that God is still blessing you!

Lord, I pray that the Holy Spirit will always remind us that you are here, inside of us believers, giving courage and blessings. Even when the strife ends in death, we will experience life eternal in an instant. Lord, I pray this in Jesus ' name. Amen.

Love Brother Scott