Joseph, rejected by his brothers, becomes ruler over them: Jesus Christ, rejected by the Jewish people, becomes King of kings.

Acts 7:9-16

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“And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.” Acts 7:9-10

In the previous post on Acts 7:1-8, Stephen spoke of how circumcision was given to the twelve sons of Jacob [Israel]. Jacob’s name was changed to Israel in Genesis 32:28. They were the sons whom the twelve tribes of Israel are named after. They were and are the patriarchs of the Jewish people. Stephen is showing to the Jewish rulers, from Old Testament scriptures, that circumcision did nothing to remove envy from the heart of those who sold Joseph into Egypt. The patriarchs were the brothers of Joseph, those whom the twelve tribes of Israel were named after.

In other words, Stephen told the Jewish rulers that although they are circumcised and they require all the Jewish people to be circumcised, it does nothing to make them right in the eyes of God. Circumcision comes by the Spirit not by the mutilation of the flesh, as the Holy Spirit speaks through Paul, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” Philippians 3:2 Spiritual circumcision is the process of sanctification to cut off envy and malice from our attitude to work Holiness within us. Only through Jesus Christ is the Holy Spirit given and the process of sanctification begins within us.

Stephen knew the Jewish rulers were envious of the way of Jesus Christ because multitudes were being added to the family of God through faith in Him and they were fleeing the weight of the laws of Judaism. Stephen was quoting the Scriptures to show the Jewish rulers that they were/are those who sold Jesus into the hands of the Romans to be crucified, like the patriarchs who sold Joseph into Egypt. Like Joseph, who was given wisdom and power in the presence of Pharoah, God gave our Lord Jesus wisdom and power within this world, over and above that of the Jewish rulers. Within this world of bondage to sin, God has made Jesus the governor over His Kingdom within the sinner, for while we were still sinners Christ died for us.

“Now a famine and great affliction came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh.” Acts 7:11-13

Joseph was in charge of the distribution of grain, from Egypt, during a time of severe famine. Jacob sent his sons, founders of the twelve tribes of Israel and forefathers of the Jewish culture, to Egypt to ask for grain. Stephen quoted Old Testament scriptures to reveal to the Jewish rulers that they were living in a famine of devotion to God, and it would be necessary for them to turn to a “foreign” land, to turn to Jesus Christ for their spiritual sustenance. The forefathers returned a second time to ask for more grain from Joseph, this time Joseph revealed himself as being the brother they sold into Egypt. This was to show that our Lord Jesus revealed Himself as the Christ and Son of God to the Jewish people, His “brothers”, whom they betrayed to be crucified on the Cross.

“Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.” Acts 7:14-16

After Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he called all of his family, all the forefathers of the twelve tribes of Israel, to come to him. Stephen is saying this to the Jewish rulers to emphasize that our Lord Jesus had revealed Himself as the Christ and Son of God and has called all the Jewish people to Him. Unfortunately, the Jewish people have died to the will of God for them to place their faith in Jesus Christ and to receive the Holy Spirit. “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:11-13

Stephen is saying to the Jewish rulers that they have sold Jesus Christ to the Romans to be crucified on the Cross. Even so, God rose Jesus from the grave and has become the ruler over them within the Kingdom of God. The only way to be revived from spiritual famine is through faith in Jesus Christ [the Bread and Water of Life] not by faith in the laws of Judaism. Jesus revealed Himself as the Christ and Son of God but by rejecting Him, the Jewish people have died to the will of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. This is why Stephen said to the Jewish rulers, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.” Acts 7:51-53

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11