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THE KING’S BUSINESS
through man’s rejection that Moses was introduced to this great school. Here again God made the wrath o f man to praise Him (Ps. 76:10). Moses’ three schools were at his mother’s knee, Pharaoh’s court, in the wilderness. Which was the most impor tant o f all ? There is something very pathetic in verse 25, “he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not.” It doesn’t da to count too much o f man’ s understanding the plans o f God, even though they are as plain as day to us. But when had Moses, himself, learned “that God by his hand would deliver him?” Probably partly from his mother’s lips, partly directly from God. Moses under took at first to carry out God’s plans in his own time and in his own way. His action was very decidedly in the energy o f the flesh, and it came to nothing. He had to flee out of Egypt in fear. Forty years must he still abide God’s time and learn. The revelation that God gave to Moses at this time was a wonderful one. He first teaches Moses his majesty and holiness: “ Put off thy shoes from thy feet,” He says, “ For the place where thou standest is Holy ground.” He next teaches Moses his ten der grace: “ I have seen,” lie says, “I have seen the affliction o f my people who are in Egypt and I have heard their groaning, and I anTcome to deliver them.” Having revealed Himself, He commissions Moses, saying, “I will send thee.” This is God’s order: First is a vision o f Himself, then the commission. Many try to get a com mission from God without having an ante cedent vision o f God. Stephen makes the point very plain that the man they refused God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer. Herein he was a wonderful type o f .Christ and “He brought them out,” but it was after a long wilderness experience. And Jesus will «at last bring Israel out o f Egypt and into the. land (Rom. 11:26, 27), but it will be after a long wilderness experience. Tuesday, |November 14. Acts 7:30-36.
envy us or how bitter their envy may be if God is with us (Rom. 8:31). God deliv ered Joseph out o f all his afflictions and that was not all “but gave him-favor and wisdom in the sight o f” the mightiest mon arch of'tlie day. W e next see Joseph ele vated from a dungeon to dominion over all Egypt. So Jesus whom men slew and hanged upon a tree God exalted to be Lord and Christ. Stephen did not say this yet", he was just' preparing the way to say it. A time o f .great dearth and affliction came to the envious Patriarchs and then they were ready to turn to Him whom they had rejected, and sold and given up to die: in the time o f “Jacob’s trouble” Israel will turn at last unto their rejected Christ. Joseph had no bitterness toward those who had wronged him. He called them to him and sustained them and the greater Joseph will welcome his repentant breth ren and save them in the day o f repentance, when He comes again (cf. Zech. 12:11- 13:1). Monday, November 13: Acts 7:19-29. From Joseph, God’s . appointed leader whom his brethren rejected, Stephen passes to Moses, the next divinely appointed leader, whom also in his time his brethren rejected.. Human nature is essentially the same in all ages. Man is at enmity against “ God and of the one whom God raises up to rule man is always saying, “we will not have this, man to rule over us” (Luke, 19:14). It is not strange that the mass of men reject Christ today, for the mass of men have always refused God’s man. The epitome o f Moses’ history which Stephen gives is very suggestive and full o f rich instruction. Pharaoh’s cruel edict caused Moses to be cast out o f his home, but it caused him to be cast into Pharaoh’s own home where he got a part o f the prepara tion for the great work to which God had called him. He was “learned in all the wisdom o f the Egyptians” but that was not sufficient preparation for his work, he needed to go to school to God Himself, God’s school was the wilderness. It was
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