The Cornerstone That Oversees The Capstone

Acts 7:8-16

8 Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs. 9 "And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him 10 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. 11 Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh. 14 Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. 16 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. NKJV

In our last study we covered the covenant of circumcision. This covenant was strictly for the offspring of Abraham who would birth the nation Israel as observed in verse eight. This covenant was carried on through the tradition of Isaac, and unto Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs of Israel. Again, it was a covenant that was a sign; for the remembrance that Abraham was called out of a nation of idolatry to the true worship of the God of glory. Lord willing in this study we will discover how God rescues a nation of idolatry, Egypt, through the children of circumcision in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In this study God makes His name and power known through the covenant He made with Abraham’s offspring, particularly Joseph being cast out into a pagan nation. While Stephen’s main point is to lay the ground work and history of the children of circumcision – Israel; the overarching facts are a picture of Jesus Christ laying down His life for all the nations.

"And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt.

This verse testifies that God’s favor is not merely based on the sign of the covenant, but only on God who shows mercy (Rom.9:16). We find the sin of God’s covenant people, right here, before they are even a nation. Joseph had received the favor and smile of God, and increased with the wisdom and power of the Spirit of God; but his brothers became envious of his favor and sold him into slavery. What we often need to realize is that just because God is not showing us immediate favor, doesn’t mean that God hasn’t set His favor upon us. In God showing all this exalted favor upon Joseph was preparation for all the sufferings that God was going to lead him through in order to preserve, not only the patriarchs, but the Egyptians. This briefly shadows Christ being cut off from His brethren by the envy of Judas who sold Him into the hands of the Pharisees. But we also need to see that God's favor was also with Joseph's brothers in the over arching theme of this story, just as it is today for the nation of Israel who murdered Christ. God's favor still rests on them to be saved unto Jesus Christ.

But God was with him . . .

God continued to be with Joseph in all his sufferings. His brothers wanted to see him fail; but God was going to use him to keep Israel from destruction, as He had promised. Stephen is laying down the history of God’s preservation of the covenant of promise. It is also important for us to understand that it was God who was working in the life of Joseph. Joseph did not succeed on his own or by his own wisdom and strength. However, as this briefly shadows Christ suffering by crucifixion, the Father was not with the Son as He suffered all alone in His own strength (Matt.27:46).

. . . 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.

We see here that the sufferings of Joseph were by the design of God to make His power and wisdom known to Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph was to be a testimony of God before Pharaoh. Therefore this was not merely a providence to save the future of Israel, but also one to deliver Egypt from her present destruction. Egypt was the world’s superpower and God wanted to make His name and reputation known to the world through the instrument of Egypt. Joseph having the gracious favor of God was exalted almost equal to Pharaoh. He was put as steward over the whole nation and Pharaoh’s house. This conveys the idea of complete trust and integrity in Joseph. The Hebrews will be preserved by Egypt until the idolatry of Egypt is at her peak. God will testify to His superiority over the Egyptian gods when He punishes her for the captivity of His children of the circumcision. In a later study we will see why God preserved Egypt for destruction by the plagues given through Moses upon Pharaoh who was raised up to make His power known in the earth (Rom.9:17). God’s glory will be unveiled again to the whole world in the destruction of this superpower called Egypt. But the immediate generation of Joseph was to find favor by God in the sight of Pharaoh through the wisdom granted to Joseph to lead and preserve the nations. The secondary point shadows the opposite of what Joseph received in being delivered out of his troubles. Christ was delivered over to His troubles in the place of sinners like Joseph and Pharaoh.

Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.

Because of the famine poverty began to spread throughout the region. Most likely theft, murder, and various kinds of crime increased due to the lack of provision from the graces of creation. Having no sustenance, the patriarchs probably began to cry out to the God of glory for help. Assurance of God’s favor did not rest in the blessing of the land or crops, but only in the giving of God’s promise (Gen.17:8). Israel was to become a nation as promised, but she was going to have her faith tried before she could receive the blessings of prosperity and comfort. The children of the patriarchs will also bear the iniquity of their fathers in selling Joseph into the slavery of the Egyptians. Their children will fall under the yoke of the generations of the Pharaohs who live for the glory of their own name. This also shadows the time of Christ, for there was a ‘spiritual’ famine in the land. The chief priests were not feeding the sheep of God’s people with words that offered life for their eternal souls. Stephen is also charging the chief priests of not fulfilling their calling in relieving the poor of their burdens. Christ who took up this duty was crucified by the envious elders; whom the Father used, as He did Joseph to lift the heavy burdens from the nations, to also lift sinners from the guilt of their sins.

But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

However this generation of the Pharaohs was chosen for salvation with the Hebrews. God will deal with the idolatries of Egypt in His time; but for now they are His instrument to save Israel. Because Joseph used the practical wisdom that God gives in His precepts, Egypt was blessed to have the stewardship of the grain for purchase in the region of suffering due to the famine. This also shadows the church being sent out to collect a harvest of souls for the kingdom of Christ (Matt.9:38).

And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to the Pharaoh.

Stephen is quickly skimming over the life of Joseph here to set up the point that God still has the Gentiles in mind for salvation. As Joseph makes himself known to his brothers, Christ is spiritually made known to the elect of God; and as Joseph’s family is made known to Pharaoh, the people of God are made known to the world. Stephen is bringing in the thought that just as God once used the people of the circumcision to make known the glories of God, He is now using the church, made up of both Jew and Gentile, to make His glories known. God is reserving the sovereign right to choose whatever instrument He wills to make Himself known in the earth (Matt.21:43). It was because of Israel’s rejection that the church at Pentecost was commissioned to take the gospel into the world. In this God and His people are being made known.

Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people.

Now that Joseph was exalted to governor in Egypt, he had the power to rescue his family. This paints a picture that God keeps his promises and that God is still calling out to the people of circumcision for salvation. Joseph was God’s chosen instrument, who sits in power of a pagan nation whom God has chosen, to save the people of circumcision for a season. It was the responsibility of Jacob to submit and be saved to restore the blessing upon his children. In the same way, Stephen is calling the Sanhedrin, and you and I today, to submit to Jesus Christ and come out of our burdens of sin into the blessing of His salvation.

So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers.

Out of obedience and for the preservation of the children of circumcision it was necessary to submit to the faith of Joseph. Joseph represents Christ calling us out of pride to die at the foot of His cross and sufferings. The purpose of Joseph’s sufferings was for his family to be saved from destruction. Jacob had to leave his pride, the land, wealth, and all his hard work to be rescued from the famine. Stephen is trying to make it known to the Sanhedrin that they too must leave the pride they built for themselves to be saved from the coming destruction of the temple and their idolatry. If Israel is now to be saved it must be by the faith and obedience of Jesus Christ, for He has shown that their faith was futile. Stephen is making the case that it would be in their best interest to follow the example of their 'fathers' and repent of dead works and turn to the living God of their fathers who was raised from the dead.

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.

Shechem was one of the first settlements of the land that was promised to Abraham. There were many alters erected to the God of glory in the region of the Promised Land. The first alter was in honor God giving Abraham the land (Gen.12:7). An alter was also built to God in honor of safely bringing Jacob to the Promised Land (Gen.33:20). The idea that Abraham bought a place of burial and Jacob buying a plot of land indicates the righteousness of God. God bought this land with His own hard labor and was chosen as a place of rest for His people. This also shadows the secondary illustration of Jesus Christ purchasing the resting place of heaven for the people of God. In dying at the foot of Christ’s sufferings we too will be carried to the promised rest of God’s eternal glory in Christ's resurrection.