Acts 7:24 “And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. 25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.”
Stephen the first recorded Christian martyr bases his defense before the council in part on the events in Exodus two. Moses is 40 years of age and witnesses an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. When he was convinced there was no witnesses he killed the Egyptian. It is not clear what his intentions were at this moment but it is clear he had made his choice to give his allegiance to the Hebrews and not the Egyptians by which he was raised.
Perhaps he had hoped to use this incident to prove this allegiance. Maybe it was a spur of the moment action with no thought to anything next.
The author of Hebrews attributes his action to a choice to serve the Lord. Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 2 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt…”
Clearly, he had made his choice and believed as a result perhaps the Hebrews would follow his lead or perhaps even him. Acts 7:27 … ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? This statement would stick with Moses for many years to come and present a problem when God encouraged him to go back to Egypt and free the people.
Yet from his early life we can learn about throwing off sin and the patience required to free the Hebrew nation. Equally, we can note the very real nature of Moses included a healthy meek personality.
Come with us as we look into the life of a great man of God and his trial and temptations along the way.
