Why Israel Rejected Their Messiah — Acts 7 & Joseph Explained

Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick. All right, away we go. And again, it's good to see so many out for our taping today. We always like our television audience to realize that these folk come in from far and near, some from over in Arkansas and some from other areas of Oklahoma. And we're always so thankful that you take the time and the effort to come in and help us with this, because I've said so often, I could never teach just a camera. And I want our television audience to know that once we start teaching, I forget about these cameras. So if I say something, a lot of times it may not be meant for the national audience. I'm talking to this group right here, and I have to be kind of careful that things don't get out of hand, because I told someone a little while ago, none of this is edited. Whatever I say, I have to live with it. So anyway, we're always appreciative of these that come in. And for those of you who may be catching our program for the first time, and we know this is happening because every day we get letters from people who have just caught our program. And for those of you who are new, we are just an informal Bible study, almost on the same basis as if I went into a neighborhood home, and just simply teach the Book. We don't try to get theological, and we don't try to be controversial. We just want to make Bible study a thrilling experience, because after all that's why God gave His Word to the average individual. And I've mentioned before that one of the early Reformers, I think it was Tyndale, it might have been Wycliffe, but as they were burning him at the stake, his prayer was that every plow boy in England could have a copy of this Book. So it is meant for the common person. It wasn't meant to be kept in the seminaries and the monasteries and what have you. And so this is all we try to do, is teach it on common man's level. And of course this is what's coming through. Our comments from letters are just that, that we're teaching it on a level that almost anybody can comprehend. And so we trust that as you study with us, that the Lord will bless you, hearts will be opened, and we especially appeal to those who have never had a salvation experience, that you might understand that the Gospel is so simple, and yet so complex, that I'll never understand it, and I don't think any other human can either. So anyway, we've been on the air now, starting our fifth year. We started way back in Genesis, and we've come up all the way through the Old Testament, through the Gospels, and now we're into the Book of Acts, chapter 6, the last verse, is where we left off in our last program. And here we have Stephen brought before the religious leaders of Israel, and as I've been stressing, contrary I know to tradition, that all of these early chapters of Acts are still to the nation of Israel. There is no mention of Gentiles whatsoever. All the language is Jewish. Everything is there in Jerusalem. And here again, in chapter 6 now, as we came down in the last part of the chapter in our last program, Stephen is brought before the consul of the synagogue there, and verse 15, "...and all that sat in the consul," that is this religious leadership, "...looking steadfastly on him, saw his face, it had been the face of an angel." In other words, they could see that there was something beyond the natural here. Stephen was filled, you want to remember, with the Holy Spirit. And now as you come into chapter 7, after hearing all the accusations which the Jews had put forth against Stephen, and of course Peter, and the eleven, and all the other believers there at Jerusalem, the high priest says in chapter 7, verse 1, "...are these things so?" And he, Stephen, said, "...men, brethren, and fathers." Now again, just analyze those three words. Is there no room for a Gentile in there? Stephen was referring to Jews, especially there in the consul, in the religious leadership, but he was speaking to the whole nation in actuality. And then as you read on, it says, "...the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham." Now underline that word, appeared, because in the Greek it's the word optomai, from which we get the word optometrist. And of course, you're all acquainted with optometrists. They work with the seeing aspect of our eyes. And so what Stephen is saying here, by inspiration, is that God actually appeared to Abraham in a form that He could see with His eyes. Now as we look back in Genesis chapter 12, we're not going to take time to go back for this one, but in Genesis 12, verse 1, it just simply says that the Lord had said to Abraham. And it doesn't clarify it like it does here, but now we have the clarification that not only did God speak to Abraham, He appeared to him in a human form, which we call a theophany. All right, reading on then. "...So He appeared unto our father Abraham, when He was in Mesopotamia, before He dwelt in Haran." In other words, before He had moved out of Ur of the Chaldees. Now I'm not going to take all of chapter 7, verse by verse, because it is just a beautiful review of Israel's history. Beginning with Abraham, Stephen just keeps building and building and building, as we've tried to do as we came up through the Old Testament, how that God was just constantly unfolding and revealing, preparing the nation for the coming of their King, and their Messiah, and their Redeemer. So He starts with Abraham, and shows how He came out of the land of the Chaldeans in verse 4, dwelt in Haran, and then from there He moved down into this land, which of course was Canaan, wherein He says, "...you now dwell." And then when you come all the way down to verse 6, it says, "...God spake unto this wise, that his seed," in other words, His offspring, the coming generations, "...should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years." That's speaking of Egypt, of course. "...and the nation to whom they shall be in bondage I will judge," said God. Now this was all back in Genesis 15. "...and after that," the Lord told Abraham, "...they shall come forth, and serve Me in this place." Now let's go back. Maybe we'd better reconstruct. Go back, if you will, to Genesis, and, oh, let's see. I'm going to have to take you back. I didn't intend to do this. But let's go back to chapter 26, I think is where it is. 26 and 46. But let's look at 26 first, so that we'll know what Stephen is talking about. All of these things back here are so fundamental to our understanding of even the New Testament, and that's why I spent as much time in Genesis as I did, because I've always said if they don't understand Genesis, they'll never understand even the gospel of grace. But back here in Genesis chapter 26, verse 1, after God had made this covenant agreement with Abraham, and now He's referring it on to Isaac, the true son of promise. Now verse 1 of chapter 26, "...and there was a famine in the land beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech, the king of the Philistines, unto Gerar." Now that was down on the border between Israel, or Palestine, Canaan, and Egypt. Verse 2, "...and the Lord appeared unto him," see, Isaac as well, "...and he appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt. Dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of." Now that's why we call Canaan, or Palestine, the land of promise, because everything connected with Canaan was based on the promises of God. And so that's why we have that term. Now verse 3, God speaking to Isaac says, "...and I will sojourn in this land," the land of Canaan, "...and I will be with thee, and will bless thee, for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I swear unto Abraham thy father." And what was that? The Abrahamic Covenant. Now verse 4, He continues on repeating that Abrahamic Covenant, "...and I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries," or those tribes, "...living in Canaan. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because Abraham obeyed My voice." Alright, now let's come on over to chapter 46 if you will. And now Joseph is down in Egypt. Joseph has all kinds of food and grain stored up during this famine that was covering that whole part of the world. And knowing that Joseph is in Egypt and has found out from the sons that have been down to get grain that indeed he's there, and he has invited Jacob and the rest of the family to come down into Egypt and take part of all of the food and everything that had been supplied. And then again let's start in verse 2 of chapter 46. Now this is Jacob. We started with Abraham, and then Isaac, and now we're up to Jacob. And God spake unto Israel, that is Jacob, in the visions of the night. And He said, "...Jacob, Jacob." And Jacob said, "...Here am I." And He said, "...I am God, the God of thy father. Fear not to go down into Egypt." See, that's quite a change, isn't it? First He said, "...Don't go to Egypt. Stay in the land of promise, and I'll bless you. But now in a future generation it's time for the nation of Israel to explode in population." And God had told Abraham that that would be down in Egypt. And so now God comes back to Jacob and He says, "...Fear not to go down into Egypt." And here's the part I always want folks to understand. This statement tells us where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom. And it was in Egypt. You see that? "...Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there in Egypt make of thee a great nation." Now you want to remember, up until this time you've only got Abraham, you've got Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob comes back with the 12 sons and their children. That's still not much of a nation, is it? But now when they end up in Egypt and under those years of slavery, beginning of course when they go in under Jacob, they'll come out under Moses, now a nation of several million people. So always remember if nothing else that Israel became a nation of people down in Egypt. All right, back to Acts. Chapter 7. Now you can come down to verse 7. "...And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage," which was Egypt, God says, "...I will judge. After that they shall come forth and serve Me in this place." And again that's Canaan. "...And He gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham begat Isaac, circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob begat the 12 patriarchs. The patriarchs moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, and God was with him, delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And He made him governor over Egypt and all his house." Now I'm taking this verse by verse because here is something that we have to learn from the Old Testament in order to prove something in the New. Verse 10. "...God delivered him, Joseph, out of all his affliction, gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, made him governor." Now verse 11. "...There came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan and great affliction. Our fathers found no sustenance." Now listen, you know the story. "...But when Jacob heard that there was corn or grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first." In other words, the sons, the ten of them. Now verse 13 is a little statement that I always have my classes underline or highlight. "...And at the second time..." Underline that word, second. "...and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh." Let's go back. Genesis. Reconstruct. Genesis 42. Genesis 42. You all know the account of how Joseph, when he was still wearing that coat of many colors, would share his dreams with his older brothers and how it would infuriate them when he dreamed that there was this whole group of sheafs and 12 of them I guess, 11 and one in the center and the 11 all bowed down to the one in the center and oh and made the brethren furious because they caught on what he was driving at and they said, Do you mean we're going to fall down and worship you? Well then he had another dream that even made it worse and he saw 11 stars and the sun and the moon and they all made obeisance to Joseph and the brethren caught that. Well see now it's coming to fruition. I don't put any stock in dreams today. I had someone ask me again the other night if I have anything connecting with believing what dreams say and I say none whatsoever. My, if there were I'd be in a mental institution. I think we all would. Don't tie anything to dreams. But anyway, back here in the Old Testament economy God did speak through dreams, no doubt about it. All right, verse 1 of chapter 42. Now when Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why look ye upon one another? Behold, I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Get ye down hither and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die. And so Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. Now you know the story. They come before Joseph and I guess I'll have to bring you down to verse 8 of this same chapter. And Joseph knew his brethren. Now do you see that? Just as soon as those ten men stepped into his environ, Joseph immediately knew who they were. But did they know him? No. Now what's the analogy? Well, Christ at His first coming. Oh the Lord knew Israel from their very beginning. And He presented Himself to them in language that was clear as day. But did they ever recognize Him? No. And see, this is the lesson. This is exactly what Stephen is driving home. That just like in Joseph's circumstances, the brethren came and were recognized by Joseph, but they didn't know Joseph. All right, now let's come over to the next event when they come back the second time. That would be in chapter 45. They've come back now the second time to refill their sacks with grain. Verse 1, chapter 45. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him, and he cried, cause every man to go out from me. That is of the Egyptians. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. You see that? And then look at the results. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And then verse 4. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near, and he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. And then you come all the way down to verse 14, 15. Verse 15. Moreover, he kissed all his brethren, he wept upon them, and after that his brethren talked with him. What do you have? Well you have an emotional reunion. And I mean it was emotional. When after all these years they are finally brought back together. Well now, what's the analogy? Before you go back to Acts, on your way back up, stop at Zechariah. Zechariah. Now that's the next to last book in your Old Testament. I always tell my class people, find Matthew, anybody can find that. And then come back to the left, through Malachi, and then you will come to Zechariah. Now remember that at His first advent, Israel didn't know Jesus, He knew them. And the analogy draws all the way through Acts chapter 7. And they said away with Him, we'll not have this man to rule over us. And so He went back to glory, sat down at the Father's right hand, but He's coming again, to the nation of Israel. Whether they believe it or not, He's coming again. And there's going to be that same glorious emotional reunion when Israel recognizes their Messiah. I was reading in the Jerusalem Post here a while back, that the mayor, the ex -mayor, Teddy Collick, 80 some years old now, and he has just brought Jerusalem, you might say, from nothing to the beautiful city that it is. But talking about the Messiah one day, and he said, well the first thing I'm going to ask Him when He comes is, have you been to Jerusalem before? And you see, that's their hang up. They just can't recognize that He has been here before. They know He's coming, but they can't see it as a second event. Well, here in Zechariah now, we see the emotional turn of events when He will return. Verse 10 of Zechariah 12. Did I give you the chapter? I don't believe I did. Zechariah 12, verse 10. And I will pour upon the house of David, upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplications. They shall look upon Me, whom they have pierced. See, a reference to the crucifixion. They shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, that is, in bitterness for his firstborn. And in that day, verse 11, there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem. Verse 12. And the land shall mourn every family apart, the family of the house of David, their wives apart, the family of the house of Nathan, and so on and so forth. And I don't think this is a mourning of grief, but a tearful mourning of reunion that they have their Messiah. Another one is in chapter 13. Just turn the page over to verse 6 in this same little book. Zechariah chapter 13, verse 6. And one, that is of the house of Israel of course, and one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thy hands? And then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. See how plain that is? That's Old Testament. After the fact, see? Alright, now if you'll come back with me for the last few moments of this half hour, we'll continue on in Acts chapter 7. And so Stephen is hammering home the fact that Christ in His first advent, they didn't know who He was. And you know, so far as Israel is concerned, it's a good thing they didn't. Because had they have performed the rejection that they did, knowing who He was, God would have had to destroy the nation. There wouldn't have been any excuse. But see, even as Christ hung on the cross, one of those seven statements that He made on the cross was, Father, forgive them. Why? They know not what they do. And even as Stephen will be stoned here in just a little bit, he too will say the same thing. Forgive them. Not just out of a heart of grace alone, although that was certainly part of it, but because of their ignorance. Now I always have to tell my class people, everything rests on the Old Testament economy. Back in Israel's history, if a farmer was cleaning stones and rocks off his field, and he's throwing them over a hedgerow, and unbeknown to him, someone is walking on the other side, and he hits him on the head with a pretty good sized rock, and kills him. Well now, he didn't know the fellow was there. He was in total ignorance. Now that was in the days of the cities of refuge, so that good Jew, as soon as he realized what he had done, and knew that he would be accused of killing someone, he could run to a city of refuge. And he could tell his situation to the city fathers. And if the city fathers had maintained that he was innocent of not doing anything in premeditated murder, he was set free. He could go back to his farm. Now the reason was, that he was not guilty if he did what he did in total ignorance. Now that's all the backdrop then for Israel's response to their Messiah. Had they have known who He was, and then demanded His crucifixion, they would have had to be put to death like a common murderer. But they escaped that, because they did not know what they did. And keep that in mind. Well let's see, a verse I usually associate with that, keep your hand in the axe, is 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians, I think it's chapter 2. 1 Corinthians chapter 2. My verse that I'd gone a long ways along my road of the Christian life before I ever knew this Bible, this verse was in the Bible, and I imagine most people are the same way. 1 Corinthians chapter 2, beginning of verse 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world under our glory. In other words, Paul is speaking of his own ministry. Now verse 8. Which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, who He was, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Stands to reason, doesn't it? But they didn't know. And so the Lord could rightfully say, Father forgive them. They're ignorant. They don't know what they're doing. And the same way when they kill Stephen. Stephen will say the same thing. Father forgive them. They know not what they do. Alright, now then if you'll come back. Got two minutes left. Chapter 7, verse 13 again. And so at the second time, Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh, and then sent Joseph and called his father Jacob to him and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. So Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over into Shechem, which of course is in Canaan, and laid in the sepulcher that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emor, the father of Shechem. You remember it's the sons of Heth back in Genesis. Now this is interesting, because see this is the very same burial site that is a holy site in Israel tonight for the Muslims as well as the Jews, and it is this very same burial cave, the cave of Mephila, where this Jewish doctor, when what about a year ago now, massacred all of those Muslims in their time of prayer. Same place. It's the burial place of Abraham and Rebekah and Jacob and Leah. They were all buried in that same place. Now it's interesting that Abraham bought it from the Canaanites and Jacob had to turn around and pay it again, but nevertheless this is the same burial place that is still held in reverence by the Jew as well as the Muslim. Alright, so they're brought back up to Shechem, and then verse 17, "...and when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt until another king arose who did not know Egypt." Now we'll have to stop there and we'll pick it up in our next half hour. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick a weekly Bible study. If you would like more information about the Les Feldick Ministries, a Bible study in your area, or about this program, write to Les Feldick Ministries, Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, Oklahoma, 74552. That's Route 1, Box 760, Kinta, Oklahoma, 74552. Through the Bible with Les Feldick is viewer supported, and your gift is appreciated. Thank you, and be sure to tune in next time for Through the Bible with Les Feldick.