Stephen's Address: Israel Oppressed In Egypt - Acts 7:15-19

Stephen's address in Acts chapter 7 discusses the oppression of Israel in Egypt. The pharaoh was afraid of their growth and put them into slavery. However, the more they suffered, the more they multiplied. Pharaoh's plan to kill Israel's male babies was inspired by the devil. This plan is still used today through abortion, euthanasia, and apathy towards the elderly. God had a set time frame for Israel's suffering, and the more they suffered, the more they multiplied. Similarly, in the early church, persecution caused it to spread and grow. Christians should not be friends with the world or the false religious system. Abortion is of the devil, and the solution is to repent and believe in Jesus. Today we're in Acts chapter 7, and we're looking at verses 15 through 19. This is Stephen's address, and he's talking about how Israel was oppressed in Egypt. Now this pharaoh was afraid because Israel was multiplying, and they were continuing to expand. And at the time, there was a certain season of time that God told Abraham there would be 400 years. And at that time, their suffering in Egypt was coming to an end, and they were continuing to multiply. The generation of Joseph and all that generation passed off the scene. And this new generation did not trust Israel, and they wanted to subdue them, and so they put them into slavery, and they oppressed them. But the more Israel suffered, the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied exponentially. Pharaoh came up with a plan to kill all the babies, and so this was a satanic plan inspired by the devil. The devil's plan was to stop Israel from becoming a nation was to kill their male babies. Killing children is the scheme of the devil. This is a plan the enemy still uses today through abortion, euthanasia, and apathy toward the elderly. Notice here that there was a set time frame for these events to happen. The Lord would not allow his people to suffer forever. There was a season for the Hebrew people to suffer in Egypt, but that season would not last forever. The more they suffered, the more they multiplied. And so we see here that this is the same type of thing that happened in the early church. When the church was starting to be persecuted, they continued to multiply and to spread out. The more the enemy tried to stamp out the church, the more it spread out and the more it grew and multiplied. Oppression and persecution of God's people always causes them to spread out, to multiply. The more Israel was oppressed, the more they multiplied. Pharaoh could not stop God's plan, and neither can Satan stop God's plan for the church in these last days. Remember, God's people are always hated by the world. Whether it be Israel or the church, the Lord's people have always been hated, persecuted, and killed by the world system. I don't understand why Christians want to be friends with this world. They do not remember their own history. Christians cannot be friends with the world or with the apostate religious system that pretends to be the church. True Christians will be oppressed in the false religious system and driven out. Just as Israel was driven out of Egypt, so also Christians who love Jesus with all their heart are cast out of the worldly religious system. My final thought here is that abortion is of the devil. Having babies is inspired by Satan, and those who participate in it are judged by God, just like God judged Egypt. The solution to this is to humble ourselves, to repent, and to believe the gospel. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again on the third day. Everyone who calls upon the name of Jesus will be saved. Amen. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you, and the Lord give you peace.