Acts 7:39
Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The most striking thing here isn't just that they disobeyed, but that their hearts turned back to Egypt. This wasn't merely a wish to return physically, but a deep longing for the familiar, even sinful, ways they'd known, revealing a profound spiritual reorientation away from God. They rejected not just Moses, but the very idea of a new life God was offering.
Stephen is recounting the history of Israel's disobedience, showing how their ancestors repeatedly rejected God's messengers and guidance, even after miraculous deliverances. This particular verse highlights how, shortly after leaving Egypt, the people turned away from Moses and the Law, yearning for the familiar comforts and idolatries of their former slavery. This sets the stage for the subsequent sin of the golden calf, illustrating their deep-seated rebellion against God's authority.
Why did the Israelites reject the very person God sent to lead them? It wasn't just about Moses; it was about who sent him.
Stephen is building a powerful case against his accusers by showing a pattern of rebellion throughout Israel's history.
The Stubborn Will
The verse states, 'Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him from them.' This wasn't a passive disagreement; it was an active rejection. They didn't just ignore Moses; they pushed him away. This echoes their rejection of God's direct commands and the authority He vested in Moses.
More Than Moses
When they rejected Moses, they were ultimately rejecting God. Stephen highlights this to show his audience that their current rejection of Jesus and His followers is part of a long, tragic lineage of disobedience. It’s a critical point: our rejection of God’s messengers is a rejection of God Himself.
Even when delivered from harsh slavery, the Israelites longed for something familiar from their past. What does this longing reveal?
The phrase 'in their hearts they turned to Egypt' is incredibly insightful.
A Deeper Rebellion
This wasn't just about wanting better food or more comfort. The commentaries highlight that 'turning back to Egypt' meant a turning towards Egyptian idolatry and ways of life. They may have physically left Egypt, but their hearts were still captivated by its sinful culture and false gods.
The Heart's True North
This 'turning in their hearts' shows that outward deliverance isn't enough if the heart remains unchanged. They were choosing the familiar sins and corruptions of Egypt over the challenging, yet liberating, path God had laid out for them in the wilderness. This desire for the familiar, even when it's sinful, is a powerful force.
Understand the original words
apeitheō · Greek Verb
To reject God’s authority or direction, characterized by a hardened heart and a failure to submit to His revealed will.
Stephen highlights that the Israelites' rejection of Moses and their longing for Egypt wasn't just a physical desire to return, but a deep-seated turning away from God's ways towards the idolatrous practices of their former oppressors.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites leave Egypt
After centuries of slavery, God delivers the Israelites from Egypt through Moses, leading them to the Red Sea and into the wilderness.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Rejection of Moses and desire for Egypt
Shortly after leaving Egypt, the Israelites grumble and express a longing for their former life and the food they had in slavery, even suggesting returning to Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
Golden Calf Idolatry
While Moses is on Mount Sinai receiving the Law, the Israelites persuade Aaron to make a golden calf, which they worship, turning away from God's direct command.
c. 1445 BC
Wilderness Wandering Begins
Due to their repeated disobedience and lack of faith, the generation that left Egypt (except for Caleb and Joshua) is condemned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years.
This passage directly parallels the rejection of Moses by the Israelites, showing their desire to return to Egypt and create their own gods, mirroring the 'turning back in their hearts' mentioned in Acts 7:39.
Numbers 14:4Here, the Israelites openly suggest appointing a leader to return to Egypt rather than obeying God's command to enter the Promised Land, demonstrating the same spirit of rebellion and longing for Egypt described in Acts 7:39.
Psalm 106:7This Psalm recounts the Israelites' disobedience at the Red Sea, stating they 'despised the pleasant land, giving no trust to his word,' which reflects the ungrateful turning away from God's deliverance that Stephen is accusing them of in Acts 7:39.
Nehemiah 9:17This prayer of confession recalls how the people 'refused to obey' God and 'appointed a captain to return to their bondage' in Egypt, providing another Old Testament parallel to the deep-seated rebellion Stephen is highlighting.
barnesActs 7:39: "To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,"
Would not obey ... - This refers to what they said of him when he was in the mount, Exodus 32:1 , Exodus 32:23 . In their hearts turned ... - They wished to return to Egypt. They regretted that they had come out of Egypt, and desired again the things which they had there, as preferable to what they had in the desert, Numbers 11:5. Perhaps, however, the expression means, n…
calvinActs 7:38-41: "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:"
- This is he which was in the congregation in the wilderness, with the angel which had spoken unto him in mount Sinai, [or did speak to him in the mount,] and with our fathers; who received lively oracles, that he might give them to us: 39. Whom our fathers would not obey, but they refused him, and they…
The most striking thing here isn't just that they disobeyed, but that their hearts turned back to Egypt. This wasn't merely a wish to return physically, but a deep longing for the familiar, even sinful, ways they'd known, revealing a profound spiritual reorientation away from God. They rejected not just Moses, but the very idea of a new life God was offering.
Stephen is recounting the history of Israel's disobedience, showing how their ancestors repeatedly rejected God's messengers and guidance, even after miraculous deliverances. This particular verse highlights how, shortly after leaving Egypt, the people turned away from Moses and the Law, yearning for the familiar comforts and idolatries of their former slavery. This sets the stage for the subsequent sin of the golden calf, illustrating their deep-seated rebellion against God's authority.
Stephen is recounting the history of Israel's disobedience, showing how their ancestors repeatedly rejected God's messengers and guidance, even after miraculous deliverances. This particular verse highlights how, shortly after leaving Egypt, the people turned away from Moses and the Law, yearning for the familiar comforts and idolatries of their former slavery. This sets the stage for the subsequent sin of the golden calf, illustrating their deep-seated rebellion against God's authority.
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"Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt," — The most striking thing here isn't just that they disobeyed, but that their hearts turned back to Egypt. This wasn't merely a wish to return physically, but a deep longing for the familiar, even si…
