Acts 7:35-37 - This man led them out

7:35

Stephen stresses the choseness of Moses and the rejection of Moses, drawing obvious parallels with the Jewish reaction to Jesus. Moses was chosen by God. This wasn’t some vague feeling on his part, but direct intervention by God in terms of the burning bush. He was sent by God to save Israel from slavery, and to be their leader. Yet the Israelites rejected him, saying “who made you ruler and judge?”.  Now the rejection cited here happened before Moses was appointed leader by God in the burning bush incident. So it would seem that the parallel that Stephen is drawing is that the Jews had rejected Jesus by crucifying Him, but then by raising Him from the dead God had in no uncertain terms made it clear that Jesus was His appointed leader.

7:36,37

Moses then went on to bring Israel out of slavery, and performed many miracles along the way. The Red Sea and the several miracles performed in the wilderness being mentioned. Israel now recognised that Moses was truly a man of God, in fact he was the key figure in their religion. Yet their initial rejection of Moses was a sign of their lack of skill at recognising who God’s man was. Likewise , when Jesus came Israel rejected Him, yet He was God’s chosen Messiah and would be the one who brings salvation. Moreover, this Moses, who they now recognised as a man of God, said “a prophet like me” would be sent by God. Stephen is trying to get the Jews to see the parallels and to realise what was going on.