The Call of Abraham
It has been widely taught by learned men, that discrepancies abound in Stephen’s speech before his martyrdom; it, therefore, calls for a few remarks.
It is well to remember, that Acts 6 tells us that Stephen was “full of the Holy Ghost ... full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles ... they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake ... and they saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.” We ask, then, was he likely to have spoken with accuracy, or not?
Add to all this, that his faithful speech was before the Sanhedrim, who were well instructed in the history of the people of Israel, and especially as to Moses and Abraham, and the Pentateuch, so that any historical discrepancy would have at once been detected by them. But of such a thing there is not a trace.
Let us now look at some of the charges of modern philosophers. One is, that in Acts 7:44Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. (Acts 7:4), we are taught concerning Abraham, that the death of his father was after the call, and not, as according to Genesis 11:3232And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran. (Genesis 11:32), before it. If the accounts of the call of Abraham be carefully examined, no such phrase can be found, as “the call,” because there was evidently more than one. Stephen speaks of the God of glory having appeared to Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee” (Acts 7:2-32And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. (Acts 7:2‑3)). The effect of this was, that he left his country, and it may be, many of his kindred; but his father accompanied him, and Sarah, and Lot, and dwelt in Haran. There they remained long enough for souls to be gotten in Haran (Gen. 11:31; 12:531And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. (Genesis 11:31)
5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. (Genesis 12:5)). Then it seems God called him to get out from his country, kindred, and father’s house, and come into a land that He would show him (Gen. 12:11Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: (Genesis 12:1)). The effect of this call was, that he departed out of Haran. This is confirmed by Stephen saying, “from thence (Haran) when his father was dead, He (God) removed him into this land;” showing unquestionably that there was a second interposition on the part of Jehovah. Now, where is there discrepancy between the account in Genesis, and the testimony of Stephen? Nay, rather, is not the comparison of the two accounts a further testimony to the perfect accuracy of Scripture, and of both having divine authorship?
The Years of Moses
It is alleged that there is in Acts 7:23,30,3623And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. (Acts 7:23)
30And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. (Acts 7:30)
36He brought them out, after that he had showed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. (Acts 7:36), the distinct mention of three periods of forty years, of. which only the last is mentioned in the Pentateuch. But if we turn to Exodus 7, we are told that “Moses was fourscore years old ... . when they spake unto Pharaoh” (Ex. 7:77And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:7)). Now these fourscore years of Moses exactly agree with Stephen’s account, that he was forty years old when it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel, and was forty years after in Madian. This also fits in perfectly with Exodus 2:11,1511And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. (Exodus 2:11)
15Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. (Exodus 2:15), and Exodus 7:77And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh. (Exodus 7:7). Stephen makes the age of Moses to be one hundred and twenty years altogether; and in Deuteronomy 31:22And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the Lord hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan. (Deuteronomy 31:2), and Deuteronomy 34:77And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. (Deuteronomy 34:7), he is said to have died at the age of one hundred and twenty years. Now, where is there any discrepancy?
The Terror of Moses
We believe there is no remedy if men have not the fear of God before their eyes. Take another example, to show with what levity and trifling some of the learned in our day have published their views — some more of the last words of God’s faithful martyr, when full of the Holy Ghost, and wisdom, and faith. It is said, that “the terror of Moses at the bush spoken of in Acts 7:3232Saying, I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. (Acts 7:32), is not mentioned in Exodus 3:33And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. (Exodus 3:3).” It is quite true it is not mentioned in Exodus 3:33And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. (Exodus 3:3), but in Exodus 3:66Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. (Exodus 3:6) we find the words, “And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” Could any testimony more clearly confirm the agreement of the martyr’s teaching with the prophet’s statement?
Saul’s Sight of the Lord Jesus
It is widely taught that there are contradictions in the two accounts of the conversion of Saul, in Acts 9:77And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. (Acts 9:7) and Acts 22: 9. Let us carefully compare them. Both Saul and those who traveled with him are mentioned. Saul saw the Lord Jesus Christ, was blinded by the light, heard Him speak words to him personally, addressing him in the Hebrew tongue, calling him by name, and Saul replied. The men who were with him saw the light, were alarmed, (did not speak a word, saw no one, but heard a voice or sound. In Acts 9:77And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. (Acts 9:7) we read. “The men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice (or sound) but seeing no man.’’ In Acts 22:99And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. (Acts 22:9), we read, “They that were with me saw indeed the light and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of Him that spake to me.” In these Scriptures there is surely no discrepancy.
(Continued and to be continued).