Acts 7:9-16

God is able to accomplish everything that He said to you. Even when circumstances seem without hope. He can do what no man can…for you, for your family for the Body of Christ.

With God N.O.T.H.I.N.G. is impossible!

Stephen’s speech represents Luke’s description of Christianity’s break from its Jewish matrix. Two motifs become prominent in the speech: (Acts 7:1) Israel’s reaction to God’s chosen leaders in the past reveals that the people have consistently rejected them; and (Acts 7:2) Israel has misunderstood God’s choice of the Jerusalem temple as the place where he is to be worshiped. Catholic Bible.

Stephen is likely suggesting a parallel between Joseph’s brothers’ rejection of him and the religious leaders’ rejection of Jesus and His followers. He is also implying that God is with the Church—just as He was with Joseph—rather than the religious leaders. Faithlife Bible.

The famine proved to be the providential means of bringing Joseph’s brethren to Egypt in search of grain—and more importantly, of reconciling them with Joseph.

Why did Stephen make the point that the patriarchs were buried in Shechem? At the time of Stephen’s defense, Shechem was the center of Samaritan life. Nearby was Mt. Gerizim, the site of another temple. Stephen was charged with speaking against the temple in Jerusalem as if this were tantamount to speaking against God Himself. Stephen’s point was that God had been speaking and moving in the lives of His people in and out of Jerusalem, with and without a temple. The most important address God made to His people was at Mt. Sinai, which was nowhere near Jerusalem. NKJ Bible.

Acts 7:9–16 (NKJV)

⁹ “And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him ¹⁰ and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. ¹¹ Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance. ¹² But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. ¹³ And the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to the Pharaoh. ¹⁴ Then Joseph sent and called his father Jacob and all his relatives to him, seventy-five people. ¹⁵ So Jacob went down to Egypt; and he died, he and our fathers. ¹⁶ And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.

Genesis 37:4 (NKJV)

⁴ But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him.

Genesis 39:2 (NKJV)

² The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

Genesis 39:21 (NKJV)

²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.