7 ‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place.’ 8 Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.
7:7
‘And the nation to whom they will be in bondage I will judge,’ said God,
God would personally liberate the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Stephen did not quote a specific passage here.
‘and after that they shall come out and serve Me in this place. [Israel]’
Abraham’s descendants would ultimately be delivered from Egypt and serve God in the land of Palestine. The purpose of the Exodus was for Israel to worship God.
7:8
Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision;
Stephen recalled the establishment of the covenant of circumcision made with Isaac, Jacob, and the 12 patriarchs. The circumcision covenant was a sign that Abraham’s descendants were God’s chosen nation and His commitment was to keeping His promises to the Jews (Ge 17:1-14). Circumcision was thus a confirmation of the covenant God made to Abraham carried over to his descendants. Circumcision was the physical sign of being a Jew.
and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day;
After Isaac’s birth, Abraham circumcised him on the eighth day.
and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.
Isaac was the father of Jacob, the father of the 12 patriarchs, the 12 tribal heads of Israel.
PRINCIPLE:
God is a God of promise.
APPLICATION:
God always keeps His Word. We can count on Him to do that. The issue is whether we claim the promises He gave us.
