Divine Irony
Acts 7:17–21 (NASB95)
17“But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, 18until there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. 19“It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive. 20“It was at this time that Moses was born; and he was lovely in the sight of God, and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home. 21“And after he had been set outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.
In Acts 7:17–21, Luke highlights God’s faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham, even as Israel faced brutal oppression. When Pharaoh ordered the murder of Hebrew infants, Moses’ parents defied the edict by hiding him for three months, trusting God’s protection. Their faith mirrors Jewish values that rejected the Greco-Roman practice of infant exposure—a common custom driven by poverty or gender bias but abhorrent to God’s heart (as well as His people) for the vulnerable.
God turned Pharaoh’s cruelty into a platform for deliverance: Pharaoh’s own daughter rescued Moses and adopted him into royalty. This twist underscores God’s ability to use unlikely agents—even oppressors—to advance His redemptive plan. Such irony parallels Jesus’ story, where Rome (a symbol of tyranny) became the unwitting stage for His crucifixion and resurrection. Moses’ adoption also bridges the Hebrew and Gentile worlds, prefiguring the Gospel’s reach beyond ethnic Israel.
But just as we saw with Joseph, Moses here serves as a typological Jesus. Moses’ miraculous survival foreshadows Jesus’ deliverance from Herod’s infanticide (Matt 2:16–18), positioning both as rejected yet exalted deliverers. Stephen emphasizes Moses’ upbringing in Egypt, challenging the Sanhedrin’s narrow nationalism and aligning with Luke’s broader theme: God’s kingdom transcends borders, places, peoples, and institutional powers.
What lessons for the modern church can we get from these verses? Here are a few I would offer:
The church should protect and cherish all life, particularly that of marginalized individuals. It should counter cultural norms that undermine human dignity, reflecting God’s heart for justice.
The role of Pharaoh’s daughter reminds us that God often operates through secular systems or unexpected individuals to accomplish His purposes. Engage with societal structures in a redemptive way, trusting in His sovereignty during chaotic times.
Moses’ dual identity as both Hebrew and Egyptian exemplifies the church’s mission to bridge divides. Seek unity in diversity by sharing Christ’s hope across ethnic, social, and political barriers.
In a world of “Pharaohs” who exploit the weak, let us embody a defiant faith—protecting the helpless, confronting injustice, and resting in God’s covenant faithfulness. He tells His story through those whom the world overlooks.
Blessings,
Ryan Goodnight