Verse 38: “This is the one who was with them in the congregation in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him at the mountain of Sinai. And our fathers received this living word to give to us.”

This is the one: Speaking about Moses. 

Congregation: The word used here is ‘Church’. It is a word related to testifying or bearing witness. Those who came out of Egypt were supposed to testify of their Redemption. Everyone who came out of Egypt had a Passover experience – they dealt appropriately with the blood of the lamb. Likewise, everyone who comes out of this world, and enters into the Kingdom of God are also going to have a Passover experience in the Lamb of God.

Verse 39: “Our fathers did not want to be obedient, but they pushed him away and turned their hearts to Egypt.”

Did not want to be obedient: The people that were in the wilderness received revelation, but they rejected it and did not want to obey it (To hear and respond). Stephen is revealing that the Sanhedrin has that same character, they are behaving in that same way.

They pushed him away: They rejected Moses.

Verse 40: “Saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods that we might turn before. For this Moses, who has led us out of Egypt, we do not know what has become to him.’”

Turn before: That they want to follow – and the implication is to follow back to Egypt, a place of idolatry.

What has become to him: This is written in the perfect tense in the Greek meaning this: The people are implying that they did not know previously what happened to him when he went up the mountain, they don’t know where he is now, and the implication is that they won’t know in the future what’s become of him. In other words, they are saying that they do not want anything to do with Moses.

When Moses ascended up into the mountain (in order to bring to the people the commandments, the law) they had been told to wait for him until he returned. They should have been waiting faithfully for him (great theological significance in that). However, they were not interested in where Moses wanted to lead them. When we are not interested in where God is leading us, into a Kingdom experience, we are going to go back to our former lifestyles. When we are Kingdom minded we are passionate, and have a strong faith about the future God is leading us into.

Verse 41: “They made the calf in those days, and they offered sacrifices to the idol. They rejoiced in the work of their hands.”

Offered sacrifices to the idol: Israel fell quickly into idolatry. The people did not want the commandments. When we are not interested in the righteousness of God (revealed to us through the commandments) we will quickly fall away. When we walk in the Spirit we are going to be demonstrating Torah observance – not through the letter but through the Spirit of the law.

Rejoiced in the work of their hands: They found great satisfaction satisfying their flesh through the works of their hands, rather than rejoicing in the work of God and what He was doing.

Verse 42: “God turned away and delivered them to the worship of the host of heaven, just as it had been written in the book of the prophets. The house of Israel brought forth these slain beasts and sacrifices to Me for forty years in the desert.”

Hosts of heaven: A demonic, spiritual realm. The Hebrews had a spiritual experience – but it was an inferior one. God is saying that, even though they did it unto Him, He was not pleased by these offerings