One Who Knows God’s Timing (Acts 7:16-37)
July 12th, 2026
One Who Knows God’s Timing. (Acts 7:16-37)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The title of today’s message is, “One Who Knows God’s Timing.” We have watches. Even though we are wearing watches, the One Who is really moving time is God. I cannot decide the time I was born, nor the time I will die; only God is the One Who can determine that. This means that I cannot control the time schedule of my life. It means that, there is a time. God is His Word, We know God, not through the words of people, but through the Words of God. God created all of creation with the Word. The Word of God is eternal, and Heb. 4:12 says that our spirit, mind, and body are healed by God’s Word. In today’s scripture reading, I’d like us to confirm the time schedule of our own lives by looking at Moses.
The Jews who had the scripture started to fight against Stephen on topics including the Law and the Temple. In arguing the charges that Stephen is breaking down the Law of the Bible, he is using Moses as a counter-example.
1. The Appointed Time of God’s Promise to Abraham (Acts 7:17)
1) The Situation of Israel
(1) Israel multiplied in Egypt (Acts 7:17)
Acts 7:17 says, “As the time grew near for God to fulfill His promise.” In Genesis 13:15, God gave Abraham the promise that his descendants would suffer for 400 years and then be set free, so the time for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham was now being fulfilled. In that time, while they were in Egypt, the Israelites became abundant and greatly increased. So, this doesn’t mean that they just had a lot of children; this was the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, that his descendants would become a great nation.
(2) Israel suffered oppression and hardship (Acts 7:19)
(3) Their infants were ordered to be killed (Acts 7:19)
Then, the king of Egypt changed, so it was somebody who knew nothing of Joseph. The Pharaoh who was reigning over Egypt during the time of Egypt was from the Middle East, and after several Pharaohs later, the reign changed back into the African reign. Because this new African Pharaoh did not want to lose the throne to the Middle East again, he enslaved the Israelites and had their babies killed. This was to prevent the number of Israelites from becoming strong with men and overthrow the Pharaoh. This may look like human political strategy but it was Satan moving things in the background. Even when Jesus Christ was born, the king of the era wanted to kill the Hebrew babies. We must be able to see things mentally and physically, but we must also be able to see behind the scenes, whether it’s the Word of God or Satan making things happen.
2) The Remnant
(1) Moses was born (Acts 7:20)
It says at that time, Moses was born. What is this “time”? At the time for God to fulfill His promise, that was the time Moses was born. Then, you and I must also know what time it is in this age and confirm through the Word of God, why was I born here and now? When Moses discovered this, he found the reason for his life.
(2) He was beautiful in God’s sight (Acts 7:20)
Moses’ parents knew God’s promise that the Israelites would suffer for 400 years and then be set free, and they also knew Moses was given to them as a child who was not ordinary. For a normal Christian parent, when they have their baby, they already know. If you are in prayer, then God is the One Who gives life, then you realize why God is giving you this baby, so they named their child according to that as well.
(3) He was abandoned after three months (Acts 7:21)
For three months, he was cared for by the family, and then they had to give Moses up. They made a basket of papyrus and floated Moses down the river. If they just put a baby into a papyrus basket and floated it down the river, the baby would die, but the Bible says they did so in faith. What is their faith? Whether it’s the papyrus basket or Noah’s Ark, they all have the same meaning: it all represents the Christ Who would set the Israelites free from sin, curses, disasters, and death. So, they put their faith in the covenant of the Christ and let their baby down the river.
3) God’s Preparation
(1) Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses (Acts 7:21)
Then, the princess of Egypt was bathing in the Nile river, even though she could have been bathing in the palace, and that’s when she heard Moses crying. That is exactly when the princess’ own baby had died, and so Moses reminded her of her own baby. So the princess’ father, the Pharaoh made a decree to kill all of the Hebrew babies, but the princess adopted the baby as her own.
(2) He was educated in all the wisdom of Egypt (Acts 7:22)
(3) He was powerful in speech and action (Acts 7:22)
For the next 40 years, Moses was brought up and educated in all the wisdom of Egypt. Many adopted children would find out their identity and look for their biological parents. Typically by the time they go into college age, they realize the parents who raised them are not their biological parents, so they try to look for their parents. In the same way, the second or third generation immigrants feel like they are American, but do not feel they are American, so they look for their own identity. They know they have American citizenship, but Caucasian people around them say they are not really American. As they experience society like this, when they go get a job, they are even more confused. It might not seem like this on the outside, but this is the present reality.
So imagine, within his 40 years in his palace, imagine for at least 20 years, how much his identity was shaken! Eventually, one day, Moses received in his heart that he rejected being the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter. Even as we live our lives chasing physical things, there will come a day where we question, “Is this what I am living my life for? I studied and worked hard,” and one day, I will ask, “Is this what I am living for?” In the same way, Moses said, “I will live my life for the Israelites,” in other words, “I will live my life for God,” and at that time, it’s something that people cannot understand. Many people will say, “If you’re in the palace, you’ll be set for life; why are you rejecting this for the Word of God?” This is a normal reaction.
As people live their lives, there is a normal time schedule. There is a time for us to live diligently, learning and working for the things of the world. Then, at a certain time, we will escape from those things. Heb. 11:24 says that Moses rejected being the son of Pharaoh’s daughter in faith. Then in Heb. 11:25-26, it says Moses took more joy being with the Israelites than being in the palace, and that he was looking towards the prize and therefore received more joy being with the Israelites than all the riches of the palace.
There will come a day like this, we are racing so diligently for the things of the world, and one day we will wonder, “What am I doing all of these things for? I must do the work of God.” This doesn’t mean to become a pastor, but all people of God will come to this time schedule.
2. Moses’ Life Timeline
1) At the Age of 40
(1) He decided to visit and care for his fellow Israelites (Acts 7:23)
(2) He killed an Egyptian in defense of an Israelite (Acts 7:24)
At that time, Moses saw an Egyptian abusing an Israelite and he killed the Egyptian. Even if you are doing things for God, you must do it with the wisdom and power of God. If we try to do it with our own methods and strength, we cannot do it with God. The next day, Moses saw two Israelites fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, but they said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Will you kill us like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?”
(3) The Israelites did not understand that God was bringing them deliverance through Moses (Acts 7:25)
Acts 7:25 says Moses thought his people would recognize God would rescue them, but they did not. “I’m trying to do the work of the Lord, but it’s not working.” But God has prepared another time schedule.
2) Forty Years in Midian
(1) He became a foreigner in Midian (Acts 7:29)
After Moses heard this, he ran away to the wilderness in Midian. So, the Bible says that, now that Moses was known to be a murderer in Egypt, he ran away to Midian in faith.
(2) He became a shepherd and fathered two sons (Acts 7:29)
Midian is a desert, and the people living there live day-by-day. They live day-by-day, nomadically, moving their herds, looking for oases and living in tents. That means that, in the wilderness of the Midian, you cannot live based on your own knowledge and experiences, because their lives are determined based on the winds of the desert and whether they can find water; it has nothing to do with their experiences and knowledge.
(3) God appeared to him (Acts 7:30)
So, God gave Moses and us a time schedule to let go of all we have learned and experienced. We thought we could prepare ourselves with the knowledge and the ways of the world, but the time schedule will come where we realize we cannot. While we are doing the work of God, we may fall into sickness, financial problems, mental health, or physical health problems. It is a time of great suffering. Why do we face suffering? We feel that suffering because, “I” am still alive. “Alive” is not a physical life or death; it means the ego is still alive, and God gives us the time schedule to kill our way of living when we are centered on our ego.
Why do I get sad or happy? Happiness might feel good, but why do we feel sad and suffer? It’s because it’s sad from my perspective, and this looks like a problem through my eyes. So, if there’s a problem, then we just have to realize it’s not a problem, but it looks like a problem to us. “I have a disease and it makes me suffer,” but there are some people who do not suffer. The difference is whether their ego is alive or not. There are some people for whom a problem is not a problem to them, because if God is with me, then a problem is not a problem for me. We might get sick and be afraid of dying, but if I entrust my life to the Lord, then I will not be afraid of death. Moses spent 40 years in this time.
3) Mount Sinai
In Acts 7:30, it says, “After 40 years have passed,” meaning Moses is now 80 years old. God sends an angel and there’s a bush in the desert that continuously burned. Imagine being in the desert and seeing a bush that continues to burn throughout the day and night, so Moses approached it. That is God revealing Himself in the fire. So, Moses is hearing God’s voice for the first time.
(1) The God of his fathers appeared to him (Acts 7:32)
God says, “I am the God of your fathers.” First, God tells him who He is. When we call out to God, that God might not actually be God. We might be calling out to the God I want or the God I imagined, but God tells us very specifically, “I am the God of your fathers,” in other words, “I am the God Who made a covenant with your ancestors.” You must realize that God is not a God Who gives me what I want; God is a God Who fulfills His Word and covenant.
(2) “Take off your sandals.” (Acts 7:33)
Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. Then the Lord said to him, “Take off your sandals.” When God tells Moses to take of his sandals, it means, “You are a servant.” In the past, you would put on your own sandals and walk your own path, but now, you must take off your sandals and live as a servant of the Lord.
(3) God gave Moses the mission of the Exodus (Acts 7:34)
When Moses was 80 years old, he hears the voice of God and is given the mission of the Exodus, and every person in the Bible was the same. Even Apostle Paul, in the past before meeting Jesus, raced forward with diligence. One day, Paul met Jesus and he went blind. Jesus told him, “I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting.” Later on, in Phil. 3, Apostle Paul confessed that everything he raced towards, he now considers rubbish, and that he would reject those things in order to gain Christ. That is the case because Christ is everything.
So, even Apostle Paul had the same time schedule as Moses. There is a time schedule for us to race after the things and success of the world, and even a time schedule for us to lay the things of the world down. Paul said, “Now, I race towards that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
3. The Fulfillment of God’s Promise
1) God Sent Moses (Acts 7:35)
Then, God tells Moses to go back into the palace where he was raised for 40 years. Everything we’ve experienced and lived through in our past will be used by God. If you have received a scar or suffering, then God will send you back to save those who are suffering in that way now. God will send you into the field of people who are experiencing similar things as you are now. Now, you must go into the field of people who are living in America, confused about their identity. Now, you must go into the fields of people who are living religious lives, confused because they do not know the accurate gospel, because God is saying that these are the fields of suffering.
If Christ does not become the Lord of my life within me, then everything is suffering; even my health is suffering. Because of your health, you keep doing other things. Because of success, people feel more and more empty. On the other hand, people who have failed will fall into inferiority complexes, so humans have no other choice. Humans are not created like animals, just slightly more intelligent; humans are created as spiritual beings. We are created so we cannot live without God. That is the Spirit we all have. Animals also have their thoughts and emotions, but they do not have a spirit. That is why animals cannot know God. A dog cannot worship; the dog is just sitting there, blank-mindedly, but it has no spirit so it cannot worship God. Fascinatingly, humans are spiritual beings, but the problem is that our spirit is dead so we cannot know God. So, Satan holds onto our dead spirit and drags us into our fate and destiny. Satan keeps dragging you into a direction you do not want.
(1) He led the people out of Egypt (Acts 7:36)
(2) He performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years (Acts 7:36)
(3) The Prophet like Moses—Jesus Christ (Acts 7:37)
Now, God is sending us into that field to give them the gospel. People do not know where their problems come from, so give them the fundamental problem and answer. There are advancements in American education, science, and medicine, but they cannot cure mental problems, so tell the people what is the cause of their mental problems and the solution. This fundamental problem cannot be solved by the individualism that America emphasizes so much, so bring people out of this. This nation is actually in the state that it is, because everybody is so focused on people, so give them Christ and change this nation from making their decisions based on the majority opinion to based on decisions based on the Word of God.
The standard of marriage, as young adults get married, is that the person who has the Word of God should marry another who has the Word of God, and together, make a family that has the Word of God. However, if people are not centered on the Word of God, and instead are centered on their own values and experiences, then it becomes a family of hell, it becomes a family of Satan, and we live our social lives like this, and that’s why we keep conflicting with people. Yes, we might get along with people, but this is the cause of our suffering.
Why do we suffer? Because someone is not listening to my words, because they don’t accept my assertions. So, what is the cause of your suffering? I am suffering because things don’t go the way I want. The more people succeed, the more spiritual problems they receive, because they accomplish success based on their own strength and methods, but things still don’t go their way, so everything turns into misery. Even in the church, things don’t go my way. It’s only fun to go to church when things go the way I want, but because it’s not, I don’t want to go anymore. We need to save those people.
We need to tell that person about the start of their problems and change that. There are three categories of people. There are people who are very shrewd and make judgments very sharply, that’s easy. They look at other people’s flaws and shortcomings and tell people about it, and it’s easy. If they keep living their lives like that, what will happen to their spirits? They become darker and bound. That is the third-rate life, but there is a second-rate life. There are optimistic people … but there is a first-rate life, those who tell the Word of God.
Moses lived all three lives. While in the palace, he wondered why things wouldn’t go the way he wanted, but in the desert in Midian, he tried to live a more optimistic life, but the last 40 years of his life, he devoted towards living for God’s Word. The truly successful life, living by God’s will, is to deliver the will of God to other people so that they know.
2) God’s Promise
(1) The disciples experienced the death and resurrection of the cross (Acts 1:1; Galatians 2:20)
(2) Forty days—the work of the Kingdom of God (the mission) (Acts 1:3)
(3) They accomplished God’s work through the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)
The 12 disciples followed Jesus Christ for three years. They had faith, but they still didn’t throw away their own thoughts. They believed and followed Jesus Christ while still holding onto their ego. Peter even confidently confessed, “I would give my life for Jesus,” and that was an honest truth, but he realized that life does not go according to his thoughts and words. When Jesus Christ as crucified, all of them ran away in fear, so things did not go according to their words. So, that is the same time schedule Moses experienced in Midian that the disciples experienced as well. They felt guilt-trip over not being able to fulfill their own words, they felt discouraged and had to make a living, so they went back to being fishermen. “I believe He is the Messiah, but why do things not work according to my faith?” Then Jesus arose and found the disciples. At that time, Peter had already laid down his assertions.
In John 21, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Peter replied, “Lord, You know I love You.” What this means is, “You know I love You, but I cannot act on that love.” He experienced, “Lord, I love You, but I realize that in the face of death, I ran away from You.” If people have confidence in themselves, many other people will think that that is charismatic, but that’s actually a third-rate life. The second-rate life is like Peter, “I know things are outside of my control,” so for 40 days, after Jesus resurrected, the disciples had this time schedule. It was the time for them to realize, “I died on the cross with Christ and now He lives within me.” In the past, we thought we could live with our own ego, holding onto our faith, but we realized we cannot. We came to the realization that I actually have no hope, and then they came to realize, “I live by faith in Christ Who lives inside of me as my Lord.” For 40 days, they held onto the words of Christ and prayed, then they received a mission.
Jesus said, “Go make disciples of all nations, proclaim the gospel to all peoples and heal those who are diseased,” and third, “feel my lambs, save the young ones, and I am with you always and forever.” The God Who worked upon Moses, Paul, and Peter used the same method. With whose strength will we do this work? God told Moses to throw down his staff and it became a snake; God told Moses to pick up the snake by the tail and it became a staff. God told Moses to put his hand in his cloak and it became leprous, and when he did it again, it was clean. God said, “I will do this work through you,” and all 120 members of the Early Church experienced this time schedule as well.
3) Me and the Church
(1) Holding on to the covenant and praying (Acts 1:14)
(2) Being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4)
(3) Reaching all nations, healing, and raising up the next generation (Acts 2:9–11; Acts 13, 16, 19)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be Christ’s witnesses until the ends of the earth.” When they held to the covenant and prayed, the Holy Spirit worked through them, that was the time schedule of the Early Church. Every person whom God used in the Bible experienced this time schedule as well.
Today, you and I must also ask ourselves, “What time schedule am I in according to God’s Word?” We don’t ask our time schedule based on our thoughts; we find our time schedule based on God’s Word when we pray. The Church is in these three time schedules. The church is the place where we wait for people to go through their time schedule, we raise them up, and in due time, we commission them out. Then you will realize the field where we are working and studying is the field of our mission. That is when you will continuously see God is with you and is working with power.
Conclusion
1. Preparing My Past
In conclusion, God prepared your past, whether it’s failure or success; everything is prepared by God. So, you must let go of yourself and God wants you to save other people who are similar to you with your past.
2. My Today as God’s Mission
3. My Future: A Work That Reaches All Nations, Brings Healing, and Raises the Next Generation
I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that you may have a blessed week like this.
Message Prayer
Holding onto the word of the covenant God has given to each of us individually, let us pray.
Announcements
1. Please continue to pray for the purchase of our church building.
2. Venmo account for church worship offering: @Antiochmissionchurch
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We thank You for giving us the life of the gospel rather than religion. We thank You for giving us the grace to live by the life of the gospel rather than by our own strength. As they all live through the time schedule of light, we thank You for revealing it to us through Your Word. Just as Moses was used by God, we pray You will also use every member of our church. We have returned Your materials as offering. We pray You will bless the offering so that everywhere it is used, it will be used to save the people of all nations and the future generations. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Closing Prayer and Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all of the people of God, who desire to know God’s timing, be with them now and forevermore always, amen.
Let’s become ones who know God’s time schedule!