Acts 7:38

"This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai." The words before us show that people become better or worse not because of their location, for those spoken of here, though already outside …

With the angel, and with our fathers - As a mediator between them. Who received the living oracles - Every period beginning with, And the Lord said unto Moses, is properly an oracle. But the oracles here intended are chiefly the ten commandments.

But Christ is the president and guide of a more excellent and glorious church than that in the wilderness was, and is more in it, as the life and soul of it, than Moses could be in that. That he was with the angel that spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers --was with him in the holy mount twice forty days, with the angel of the covenant, Michael, our prince.

This is he that was in the church in the wilderness,....

He applies this to those that prosecuted him, and sat in judgment upon him, sharply reproving them for their wickedness, by which they had brought upon themselves the ruin of their place and nation, and then could not bear to hear of it,

With the angel which spake to him - Stephen shows that Moses received the law by the ministry of angels; and that he was only a mediator between the angel of God and them. The lively oracles - Λογια ζωντα, The living oracles.

This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge, &c.--Here, again, "the stone which the builders refused is made the head of the corner" (Ps 118:22).

This is he that was in the church in the wilderness, with the angel . . . and with our fathers--alike near to the Angel of the Covenant, from whom he received all the institutions of the ancient economy, and to the people, to whom he faithfully reported the living oracles and among whom he set up the prescribed institutions.

In the church - The word “church” means literally “the people called out,” and is applied with great propriety to the assembly or multitude called out of Egypt, and separated from the world. It has not, however, of necessity our idea of a church, but means the “assembly,” or people called out of Egypt and placed under the conduct of Moses. With the angel - In this place there is undoubted reference to the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Yet that was done by God himself, Exo. 20: It is clear, therefore, that by “the angel” here, Stephen intends to designate him who was God. It may be observed, however, that “the Law” is represented as having been given by the ministry of an angel (in this place) and by the ministry of “angels,” Act 7:53; Heb 2:2. The essential idea is, that God did it by a messenger, or by mediators. The “character” and “rank” of the messengers, or of the “principal” messenger, must be learned by looking at all the circumstances of the case. The lively oracles - See Rom 3:2. The word “oracles” here means “commands” or “laws” of God. The word “lively,” or “living” ζῶντα zōnta, stands in opposition to what is dead, or useless, and means what is vigorous, efficacious; and in this place it means that the commands were of such a nature, and given in such circumstances, as to secure attention; to produce obedience; to excite them to act for God - in opposition to laws which would fall powerless, and produce no effect.