Acts 7:39-40

The Israelites in the wilderness refused to listen to Moses and repudiated his leadership of them (Numbers 14:3-4; Exodus 32:1; Exodus 32:23). By insisting on the finality of the Mosaic Law so strongly, as they did, Stephen’s hearers were in danger of repudiating what Moses had prophesied about the coming prophet.

The Israelites refused to follow Moses but sought to return to their former place of slavery. So had Israel refused to follow Jesus but turned back instead to her former condition of bondage under the Law (cf. Galatians 5:1).