And GOD spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And He said, I AM GOD, the GOD of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. (Gen 46:2-7, 30-32)
GOD tells Jacob to move to Egypt. He has a plan in place, and provision for His people. They will survive the famine, and grow as a nation as a guest of Egypt, and under the unwavering watchful eye of GOD Almighty. He has arranged all of this, and nothing has caught Him by surprise. Joseph continues to provide for the famine, and govern Egypt. Israel and his sons and families are all now safe in Goshen. Though temporary, they are now settled in a strange land which will allow them to grow and increase until a new dynasty arises that doesn't know GOD, Joseph, or Israel and fears this visiting nation on its own shores.
Many throughout history have hated a GOD they don't believe in, and persecuted His people because of their faith, and even their ethnic connection to GOD. This peace and prosperity Israel has come into will not last, but GOD Himself is still in control and arranging events for His people. Though they have rest at the moment, GOD continues to strengthen His people through adversity.
Today, GOD's people, His Church are called to be strangers in a strange land, not to be conformed to this world or its ways, but transformed by the presence of GOD, the preaching of the Cross, and the power of His Word in our minds and hearts that we may show Jesus Christ to those around us. We are commanded to minister to the hurting as GOD blesses us, to disciple one another in love and in the Word, and to proclaim the Good News of Salvation through faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary. We are commissioned to go, and as we go, tell everyone we meet the Gospel of Jesus Christ and of the grace of GOD, that they might believe and believing have life in His Name.
For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. GOD took your place, and you must trust what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. Just as He provided for Israel through Joseph, He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new heart in Christ. Turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet