Genesis 46:3 “Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.”
The stage had been set, the revelation of Joseph to his family had undoubtedly left them speechless and in awe of all that God had done. What was once a moment of jealousy and hatred when his brothers sold him into slavery had turned into shame and guilt, and then relief. Just like God, He had turned a moment meant for evil into the miraculous deliverance of not only Israel but for other nations as well. Jacob and his family had been summoned to Egypt by Joseph to stay there through the drought and famine, which would have taken a tremendous amount of faith to leave his homeland and make such a journey.
Upon leaving for Egypt, Jacob stopped by a place called Beersheba. It was a place that was sacred to his family since his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham had worshipped God and offered sacrifices in the same place. Since the altar was on the route to Egypt it provided an opportunity for Jacob to seek God’s guidance.
Genesis 46:1 “So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.”
When Jacob honored the Lord first, God honored Jacob by giving him an assurance.
Genesis 46:2-3 “And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation.”
The Lord could see beyond the man and into his heart. Jacob may have appeared strong and secure before the 70 family members traveling with him, but the anxiety of moving all you know into a foreign land would affect anyone. Jacob had made several such moves in his past and with each trial came greater maturity. With each significant event, God continued to establish His faithfulness before Jacob, and undoubtedly Jacob’s faith had grown with them. Jacob, now known as Israel, was making the journey, but he knew where to turn when the future was unclear.
Then came the assurance….
Genesis 46:4 “I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.”
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and now Jacob made a declaration that would be made clear on their departure from Egypt….I Am was sending Jacob to Egypt with a promise. God was not just a thought or a name, He wasn’t only the omnipresent God who dwelled over all of Creation, He was the God of Israel and He manifested His presence to Israel to assure him that he wasn’t alone.
First was the revelation of El, the Creator and God of all. He was and is the all-sufficient protector of His people. He then identifies those who are His. His promise to Abraham and Isaac would continue through Jacob…so do not fear.
The promises must have resonated with Jacob for the rest of his life.
- Do not be afraid
- I will make you into a great nation
- I will go with you
- I will bring you up again
Not only did the Lord have a plan, but He assured Jacob that He would see it to completion. But the Lord didn’t end the revelation with only a command, He revealed to Jacob how his life would end in Egypt and Joseph would be there to close his eyes.
To have the knowledge of one’s death must be difficult to grasp. To Jacob, the thought of dying in a foreign land must have seemed disparaging. He had finally moved his family into the promised land, only to be moved out of it once again. How could his dream of living and dying in the land God had promised Abraham and his descendants be fulfilled if everyone was moving to Egypt?
How often do we have an idea of how God is going to fulfill something, only to have our plans completely changed by God?
It turns out, God always had a plan, it was our plans that tried to get in the way.
Once Jacob and his people were settled, they had been given some of the choicest land in Egypt. Then the famine concluded and Pharaoh had acquired everything, money, land, and even the peoples lives. The more comfortable they became, the harder it would have been to leave. As Jacob’s life drew to a close, the nagging thought of dying in a foreign land was brought to Joseph’s attention.
Genesis 47:29-30 “And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.”
After Jacob had blessed Joseph’s sons, crossing his hands and blessing the younger over the older, the time of his death approached and he gave a blessing on Joseph…
Genesis 48:15-16 “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
The birth of a nation began with a covenant promise to Abraham of UR, but the nation grew and was formed in a land that was not their own. The El, the I Am, had manifest His presence in each successive generation, shepherding His people faithfully. He would certainly not forget them now.
The same God who was faithful then, is faithful today. God’s omnipresence remains evident throughout the earth, but He makes Himself known to those who love Him.
The Lord didn’t stop showing up, He continued to reveal Himself to people for generations and that pattern has remained even up until the present day.
Is the Lord your Shepherd? When He calls, do you listen? When He says go there, do you go without hesitation?
As the Lord guided Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He will also guide you.
Will you trust Him?
The heart is revealed by faith in action.
U.T. 