Fear not to go down into Egypt - reasons to fear not

LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 30 JULY 2023

MR STEPHEN FLETCHER

GENESIS 45 AND 46 verses 1 to 7

Joseph is in Egypt and had just revealed himself to his brothers who in earlier years had sold Joseph into slavery. Look at chapter 45 verse 3 and Joseph’s first question to them “is my father still alive?”  He instructs his brothers to return home and bring his father down to Egypt.  They responded by returning home and telling their father that Joseph was still alive. Notice the irony of Joseph saying to them before they left “see that ye fall not out by the way” verse 24. He knew them so well; he had heard them speaking and knew how they would react as they returned home.

In chapter 45 verse 3 we read of Jacob, Joseph’s father making the decision to go down to Egypt.  This would be a place of trial.  A difficult situation.  Here we see Jacob was being instructed by God to go down to Egypt.  He is told by God “fear not”.   I have entitled this message today “Reasons to fear not”. 

Prior to chapter 45 God had not instructed Jacob to fear not yet when Jacob hears his son is still alive, he is willing to go down, to meet him in Egypt.  In chapter 46 verse 1 we read that Jacob still worshipped God.  He “offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.”  Life was difficult for Jacob, yet he still worshipped God.  Many years ago, he thought he had lost his son.  There had been famine in the land.  There was hardship.  Famine was not only present in his land but in all the lands around Egypt.  He had allowed his son to go and travel to Egypt.  He had been left alone.  Then he had to part with Benjamin.  We can go even further back in his life to the days when he had tricked his own brother Esau and then years later feared meeting him again to be reconciled.  Still he worshipped God.  This would not be a short visit to Egypt.  Jacob knew it would be a one-way trip.  Verse 28 “I will go and see him before I die”.  Verse 4 “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.”  Joseph would close Jacob’s eyes in death.  From the time God had spoken to him at Bethel until now he had followed God.  Even if this journey resulted in his death he was still going to go.  No matter what our journey is in life we should all be serving God like Jacob was doing here.

Firstly, notice the road Jacob was about to take.  He didn’t know what lay ahead.  It was unknown. Jacob clearly defined the destination – Egypt.  He did not know what the road would hold for him.  It was an unknown road.  It was a road previously travelled by his father and grandfather before him.  In Genesis 12 we read of a famine in Abraham’s day.  We read that Abraham went down into Egypt and things didn’t go well for him, so he returned home.  His own father Isaac in chapter 26 was told not to go down to Egypt.  Here in this chapter, we have exactly the same circumstances.  There is famine and hardship in the land.  The instructions though were different this time.  The promises however were still the same – I will be with thee and will bless thee.  God asks us to trust him, and he will always be with us.  God was telling Jacob to go a long 200-mile journey.  It would take almost a month to complete with all the children of his sons with him.  In the heat of the day, they wouldn’t have travelled far.  It was a lengthy journey.  Even though he didn’t know the road God knew the way.  God was with Joseph when he was sold into Egypt.  God had been with Joseph’s brothers when they had travelled back and forth to Egypt for food.  Remember Job who said “he knoweth the way that I take.”  No matter what the journey is ahead God knows the way we are taking.   Jacob was excited to see his long-lost son Joseph.  Egypt would be a place of judgment for God’s people.  They would spend 400 years in this land.  The road God has called you or I to travel is maybe unseen, unknown, there are many dangers.  It could be a road of loneliness, heartache even separation for some.  God has asked us to take that road and maybe we think the journey is too great for us.  Maybe we have had more trials and problems than we ever thought possible.  Perhaps we are fearful of the daily provision needed.  The burdens on us are so great no-one else knows about them.  Egypt is the land of the enemy.   Jacob is about to go headlong into bandit country.  The journey started with Jacob.  No matter what point you are on this journey God has given us a reason to fear not.

The reasons that Jacob was to fear not.  There were not one but many reasons not to be afraid.  The first reason to fear not – it was God who is telling Jacob not to fear.  This wasn’t just a dream or a vision, that he remembered something his father or grandfather said, it wasn’t a recommendation from family or guidance from a theologian or one versed in scripture.  It was God who was speaking.  God who created heaven and earth, who formed man from the dust of the ground.  He was in control of all things.  That same God speaks to us today.  It is not a vision in the way Jacob saw it but through God’s own revealed word that instructs us.  He is the God of his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham.  He is the omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient God and he is saying “fear not”.  He is the creator God, the maker of heaven and earth who sent his son into the world to die for our sins, to redeem us from our sin for ever.  Jacob was to fear not because God was telling him to.  The second reason to fear not – God knows our name and everything about us.  He called to him “Jacob, Jacob”.   He had revealed himself before to Jacob at Luz when he was given a new name, Israel and renamed the town as Bethel.  God knew his need all those years before and again when he met Esau.  This was a personal call.  It was directed specifically at him.  There was no mistake he was speaking to him.  He directly called him.  He called him by his name twice.  How many times has God called us?  He knew his name and knew everything about him.  The third reason to fear not – because God does not change.  “The God of thy father.”  It is the same God of Isaac and Abraham and now Jacob.  God had guided them in times past.  He had not changed throughout the years.  Jesus is the same today.  Malachi 3 verse 6.  God will not start us on a journey and then change halfway through.  He is consistent in his promises to us.  Another reason to fear not – God will bless the journey.  “For I will there make of thee a great nation.”  In verse 26 we read that 66 people made the journey with Jacob.  He took everyone with him, he didn’t leave any behind.  400 years later we read of the many people that came out of Egypt.  God has promised to bless us along the journey.  Romans 8 verse 28 is easy to quote but we need to read on to verse 29 “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  The trials we face are for our good but always for God’s glory.  They are designed to make us more like Christ, to bring him honour and glory.  Many times, we don’t see it until the clouds have disappeared.  Then we see that God has been with us very step of the way.  God is going to bless us on the journey.  Another reason to fear not – God will be with us on the journey “I will go down with thee into Egypt.”  Jacob was not going alone.  Yes he would have his family with him but the promises and assurances would have been empty if God hadn’t gone with him.  Hebrews 13 verse 5 “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”  Joshua 1 verse 9.  Even in the valley we know that Christ the good shepherd is with us – Psalm 23.  You might be carrying a burden no-one else knows about, but you are not facing it alone.  There is always one with you – God himself.  Remember the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus after the crucifixion.  They were downcast and disheartened when “Jesus himself drew near and went with them.”  Isaiah 41 verse 13 “for I the Lord will hold thy right-hand saying fear not I will help you.”  The Lord will be right beside you on your journey whispering “fear not”.  No matter what we are going through God is with you.  Another reason to fear not – God will bring you up again.  He would bring him out of Egypt.  There is a certainty in this promise.  Jacob could go down with confidence knowing God would be with him but also God would bring him up again.  1 Corinthians 10 verse 13.  The last reason to fear not – God will provide everything we need for the journey.  God used Pharaoh, an unbeliever to send enough to bring Jacob to Egypt.  Isn’t it the same for us - God makes provision for us in our journey in life.

The promise God gave Jacob – verse 4 “Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.”  This is a reference to Joseph closing Jacob’s eyes in death – Joseph would outlive his father.  Jacob would be with his son the rest of his days on earth.  The desire of his heart was being granted.  One little phrase struck me in verse 5 “and their little ones.”  Such was Jacob’s trust in God he brought the youngest children with him on this journey.  We are entrusted with children, and we must leave them in God’s care and keeping.  Even though the journey would be hard, even though they were going into enemy territory, the road ahead would have many trials and hardships, but God would take care of them all.

The response Jacob made – it was one of obedience, full of trust.  Verse 5 “And Jacob rose up”. 

The result of Jacob’s obedience – chapter 47 verse 27 and 18.  For 17 years Jacob lived in Egypt.  That was his reward and faithfulness to God.

The remembrance by God of his promise – Exodus 3 verses 7 and 8.  God did not forget them.  He remembered his promise and fulfilled it.  We need to do the same today.