“I am God, the God of your father,” the voice said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes.” [Genesis 46.3-4]
God predicted 400 years in Egypt, God acknowledged it when it came and, God stated once again that Israel would return to Canaan.
Was it God's will?
God's will is, and always will be, that His people trust Him. Nothing but faith pleases God. We must at least remain mindful that Abraham, the "father of faith," asked God how he could be sure he would actually possess Canaan (the Promised Land). Was that faith? In a word, no.
It would seem then that Israel's 400-year stint in Egypt was not a random 'act of God' as much as it was a show of displeasure for Abraham's need for assurance beyond the promise he had already been given.
Am I "splitting hairs" here? I don't think so - especially against the eternal backdrop that nothing but faith pleases God.
God's will in this situation was that Israel possess the Promised Land. Period. An objective look at all the other circumstances reveals that, in God's will, there is also the potential for human error. Even when Moses led Israel out of Egypt, the intent was to go straight to Canaan... but that didn't happen as we all know. Why? Because Israel did not trust God. They still got to the Promised Land (because God's Word will not be unfulfilled), but it cost them dearly.
God's plan remains unchanged regardless what we do. There is comfort in this fact (like the opening passage above), but there is also plenty of room for God's people to blindly trust Him or... well, you know.
Father, I want to trust You without doubt and without question. I want to trust You without need for further assurance. I want to trust You.
No comments:
Post a Comment