Egypt…in scripture
I want to speak about our Help. So many times we look to others, who we see as “stronger” than us,….or more experienced, or which we think have more of what we need.
But…
We are to look to the Lord, “….from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)
From the earliest times in scripture, Egypt has been a temptation to the people of God
Egypt is a type of the world system (mighty, showy, and full of idols)……and Pharoah, a type of the devil (seeking to enslave the people of God.duet.6:21)
When Abraham came into the land God called him to, and there was a famine…..instead of trusting God who called him to the land,….or seeking direction for what he should do,….or for provision in the famine….
…Abraham went down to Egypt….to seek relief from trouble.
(And got into a whole lot of trouble down there. Genesis 12:9-20, 16:1)
When Jacob was told to go to Egypt (and he was told to go)….his children became immersed in the ways of the Egyptians….even to worshiping their gods.
Lev.20:7 “Then said I (the Lord) unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
When Israel was delivered from the bondage…God did not take them through the land of the Philistines….because the people would go back to Egypt when they would experience war.
(Exodus 13:17)
The Lord told them plainly….”…the Lord hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way (to Egypt).” Deuteronomy 17:16
But they kept wanting to return.
Numbers 14:3-4 “And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return into Egypt?
And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”
Israel sought to Egypt even in treaties…
Isaiah 30:1-2 “Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of Me:…
That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at My mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt.”
(Jeremiah 2:18, Jeremiah 35:5,7…many times they turned to Egypt for help….when God would have been their help, if they had sought unto Him)
They were warned so many times against this…for Egypt was no help….but like a broken reed to lean upon.
Isaiah 36:6 “Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into this hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.”
I want to say, that Egypt was a mighty nation. As the world is now….it is a force to be reckoned with. But….they were to come out of it…
…..and serve the Lord.
(I said before, that in the scriptures, Egypt is a type of the world, and Pharaoh, a type of the devil.
It is interesting to note that when Moses told Pharaoh, “Thus saith the Lord, let my people go that they may worship me.”….that when the might of God was shown….all Pharoah did was to compromise….wanting above all else to keep his power over the people…
….just as the devil does the children of God.
At first it was….no….I do not know the Lord.
Then, it was with every judgment….Pharaoh hardened his heart….and refused to let them go.
But when God made a division in the judgment….Israel had none, but the rest of Egypt had the judgments….then…
…Pharaoh began to bargain:
First it was: worship…in the land.(Exodus 8:25)
Then it was….go ahead, worship in the wilderness….but ye shall not go very far away. (Exodus 8:28)
Then it was….only the men should go to worship (Exodus 10:11)
Then it was….the people can go, but their flocks and herds must stay (Exodus 10:24)
It is the same with the world and the devil’s wiles…..
…don’t be so fanatic.
God can be worshiped at home. You do not have to go to church.
Sunday is a day off. Your children go to school. Go to church if you want, but don’t make them go.
Ok, go to church on Sunday morning….but don’t give “too much” extra time, or your money….remember you have to make ends meet for yourself….and those extra things the children want…remember them.
These might not be the words, or temptations that are used on all of us. But the world and the devil do not like to give up their hold on us….
….but God delivers.
Psalm 140:1-2 “Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.”)
The Lord has told us:
2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
But why are we to “come out” from the world? To serve our God.
Jesus said, “For what is a man profited….”
(and “profit” is what the world is looking for) “…if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Sometimes I believe, we Christians are like the children of Israel, when they thought about Egypt…..they didn’t remember the bondage and death….but the “flesh pots”, the cucumbers and leeks…(Numbers 11:4-5)
…the good stuff.
But let us consider for a moment….what we gain in Christ….
First let us consider the kingdom of God:
Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
This is our kingdom. We belong to King Jesus, and as He rules in me,…
… He brings righteousness (a path that is right through this world that is wrong. And good works for me to do along the way.).
…He brings peace (peace with God…where I can come before Him anytime….and a settled calm in the midst of the world’s torrents and storm)
…He brings joy in the Holy Ghost (a bouyancy that keeps looking toward the Lord, and His Purpose for me…..amid trouble….and prosperity.)
Then let us consider our strength….for when we consider our enemies, our fears, and our troubles….we need Strength.
Romans 8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?…shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, not things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separte us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Let me just say, that when we know the true love of the Lord for us, in this moment…we are encouraged, strengthened, empowered to do and be for Him.
For in the world we have persecution and tribulation, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12
Yet Jesus has already seen to us. He said:
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Let us be “of good cheer”…which means “to have both comfort and courage.”
Let us not go back to the world…
…Egypt did Israel no good….and the world will yield us no blessings….
……but, since we have come out from it….let us cross this wilderness world….learn to trust in the Almighty God…..and enter into all that Jesus Christ has won for us….
….for this is true “profit”.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 