DCLM Daily Manna Thursday 11 January 2024
TOPIC: Go Not Down Into Egypt
TEXT: GENESIS 26:1-5
26 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2 And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
KEY VERSE
“And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of”
(Genesis 26:2).
Daily Manna 11 January 2024 Message
Egypt has a very amazing history. The Ancient Egyptians started a civilization that lasted for more than 3000 years. They laid the foundation of what we have today as modern civilization. They contributed significantly to the development of Medicine, Engineering, Astronomy and Mathematics. The division of day and night into 24 hours and use of clock started with them. They also formulated our 365 days calendar.
The prosperity and great influence of Egypt must have been in place even in the time of Abraham. When famine broke out in the days of Abraham, he took refuge in Egypt. God also allowed Jacob to move his family to Egypt when there was acute global famine. In today’s text, we find Isaac in a similar circumstance – caught up in a severe famine while in the land of Canaan, but God instructed him not to go to Egypt. Egypt, with all its glamour and idolatrous culture, was a tough place for a gentle and godly-minded person like Isaac. And God, knowing his frame, did not allow him to go there.
READ Daily Manna Wednesday 10 January 2024 – Priming for Fruitfulness
“Go not down into Egypt” has a deeper connotation and relevance to today’s Christian. Ancient Egypt, because of its ungodly influence and vain affluence, came to symbolize the evil worldly system. God said, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help…” (Isaiah 31:1). Going down to Egypt means backsliding and going back to bondage. Similarly, we are repeatedly warned not to love or conform to the world and the pride and fleshly lusts that characterise it.
God’s instruction to Isaac not to go down into Egypt came with a promise of His presence and blessings. If you abide at the centre of God’s will, even if it means putting up with temporary adversity, you are assured of God’s presence and blessing beyond your imagination. As you travel through life, it is enough to place your trust in God and He will direct your steps through His word.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Romance with the world always ends on a bitter note.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MATTHEW 24-25
