LESSONS FROM EGYPT (3 OF 11)
by Jerry Branch
Scripture: GENESIS 12:10-20
This content is part of a series.
Lessons from Egypt (3 of 11)
Friend of God
Jerry Branch
Genesis 12:10-20
03-18-07
v.10...Now there was famine in the land and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
There are a couple important things we see right off in just this one verse.
First, even though a person is a ‘friend of God',
he or she still might have to go through famines in his or her life,
be those actual food famines, or any other kind of shortage
or shortage famine-like period.
The word Famine means ‘an acute insufficiency' of something.
And again, although, it's usually associated with an insufficiency of ‘food' which reminds us of ‘starvation,' it doesn't have to be just food.
It could be really dry spiritual times in our lives.
It could be having to go though times when we don't have
the material things that make our lives easier...
it could even be a lacking of quality relationships.
Abram, though, went through a real food shortage famine.
In fact, here in Genesis 12, v. 10, the phrase ‘the famine was severe'
is phrase similar in the Hebrew, to the opposite word, wealth,
but here it is carrying the same intensity, as in verse 13:2,
but to the opposite extent, where it says that Abram was ‘very wealthy'...
so in comparison, this means this was a great famine...
it wasn't just a ‘little hardship'...it was very big...very widespread.
I don't believe anyone likes famines...but all the same, God can and does use them for good.
That's why " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV).
Back in our verse, this wide-spread famine was a regional,
and it covered the area where Abram and his family was living.
In fact the famine was so severe, that Abram decided it was time
to get up and get out of Dodge, the Negev.
So he packed up and headed off to Egypt in order to try
to save ...
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