This is my personal summary of the preaching of Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong on 1st June 2008 in Newton Life. It was preached in Chinese with English translation.
Passage: Genesis 46
This passage told how Jacob brought his whole family into Egypt. God commanded Abraham to leave his hometown and his father’s household but he did not know where the future would be. This is the principle of faith. We trust in God for our unknown future.
Now God commanded Jacob to go to Egypt. But Egypt was not the promised land. God promised Canaan to them. Jacob went to pray to the God of his father Isaac. God called him that evening, “Jacob, Jacob.” instead of calling him “Israel”.
This is parallel to the New Testament. Jesus gave Simon a new name, Peter. But Jesus still called him Simon. After Jesus gave Simon a new name, there was only once Jesus addressed him as Peter. On the one occasion when Jesus called him Peter, it was through another person, not directly. After his resurrection, he said, “Tell Peter.” But Jesus still called him Simon even in the last chapter of John.
Very often, we already have a new status, but we still behave based on old status. Based on status, we are saints. But based on our own spirituality, we are not like saints at all. Israel means the crown prince of God (Esra El), but in many ways Jacob did not live out his name.
There were 66 people who went to Egypt but God considered Joseph’s family as well, so altogether there were 70 people in the house of Israel. Joseph’s wife was not a Hebrew but by God’s grace, was still included in Israel’s family. Before his death, Joseph commanded Israelites to bring his bones out of Egypt when God brought them out of Egypt because he did not belong there. We should always remember that this world is not our home. We have an eternal destiny so we should prepare ourselves for Home.
Because of Joseph, Pharaoh honored all his family who came from Canaan. The Egyptians detested the shepherds so would not live with them. So Jacob’s family lived in the land of Goshen, where the shepherds were. It is the way the world detests Christians.
After the Pharaoh who knew Joseph died, the people forgot Joseph and started persecuting the Israelites. But God never forget His people. When His time comes, He would deliver His people. Genesis told us the promises of God and Exodus showed how the people of God were delivered.
Passage: Genesis 46
This passage told how Jacob brought his whole family into Egypt. God commanded Abraham to leave his hometown and his father’s household but he did not know where the future would be. This is the principle of faith. We trust in God for our unknown future.
Now God commanded Jacob to go to Egypt. But Egypt was not the promised land. God promised Canaan to them. Jacob went to pray to the God of his father Isaac. God called him that evening, “Jacob, Jacob.” instead of calling him “Israel”.
This is parallel to the New Testament. Jesus gave Simon a new name, Peter. But Jesus still called him Simon. After Jesus gave Simon a new name, there was only once Jesus addressed him as Peter. On the one occasion when Jesus called him Peter, it was through another person, not directly. After his resurrection, he said, “Tell Peter.” But Jesus still called him Simon even in the last chapter of John.
Very often, we already have a new status, but we still behave based on old status. Based on status, we are saints. But based on our own spirituality, we are not like saints at all. Israel means the crown prince of God (Esra El), but in many ways Jacob did not live out his name.
There were 66 people who went to Egypt but God considered Joseph’s family as well, so altogether there were 70 people in the house of Israel. Joseph’s wife was not a Hebrew but by God’s grace, was still included in Israel’s family. Before his death, Joseph commanded Israelites to bring his bones out of Egypt when God brought them out of Egypt because he did not belong there. We should always remember that this world is not our home. We have an eternal destiny so we should prepare ourselves for Home.
Because of Joseph, Pharaoh honored all his family who came from Canaan. The Egyptians detested the shepherds so would not live with them. So Jacob’s family lived in the land of Goshen, where the shepherds were. It is the way the world detests Christians.
After the Pharaoh who knew Joseph died, the people forgot Joseph and started persecuting the Israelites. But God never forget His people. When His time comes, He would deliver His people. Genesis told us the promises of God and Exodus showed how the people of God were delivered.
