1. Gen. 46:3Gen. 46:3
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
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2. God told Israel that great things were going to happen to his family.
3. God also reassured this man that there was no reason to be concerned about going to Egypt.
4. God said Jacob needed to go to Egypt and there his family would become great.
5. We know this promise came true; in fact, we often refer to the nation that was formed as “Israel.”
6. God also told Jacob (Israel) about His future death.
7. In the latter part of verse 4 the text says Joseph would put his “hands” Jacob’s eyes.
8. This was a nice way of saying Israel would die in Egypt while his son Joseph tended to him.
9. Israel (Jacob) was someone who received great promises, but he had to accept these promises in faith.
FAITH WAS AN IMPORTANT ITEM IN THE LIFE OF ISRAEL AND FAITH IS STILL A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR LIVES.
Consider some of the ways in which “faith” is required of us.
a) There is not a single one of us who has or ever will see God during our earthly lifetime.
b) We will not meet an apostle or prophet while we live on this earth.
c) We will never see a “miracle” in the sense that this term is used in the New Testament.
d) We will not receive a tour of the after life – heaven and not hell – as we live our earthly existence.
e) God will not let us get a direct glimpse of the devil.
f) There is no verbal approval for the worship we offer.
2) When it comes to the Christian life, FAITH really is at the center of our spiritual existence.
3) Different things require different forms of proof.
4) In the case of faith, there is proof, but this proof is not in the physical realm.
5) The Bible says people have “died in faith” (Heb. 11:13Heb. 11:13
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
WP-Bible plugin) and this may well be true of us.
THE BIBLE TEACHES WE NEED FAITH TO PLEASE GOD (HEBREWS 11:6HEBREWS 11:6
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
WP-Bible plugin). IT ALSO SAYS WE ARE TO “WALK BY FAITH” INSTEAD OF WALK BY “SIGHT” (2 COR. 5:72 COR. 5:7
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
7 ;
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Israel (Jacob) had received a great promise, but he had to accept this promise on faith.
Israel had to live by faith because this was what God required under the Old Testament.
In Hab. 2:4Hab. 2:4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.
WP-Bible plugin the Bible says “the just [righteous] shall live by faith.”
In Rom. 1:17Rom. 1:17
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
17 For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
WP-Bible plugin – a book that has a lot to say about faith – the point from Hab. 2:4Hab. 2:4
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith.
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We know that Jacob (Israel) chose faith, but what if we had been in his place?
Jas. 2:26Jas. 2:26
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
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People can have a “dead faith.”
Man’s second option is a living faith where people really believe and actively seek to do God’s will.
Gal. 5:6Gal. 5:6
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.
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Mt. 10:22Mt. 10:22
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
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Imagine living in a time and place where being a Christian causes us to be “hated.”
Jn. 12:42-43Jn. 12:42-43
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
42 Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God.
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In Mt. 7:24Mt. 7:24
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
24 Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock:
WP-Bible plugin Jesus spoke of “hearing” and “doing His words.
This illustration is a good way of describing faith.
We “hear” what God has said; when we believe that information, we “do” what He has said.
In Mt. 8:11Mt. 8:11
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
11 And I say unto you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven:
WP-Bible plugin Jesus spoke of “Jacob” –the man of faith in Gen. 46 – enjoying the kingdom of God.
The man in Gen. 46 acted on faith and now, thousands of years later, what is still true for him?
The spiritual house built by Israel because of good choices is still standing.
We cannot please God without faith.
If we are a Christian, we need to continue to live by faith day by day.
If we have not yet become a Christian, we can start the life of faith and begin that life today.
