Arkansas State press., 1945-09-28

our dwelling place In all generations
Psalm 90:i.
Preparation of a great nation
takes time. God wanted Israel to
have opportunity to develop from q
family to a nation so He arranged
for them to have a place Of refuge
and of abundant provision while
they grew. He had already made
ready for them by sending Joseph
into Egypt, and now the whole fami-
ly OF Jacob moved down.
Jacobs fears had been overcome
by the vision Of God (Gen. 48:14).
in which he was assured that this
was the outworking Of Gods pur-
pose to make of him a great ma
tion." The promises to him and
his forefathers were now in proc
ess Of fulhllment. The man who be-
lieves God is privileged to see Him
work. We find the family of Jacob
l. In Egypt, but Separated wv.
1-6).
As he presented the representa-
tives Of his brethren to Pharaoh,
Joseph made known that he had set
tied them in the land of Goshen, a
favored spot well suited to their life
as shepherds.
1t Is worthy Of observation lhat
while they were now in Egypt there
was no thought Of mingling with the
Egyptians. They were to be a sepa-
rated people living in a strange
land. Only thus could the purity Of
the nation be maintained and a peo-
pie suited for Gods service be kept
and made ready.
The application to the life of the
Christian lies right at hand. In
Scripture Egypt is a type of the
world, where leshly appetites are
satisfied and where strange gods
are worshiped. The Christian is to
come out from among them and
to be separate Gil Cor. 6:14-18).
The tendency in our time is to
minimize the importance Of separa-
ton from worldliness and to regard
those who preach and practice it as
being narrow and old-fashioned. Say
what you will, it is a fact that
worldliness has robbed the Church
Of its spiritual power and Of its real
testimony for Christ,
As a matter Of fact, the Christian
is not narrow. He is as broad as
the counsels of God, and the
wording who boasts Of his broad
mindedness has often mistaken su-
perieial fatness for real broad
ness.
II. Blessed, but Blessing wv.
7-10).
Jacob and his family received
many mercies at the hands of
Pharaoh and his people, but they
were not in the land just to be
blessed but also to bring a blessing.
The patriarch Jacob was brought
by Joseph into the presence of
Pharaoh. That noble son was not
ashamed to bring his aged Hebrew
father into the presence Of the king.
There he gave witness concerning
his life. But he did something else
he blessed Pharaoh.
That scene speaks volumes to us
as Christians. We are not Of the
world but we are in the world John
l7:15-1D. We are to be a separated
people for the glory of God, but that
does not mean that we are not to
bring blessing to those round about
us. We are in the world not just
to enjoy ourselves, but to make
Christ known to others-to touch
lives that are needy and saddened
and sin-sick.
1t is also of interest that the bless
ing Of Jacob was given to the man
the throne. We are apt to think
of the poor and the underprivileged
as needing the gospel and forget
that the rich nan in the house on
the hill may be the most spiritually
hungry in town.
Ill. Preserved, but Preparing wv.
IL, ~.
God sent His chosen people down
into Egypt that they might not per-
ish In the famine. He wanted them
kept and nourished while they grew
into the great people which He ulti-
mately led out toward the Prom
ised Land.
That was important, for had they
not been preserved the promise of
God could not have been fulfilled.
But all the time they we're being
prepared for the great day Of de-
liverance and blessing which was TO
come.
Applying the truth once again to
the Christian believer, 1t Is not
enough just to be safe in Christ.
That is precious but 1t is not enough;
there must be growth in grace.
Some Christians are saved and
all right, but 1t is just a mat
ter Of being preserved and put on
a shelf. They are Of no earthly use
unless it is to be exhibited, and that
kind of a Christian is not really
worth showing off.
Then, too, some Of the saints are
preserved but not in sweetness.