"And Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there.

" -- What a marvelous

history is that of Egypt, linking successive centuries. ull of mystery, wonder, and
deep thinking on the destiny of man. !he land of "yramid and #phin$, and
mighty dynasties, and of the glorious %ile. We need not wonder that Egypt has
ever been one of the granaries of the world, when we recall the periodic
inundation of that marvelous river, which preserves the long narrow strip of
green between far-reaching wastes of sand. !hither in all ages all countries have
come, as &oseph's brethren did, to buy grain. !he ship in which the Apostle "aul
was conveyed to (ome was a grain ship of Ale$andria, bearing a freight of wheat
for the consumption of (ome.
)n the figurative language of #cripture, Egypt stands for alliance with the world,
and dependence on an arm of flesh. "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for
help* and stay on horses* and trust in chariots because they are many* and in
horsemen because they are very strong* but they look not unto the +oly ,ne of
)srael, neither seek the -ord." /)saiah 01213
!here were occasions in &ewish story when 4od +imself bade +is servants seek
a temporary asylum in Egypt. Whilst &acob was halting in indecision on the
confines of 5anaan, longing to go to &oseph, and yet reluctant to repeat the
mistakes of the past, &ehovah said, ") am 4od, the 4od of thy father2 fear not to
go down into Egypt* for ) will there make of thee a great nation2 ) will go down
with thee into Egypt" /4enesis 6720-63. And, in later days, the angel of the -ord
appeared to &oseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, and take the young child and his
mother, and flee into Egypt" /8atthew 92103. !here may be times in all our lives
when 4od may clearly indicate that it is +is will for us to go out into the world,
with a view of accomplishing some :ivine purpose with respect to it. "4o, shine
as lights," +e seems to say. "Arrest corruption, even as salt does. Witness for 8e
where 8y name is daily blasphemed." And when 4od sends us, by the
undoubted call of +is providence, +e will be as sure to keep and deliver us as +e
did &acob and his seed, or the +oly 5hild.
;ut it does not appear that Abraham received any such :ivine direction. +e
acted simply on his own judgment. +e looked at his difficulties. +e became
paraly<ed with fear. +e grasped at the first means of deliverance which
suggested itself, much as a drowning man will catch at a straw. And thus,
without taking counsel of his heavenly "rotector, he went down into Egypt.
Ah, fatal mistake. ;ut how many make it still. !hey may be true children of 4od*
and yet, in a moment of panic, they will adopt methods of delivering themselves
which, to say the least, are =uestionable* and sow the seeds of sorrow and
disaster in life after, to save themselves from some minor embarrassment.
5hristian women plunge into the marriage bond with those who are the enemies
of 4od, in order that they may be carried through some financial difficulty.
5hristian merchants take ungodly partners into business for the sake of the
capital they introduce. !o enable them to stave off the pressure of difficulties,
and to maintain their respectability, 5hristian people of all grades will court the
help of the world. What is all this -- but going down to Egypt for help>
+ow much better would it have been for Abraham to have thrown the
responsibility back on 4od, and to have said, "!hou hast brought me here* and
!hou must now bear the whole weight of providing for me and mine2 here will )
stay till ) clearly know what !hou wilt have me to do." )f any should read these
lines who have come into positions of e$treme difficulty, through following the
simple path of obedience, let them not look at 4od through difficulties, as we see
the sun shorn of splendor through a fog* but let them look at difficulties through
4od. -et them put 4od between themselves and the disasters which threaten
them. -et them cast the whole responsibility upon +im. +as +e not thus brought
you into difficulties, that +e may have an opportunity of strengthening your faith,
by giving some une$ampled proof of +is power> Wait only on the -ord, trust also
in +im2 +is name is &ehovah-jireh* +e will provide.