The baptism of fire - Genesis 46

Reinhard Bonnke preached about the baptism of fire at the conference. He meant power.
Robert Fergusson preached about the odyssey and the return a while ago. Without the odyssey, we'd always be the older son, life not lived to the full. First Adam is good, but the redeemed Adam is even better.
The baptism of fire is also for the use of purification of gold.

In Gen46 God's pushing Jacob, the people of Israel out for another odyssey.
Who caused the famine? Who sent Joseph ahead of everyone else to prepare for the journey?

"So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac."(v1)
Israel didn't seem to be too keen on journey this time. It almost felt like he's reminding and arguing with God that Beersheba was his place of destiny."Been there, done that, journey?....not too much fun for me." But God spoke to him:"I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes." It seems that Joseph's almost like a bait here: without him Israel would not be willing to travel down.

God wanted the people of Israel to experience fire: first the pain of the fire(life under Pharaoh), then the power and glory of fire(Moses, Exodus).
Posted: 17-Jul-2005 12:43