Exodus 1:1
1:1. Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob:
The house of Israel or Jacob went down from Canaan to Egypt.
Canaan is the land of promise, full of milk and honey, but Egypt is the description of the world.
Why did God let them go down Canaan to Egypt?
Jacob had to go down from Canaan, where there was famine, to Egypt.
The Lord gives us the abundant revelation of the Word of God (the wheat) when we are in the experience of death (going down from Canaan to Egypt).
John 6:31-33,35
6:31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
6:32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
6:33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Jesus was willing to go down from heaven to the world in order to give the bread of life, referring to the revelation of the Word as follows:
1:9. I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
John was desolated in Patmos island. It was an experience of death, so he could hear and see the Word of God as the sound of trumpet. It means there is the revelation of God's Word.
Luke 2:20
2:20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
The Word of God we can hear and see is the Shepherding Word.
If we want to hear and see the Word, we must enter the experience of death. We have to be righteous, honest, and obedient.
If we are unrighteous, dishonest, and disobedient, we will never see and hear the Word of God.
We have to receive the shepherding Word to face the future famine.
Receiving the shepherding Word means we can listen to the Word and be obedient. As a result, we can see the real manifestation of the shepherding Word soon or later.
There are two kinds of the real manifestation of the shepherding Word as follows:
1:1. Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob:
The house of Israel or Jacob went down from Canaan to Egypt.
Canaan is the land of promise, full of milk and honey, but Egypt is the description of the world.
Why did God let them go down Canaan to Egypt?
- Because it is in line with the way of Jesus who went down from heaven to the world.
It is called the experience of death or cross.
One form of it is when we are slandered, being blamed although we are not false, we are blamed when we help other people, when we fast, et cetera.
The practice of being in the way of death together with Jesus is RIGHTEOUSNESS, OBEDIENCE, and HONESTY. There will be no enmity if all of us are righteous, because we are in one way. On the contrary, there will be a separation in our way if there is unrighteousness, disobedience, and dishonesty. - Because there were wheat in Egypt.
There was famine in Canaan at that time, so they had to go to Egypt.
The wheat refers to the true teaching Word. - Because there was Joseph in Egypt, so the twelve tribes of Israel can be united.
Now it refers to the union of the perfect body of Christ. It is not only about harmony, but the union of the one perfect body of Christ.
Jacob had to go down from Canaan, where there was famine, to Egypt.
The Lord gives us the abundant revelation of the Word of God (the wheat) when we are in the experience of death (going down from Canaan to Egypt).
John 6:31-33,35
6:31 "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
6:32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
6:33 "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
6:35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Jesus was willing to go down from heaven to the world in order to give the bread of life, referring to the revelation of the Word as follows:
- To give us life in the world, even the eternal one. Let us now rely on the wheat of God's Word.
- To give us heavenly satisfaction or joy which anything cannot replace.
1:9. I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
John was desolated in Patmos island. It was an experience of death, so he could hear and see the Word of God as the sound of trumpet. It means there is the revelation of God's Word.
Luke 2:20
2:20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
The Word of God we can hear and see is the Shepherding Word.
If we want to hear and see the Word, we must enter the experience of death. We have to be righteous, honest, and obedient.
If we are unrighteous, dishonest, and disobedient, we will never see and hear the Word of God.
We have to receive the shepherding Word to face the future famine.
Receiving the shepherding Word means we can listen to the Word and be obedient. As a result, we can see the real manifestation of the shepherding Word soon or later.
There are two kinds of the real manifestation of the shepherding Word as follows:
- Seven golden lampstand.
Revelation 1:12
1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
The seven golden lampstand are the seven churches of the Gentiles who have the sanctification and life renewaldone by the shepherding Word which is preached repetitiously until there is perfection and glory as Jesus is; we become God's Bride who is ready to be lifted up together with Jesus when He comes a second time.
Proverbs 6:16-19
6:16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
6:17 (1) A proud look, (2) A lying tongue, (3) Hands that shed innocent blood,
6:18 (4) A heart that devises wicked plans, (5) Feet that are swift in running to evil,
6:19 (6) A false witness who speaks lies, (7) And one who sows discord among brethren.
There are seven things that make the lamp quenched as follows:- A proud look,
- A lying tongue,
- Hands that shed innocent blood,
- A heart that devises wicked plans,
- Feet that are swift in running to evil,
- A false witness who speaks lies,
- One who sows discord among brethren.
3:12. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
The seven things above must be sanctified and there will be seven lamps that burn as follows:- Tender mercies, meaning we do not judge or agree with the sins of other people.
- Kindness, meaning we like to give to other people.
- Humility; the ability to confess our sins.
- Meekness; the ability to receive the Word of God, no matter how hard it is.
- Longsuffering; we are patient in suffering and in waiting the time of God. Do not seek any ways outside the Word of God because it is only dead-end and perdition.
- Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.
- Love.
- A proud look,
- Jesus shows Himself as the High Priest in the midst of the congregation.
Revelation 1:13
1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
Jesus as the Shepherd stretches the hand full of mercy and kindness for us who want to have the sanctification and life renewal as a burning lamp.
The result of the stretched hand of the Shepherd is as follows:- The hand of mercy and kindness of the Good Shepherd preserves our life in the midst of many difficulties in the world and solves all problems, even the impossible ones. We have the assurance of life in His hand.
John 10:27-28
10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
10:28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. - The hand of mercy and kindness of the Great Shepherd leads us to beautiful and joyful future life while wiping away all our tears, and we are led to the last shepherding in New Jerusalem.
Revelation 7:17
7:17 "for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." - The hand of mercy and kindness of the Chief Shepherd lifts us up from failures and falls to success, and lifts us up on glorious clouds; we receive the crown of glory.
1 Peter 5:4,6
5:4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
- The hand of mercy and kindness of the Good Shepherd preserves our life in the midst of many difficulties in the world and solves all problems, even the impossible ones. We have the assurance of life in His hand.