When God Names There is Power
Then Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died. But the Israelites were fruitful, increased rapidly, multiplied, and became extremely numerous so that the land was filled with them. A new king who had not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt. He said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and powerful than we are. Let us deal shrewdly with them; otherwise they will multiply further, and if war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country." So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labour. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharoah. But the more they oppressed them the more they multiplied and spread out so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. Exodus 1:4-12
The descendants of Jacob are here called the Israelites, their name taken from what Gid changed Jacob's name to. They were not called Jacobites and therefore did not partake of his previous scheming nature but rather when God changed Jacob's name to Israel He said: " your name will no longer be Jacob," He said, "it will be Israel because you have struggled with God and wih men and have prevailed."
The Israelites were struggling for survival yet they prevailed so much so he Egyptians feared them. Today their tiny nation struggles to prevail and their enemies fear them. Many have tried to obliterate them but they have failed.
It appears when God gives a new name and speaks a word about a people no man can change it. The power of the almighty is held in His words, He alone is God. Amen!
Let God arise in us! Amen!
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