Where did the nation of Israel begin to come into bloom?
The nation of Israel began to come into bloom in Egypt. God told Jacob not to fear going down into Egypt, promising to make of him a great nation there. This fulfilled what God had earlier told Abraham, moving Israel from a small family into explosive population growth.
Les teaches that this statement shows where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom, and it was in Egypt. God spoke to Jacob, also called Israel, in the visions of the night and said, “I am God, the God of thy father. Fear not to go down into Egypt.” Previously God had told them not to go to Egypt but to stay in the land of promise. Now, in a future generation, it was time for the nation of Israel to explode in population. God had told Abraham that this would be down in Egypt, and He promised Jacob, “I will there in Egypt make of thee a great nation.” Up until this time there was only Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; Jacob came back with the twelve sons and their children, which was still not much of a nation.
And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: