Yes — God promised Jacob that He would make of him a great nation in Egypt and told him not to be afraid to go down.
At Beersheba, God identified Himself as "the God of thy father" and said, "Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation." Les Feldick emphasizes that this is where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom — not in the land of promise, but in Egypt, after Jacob and his twelve sons and their families moved there during the famine.
Genesis 46:3 — This is the verse where God directly promises Jacob that He will make him a great nation in Egypt.
Genesis 46 opens with Israel (Jacob) taking his journey with all that he had and coming to Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. God then spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, saying, "Jacob, Jacob." Jacob answered, "Here am I." God 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." He then added, "I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes." Scripture therefore records not only permission, but a direct promise that God's plan for Jacob's descendants would be fulfilled while they were in Egypt.
Les Feldick teaches that God had earlier told Abraham and Isaac to stay in the land of promise, and that Egypt in Scripture is a picture of the world and sinfulness. But by Jacob's generation, the time had come for the nation of Israel to explode in population, and God had told Abraham that this would happen down in Egypt. So God appeared to Jacob at Beersheba and said, "Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation." Les emphasizes that the nation of Israel began to come into bloom in Egypt. Jacob went down with 70-some souls, and after 215 years in Egypt, Moses led out a company of 5 to 7 million people.
Les teaches that up to this point God had instructed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to remain in the land of promise, and Egypt was a picture of the world and sinfulness. But now God had come to the place where He could permit Jacob to go down to Egypt with his sons and their wives and families, because it was in Egypt that God planned to make Jacob a great nation. God came to Jacob's rescue at Beersheba and said, "Fear not to go down into Egypt."
When Jacob went down, only 70-some souls made the move, including Joseph's family. Les says that is still not much of a nation. The promise was that God would make Jacob a great nation right there in Egypt, and that is exactly what happened. The nation began to bloom in Egypt and came out under Moses 215 years later as a company of 5 to 7 million people.
God's covenant promise had been passed from Abraham to Isaac, and then to Jacob, and it was through Jacob that the seed, the Messiah of Israel, would come. Les points out that God had told Abraham that the nation would explode in population down in Egypt. Joseph, after being rejected by his brethren and sold into Egypt, stored up grain during the seven good years, and when the famine came, Jacob's family came down into Egypt—where Israel became a nation of people.
Family Line from Abraham to Jacob
Les traces the line from Abram through Isaac to Jacob, noting that Jacob's twelve sons and their families all ended up in Egypt because of the famine, with Joseph having stored up grain during the seven good years.
God’s Promise to Make Jacob a Great Nation
Les points out that God told Jacob not to fear going down into Egypt, because there He would make Jacob a great nation; the family went down and came out 215 years later as millions.
The Nation Began to Bloom in Egypt
Les explains that God had told Abraham the nation would explode in population in Egypt, so when God told Jacob to go down, that was where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom.
God Speaks to Jacob at Beersheba
Les walks through Genesis 46:1-3, showing Jacob offered sacrifices at Beersheba and God said, "Fear not to go down into Egypt," underlining God's promise to make him a great nation there.
Joseph’s Rejection Led to Israel’s Birth as a Nation
Les notes that many don't understand where Israel came from: Joseph was rejected by his brethren, ended up in Egypt, and the 70-some souls who came down became a nation over the next 400 years.
Egypt as a Picture of the World
Les explains the change: God had previously kept them from Egypt because Egypt pictures the world, but now He permitted Jacob and 72 or 73 souls to go down because He would make Jacob a great nation there.
Israel Became a Nation in Egypt, in Slavery
Les says Israel became a nation in Egypt in slavery, and Genesis is plain that God told Jacob, "Fear not to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of thee a great nation."
Moses Led Out Millions After 215 Years
Les contrasts the earlier instruction not to go to Egypt with God's command to Jacob not to fear going, and says after 215 years Moses led out 5-7 million people, the biggest nation in that world.
Genesis 46:1: And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.
This sets the scene for God's promise to Jacob as he prepares to leave the land of promise.
Genesis 46:3: 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:
This is the central promise God made to Jacob about going to Egypt.
Genesis 46:4: I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
God assured Jacob that He would go with him and would also bring him back up again.
Yes. In Genesis 46:3 God said, "Fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation." Les Feldick emphasizes this was the point where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom.
Les says God up to this time had instructed them not to go to Egypt, and Egypt in Scripture is a picture of the world and sinfulness. So Jacob probably hesitated, but God came to his rescue at Beersheba and told him not to fear.
Les says 70-some souls (about 72 or 73) moved down into Egypt, and after 215 years, Moses led out a company of anywhere from 5 to 7 million people.
Watch the Teaching: From Genesis to Exodus: Understanding the Biblical Timeline of Israel