Unfortunately, when Abram got to Canaan, a few years afterward, the
productive capacity of the land was short-lived. We are told: “There was
a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there for
the famine was severe in the land.” (Genesis 12:10) Famine can be defined
as extreme scarcity of food. In the Heavenly Doctrine famine means, “The
destruction of spiritual life by evils.” (Apocalypse Revealed 323:2) Egypt depicts
temptation against Abram. We are informed that, “Egypt means the natural
man and its knowledge, that they may fight a man against his brother, and
a man against his companion, means against good and truth.” (Apocalypse
Explained 223:14)
Literally, what causes the famine? Probably the rain failed, resulting in
the famine. This was difficult for Abram and he moved to Egypt. What is
surprising here is that it appears Abram did not experience famine in either
Ur -- his original hometown – or Haran. Why now in the Promised Land?
Why did the Lord, who is Omnipotent, Omniscience and Omnipresence, not
inform him about this impending catastrophe?
We may not entirely know the exact reason but we can see from the
Writings of the New Church that: “The Lord’s Divine providence causes both
the evil and the falsity to be serviceable in the way of equilibrium, of relation,
and of purification, and thus in the conjunction of good and truth in others.”
(Divine Providence 21)
Since Abram represents the Lord it might be interesting to look into
the Lord’s life briefly. True Christian Religion states: “It is acknowledged in
the church that when the Lord was in the world He was in two states, called
the state of humiliation and the state of glorification.” (104:8) In the state of
humiliation, the Lord appears weak and helpless in the task ahead of Him. We
read: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying Eli,
Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
(Matthew 27:46) And in the state of glorification the Lord performs miracles:
When He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great
tempest arose on the sea so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was
asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him saying. Lord, save us we
are perishing. But He said to them, why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then
He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea. And ther e was a great calm. And the
men marveled, saying who can this be even that the wind and the sea obey Him?
(Matthew 8:23-27)
Analyzing the concept of the Lord’s humiliation and glorification, and
how it links up with Abram, we can guess that the fact that Abram followed
the Lord in his life does not mean that everything was going to be fine for him.
Likewise, as we also make the effort to follow the Lord in our lives, it does not
signify that our life situations will always be perfect. And we may often face
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