The Book of Genesis
Part 92
Chapter 46:28 - 47:6
It is very difficult for man with his limited knowledge and foresight to grasp an over-all picture of God’s purposes for him as an individual. The Christian knows more than others in this regard, “For all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:28). He, the Christian, realizes that ultimately he will be conformed to the image of the Son of God. Nevertheless, in spite of that, at times he chafes under the process employed to accomplish this: the sorrow that makes one more sympathetic, the tribulation that makes one more patient, the disappointment that makes one more understanding, and the experience that stimulates one’s hope.
One can but surmise the thoughts of Jacob as he approached Egypt, and as he sent Judah before him unto Joseph (V. 28). There had been a time when the behaviour of Judah had been discreditable and a time when Joseph had been mourned as dead. Now Judah is his confident and Joseph lives to bless him. There had been a time when Jacob’s vision, like our own, had been both narrow and short. His going down to Egypt was a proof of God’s wisdom during those years in directing and executing in grace the plan of life He had devised for the Patriarch.
Apparently, the purpose of sending Judah for instructions was that he might the better direct them to a more or less isolated area where the entire family would be able to continue its usual customs and religion without interference, and without the danger of being absorbed by the Egyptian population. Jacob knew that the divine intention was to keep Abraham’s descendants a separated people. Centuries later, God stated this through Balaam, “Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations” (Num. 23:9).
The meeting of the aged father and his long-lost son is very touching. Obviously, Jacob considered it the apex of his life, for him the plan of life was now completed, for he said, “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive” (V. 30). How true the proverb! “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life” (Prov. 13:12).
One is reminded of the aged Simeon who waited for the consolation of Israel, when he took Jesus up in his arms and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation” (Luke 2:29-30).
In the cases of both Jacob and Simeon the purposes of God in a long full life had been fulfilled. God had led them step by step, sometimes by circumstances, sometimes by special visions, and in the case of Simeon, especially by the Holy Spirit. God had led them all the way, and at eventide there was light.
One is not ignoring the fact that the Lord Himself may have, for other reasons, directed Joseph in his choice of the Land of Goshen (Gen. 45:10), as the area in which to settle his father’s family. The choice may have been for their preservation as well as for their separation, because every shepherd was an abomination to the Egyptians (V. 34). Egyptian sculpture depicts shepherds as lame or deformed, dirty, unshaven and even of a ludicrous appearance; and dressed only in matting.
Different reasons for this disdainful attitude have been given. It is said by some that they were detested because of their nomadic character and wanderings; by others, because of the Egyptian contempt for sheep, they valued these neither for food or sacrifices; and then again by others, because Egypt once had been invaded and subjugated by shepherd-kings under whose rule the people had greatly suffered. No matter what the reason was, this national hatred could have been dangerous to the safety of Joseph’s father and brethren; consequently, they were directed to the delta region where there was excellent grazing for their flocks and herds, and sufficient land for certain types of agriculture. Goshen, furthermore, was not considered of great value by the Egyptians because of its distance from the Nile irrigation canals.
In all these apparently quite natural movements, one detects divine Providence superintending the affairs of an aged man and his family. From such narratives we might well learn the lesson “to trust where we cannot trace” the hand of God.
The Christian knows that the powers that be are ordained of God (Rom. 13:1), and that the Lord commands, “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to kings, as supreme: Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him” (1 Pet. 2:13-14), In this, as in so many other features of commendable character, we admire Joseph. On the arrival of his father’s family, “Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, my father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in the land of Goshen” (47:1). Joseph, although prime minister of Egypt and invested with extra-ordinary authority, manifested a submissive spirit and frankly reported the entire matter. He covered the entire move from Canaan to Goshen, and revealed that his brethren were of the despised cast, shepherds. Nothing is hidden. Furthermore, he instructed his brethren as he prepared them to meet Pharaoh that they in like manner were to be frank and honest. Joseph believed in providing things honest in the sight of all men.
The words of the Lord recorded by Samuel seem to be applicable here, “Them that honour Me I will honour, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed” (1 Sam. 2:30). The divine principles of integrity and honesty which controlled Joseph’s dealings with Pharaoh certainly brought large compensations: “Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; … If thou knowest any men of activity among them (able men), then make them rulers over my cattle” (47:6). Thus Joseph’s brethren were engaged in the service of the monarch and all their families abundantly provided with food. Surely, “He that loveth pureness of heart; for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend” (Prov. 22:11), and “He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour” (Prov. 11:27).