“Goshen – God’s Protection from the Borg” Genesis 47:1-12 and Genesis 47:27
Introduction
This is week nine’s message from the now ten-week series “Joseph – What God Intended For Good” that focuses on the life of Joseph and his family as authored by Moses in Genesis.
Last week, we explored Genesis 47 – verses 1-10. Also, last week, it was misstated that the Israelite’s (Joseph’s Family) were settled in the land of Goshen to prevent intermarriage with the Egyptians. However, after more research, it seems reasonable that there was some intermarriage which helps explain the population explosion from 70 people (from the family of Jacob – Genesis 46:27) to roughly 2 million when the exodus from Egypt took place some 400 years later. It is also reasonable that God’s ultimate plan for them to settle in Goshen was so that they would remain unified and not scattered throughout Egypt. It also kept them protected and isolated and unaffected by the culture and religious practices of the Egyptians. Hence, this message’s title – “Goshen – God’s Protection from the Borg”
Message
The story in a nutshell. First Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. He came to be in charge of his master’s (Potiphar) household in Egypt until he was falsely accused of assaulting his master’s wife – for which he was thrown into prison. While in prison, he accurately interpreted the dreams of two fellow inmates. One of the inmates (the cupbearer) was restored to Pharaoh’s service and two years later mentioned Joseph to Pharaoh when Pharaoh had two dreams that needed to be interpreted. Joseph was then brought before him and with God’s help interpreted the dreams. Joseph was then put in charge of Egypt and carried out his plan to prevent starvation for the Egyptians and the rest of the world during a seven-year famine. The story then unfolded with Joseph’s brothers coming to Egypt for food so that their family could survive. Let’s continue on now with how God preserved Jacob’s family.
As mentioned last week, we are in the section which is the beginning of the end.
Read Genesis 47:1-12 and Genesis 47:27
The Land of Goshen
47 “Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”
“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.
27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.”
Unfinished Business From Last Week
In verses 1 and 2, Joseph makes an introduction of five of his brothers to Pharaoh. The question was raised last week, why five and not all ten? A few possible answers: Maybe they were picked according to how they physically looked – Imposing or perhaps the least imposing, or perhaps Joseph knew which brothers would act in front of Pharaoh, or possibly all ten would have been too imposing, or yet five of the brothers needed to stay and tend the flocks. One other theory is that the number five may have been held up as a significant number in the Egyptian culture.
It is worth noting that Joseph told his brothers to give honest answers to Pharaoh’s questions thereby ensuring that they would be able to settle in Goshen thereby prevented from being scattered throughout Egypt.
In verse 3, the very first question that Pharaoh asked is what is your occupation? And though these livestock keepers are despised in the sight of the Egyptians, Jacob’s brothers’ truthfulness and straightforwardness are honored by Pharaoh.
And we see here, not only the wisdom of Joseph’s council and Joseph’s strategy, but we see here, the evidence of God’s providential kindness to His people.
Now here is where we pick up the rest of the message “Goshen – God’s Protection from the Borg”
Remembering the Borg from Star Trek – For those that are not familiar with the Borg, they are part organic and part artificial beings. They assimilate almost everyone they come in contact with. In other words, they absorb them into the Borg which is a mass consciousness and they become efficient drones who do not even remember their old life.
OK – this may be a stretch. But let’s take a crack at it anyway. Simply put, God’s plan for Jacob’s family (to become the nation of Israel) was to keep them from being assimilated (becoming part of the Borg) into the Egyptian culture and religious practices. This is why they were allowed (even directed by Pharaoh) to settle in the land of Goshen. On top of that, Goshen was one of the most fertile areas in all of Egypt (located on the northeastern part of the Nile River).
Let’s take it one step further and read Exodus 12:37 and 38
37 “The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38 Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks, and herds.”
We see here that in addition to the Israelites that there were many other people. So, it seems reasonable then that there were some Egyptians who had been assimilated by the Israelites rather than the other way around.
This now brings to our concluding remarks and application.
Concluding Remarks and Application
Once again, we see how God worked behind the scenes in orchestrating His ultimate plan of the preservation of the nation of Israel. Part of that plan was to keep Jacob’s family and heirs from being becoming part of the Egyptian Borg. Let us be reminded that Joseph was not implementing God’s plan on his own. It stands to reason that he was in communication with God all along this eventful journey.
How does that apply to us? It seems that it is becoming more challenging for us as believers to not become part of our culture – suffice it to say – part of the Borg. Therefore, we need to think about where our Goshen is and how to live in it. Not only should we think about it, but let’s get God involved through communicating with Him so that we can know where to park ourselves.
