“So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, What is your occupation? That you shall say, Your servants occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers, that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians” (Gen 46:31-34).
First, the Lord reminds us that we need salvation from sin, because He is a God who punishes it (Gen 46:12). Er and Onan did evil, so they “died in the land of Canaan”. Even as God mentions those who are being saved, He reminds us of those who are not, so that we can flee to Christ and follow Him sincerely. God punishes sin, so we must be punished in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is holy, so we must be made righteous by faith, and sanctified by the Spirit. Sin must be conquered or it will condemn us, so we trust Christ for cleansing and pardon. We believe on Him and receive God's righteousness - through the blood of His own Son - to bless us. It isn't that we are worthy; it is that He put away the sins and gives us the Spirit to subdue them. Sin is the issue with God, so we need Christ.
Secondly, God rejoices us (Gen 46:29-30). We read, “So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said to Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive”. He takes the sore spot in life, the thing that caused us much pain, the open foolishness that we have done, and He turns it into good. I thought all was against me, but the very tears led me to the Savior more intimately. Now, I see that I have Him, I'm not forsaken, and now, having been taught, I will do the good. The area of grief, like when Linda Stalnaker lost her battle with cancer, is the very thing God used to save her four children after she was gone.
Thirdly, the Lord rules us (Gen 46:31-34). He separated us to Himself, sanctified us by the Spirit, made us new creations, and we're to confess it. He has drawn a line of distinction FOR us, saving us in election, dying for us particularly, redeeming us by the Spirit, and giving us character like unto God. Now, we're to confess that we belong to Him by words, when given the chance, and by what we do continually - “Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household... So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, What is your occupation? That you shall say, Your servants occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers, that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians” (Gen 46:31-34). We show that we know God, even though it is hard being hated by the world, living in a body of sin, and warning against the flesh. We are seen as strange, an abomination (1 Pet 4:4). But, we confess that we know Him, because in Goshen, we are safe.
All the plagues would come on Egypt in Exodus 7-12, but nothing happened to Israel. There was no darkness, no frogs, and no locusts in their land. He separates us to spare us from wrath, because He must change us in order to fellowship with Him. He separates us for our good, so that we can enjoy Him and walk uprightly. Don't deny it any longer. Confess the reason you live godly is the love of God in Christ, and the wrath of God that punishes rebels (Matt 10:32).
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