As we have studied the life of Joseph, we have noted that God raised him up as a saviour of his family. Though he initially had no idea what God was doing behind the scenes (in his various trials) he eventually came to the self-conscious conviction that God had sent him into Egypt in order to “preserve life” (45:5).

Previously, we studied Genesis 46 and saw that God was relocating His people into Egypt in order to make this preservation a reality. That is, in the midst of severe famine, Jacob and his family (some 70 people) were escorted upon Egyptian wagons into a land where they would be provided for. Jacob, assured by God that this was His will, set off in anticipation of being reunited with his long lost and beloved son, Joseph.

What Jacob and his sons were probably not fully aware of was that this sojourn into Egypt would not be a short one. It was not some temporary stop gap measure that would only last until the end of the famine. No, this sojourn would last some 430 years, a period during which this small family of 70 would multiply into a nation of some two million people! And what follows from the end of chapter 46 is very instructive regarding how God would preserve His people over these next four centuries. In short, what we are taught is that God accomplishes the work of preserving His people through the separation of His people. He forges them into a dynamic people by making them a culturally distinct people. And if ever the church needed to hear this it is now.

Joseph has been depicted throughout these chapters as a saviour of God’s people. And the salvation that he provided was characterised by both sustaining and separating the chosen people of God. In this study we will turn our attention to the latter issue.

At this point we need to make the connection between the separation enacted by Joseph concerning the children of Israel and the separation enacted by Jesus concerning we who are the chosen children of God.

In John 17:14-19 we read the prayer of Jesus that he offered on behalf of His disciples as well as for those, like us, who would believe through their multigenerational ministry. Jesus prayed that they (and we) would be sanctified by the truth. He desired that we would have a lifestyle that is different from who of those who are of the world. He prayed that His people would not be of the world even though they were to live very much in the world. This was clearly a prayer for the separation of believers from unbelievers.

This was in no way a request that His people live an existence that is divorced from the realities of day to day living in the world, but rather that we will live separate from the pollutions that cling to those who are of the world. And the net effect of this will be a healthy church, which will survive from generation to generation as it experiences a multiplication of new births.

But sadly, in our day, we do not hear too much within the church regarding the importance of biblical separation. Rather the emphasis seems to be on assimilation with the culture. For some strange reason the church has embraced the fallacious thinking that if we will prove to the unbelieving world that we in fact are not much different from them then we will be able to reach them with the gospel.

Today there is much emphasis upon becoming “all things to all men” so that “by all means” we may win them (1 Corinthians 9:22). Such sentiments sound very noble and healthy on the surface. But when one examines what Paul actually meant by this, and compares it to how this truth is often twisted in our day, it becomes quite apparent that our “becoming all things” is actually in effect a denial of the gospel. For the fact of the matter is that the gospel, by its very nature, is countercultural, for its focus is upon God and His will, rather than upon man and his whims.

What then is the cumulative effect of the church that becomes enculturated? It becomes irrelevant and thus patently ineffective.

As we study Genesis 46:28-47:12 together I trust that we will be convinced from Scripture that biblical separation is vital for the preservation and thus the multiplication of the church. We will first expound the passage and then conclude by highlighting the importance of the church living out such a God-ordained separation. As we practice this we will no doubt experience both spiritual multiplication and multigenerational preservation of the church.

A Sweet Embrace

Genesis 46:28-30 presents a touching picture of the reunion between Joseph, now Prime Minister of Egypt, and his shepherd father.

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

(Genesis 46:28-30)

Arrival in Goshen

This must have been quite a scene as this well known Hebrew family left Canaan (quite literally) for greener pastures. As they crossed passport control and entered Egypt, they did so so quite secure that the Lord was with them. Jacob’s encounter with God in Beersheba would have settled any of his initial doubts as he packed his bags and loaded the wagons.

As soon as they entered Egypt Jacob appointed Judah to go directly to Joseph (who was living quite a distance south of Goshen) and to inform him to meet the family in their new homeland (cf. 45:16-18). It is interesting to note that Judah is seen here as the one who is seemingly being put into a position of leadership in the family. His life was slowly but surely being transformed by the grace of God.

Judah travelled to the capital and informed Joseph that his father and his family had arrived. Joseph set off immediately to see his father, whom he had lovingly missed for some 22 years.

Affection in Goshen

When Joseph arrived in Goshen he and his father embraced and the tears began to flow. One would be hard pressed to find a more touching scene than this in all Scripture. Doubtless, they spent much time talking about the events of the past two decades and recounting the grace and wisdom of God. But whatever was said between them was summed up by Jacob’s statement, “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.” The son whom he thought was dead was very much alive!

We might think at this point of the words of the aged Simeon upon seeing the Christ child at the temple: “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people” (Luke 2:29-31). In some sense this is exactly what Jacob was experiencing. He now knew that indeed God was fulfilling His word to preserve the promised seed and He was doing so through the life of his son Joseph. And thus Jacob was essentially saying, “I am now ready to die, for life can’t get any better than this!”

A Strategic Encounter

Though the family had arrived in Egypt and were doubtless ready to settle after their long journey, one more piece of business needed yet to be attended to. They were honoured guests at the specific request of Pharaoh, and an audience needed to be set up between Joseph’s father and the Egyptian ruler.

And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Then 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. And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. They said moreover unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And 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; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle. And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

(Genesis 46:31—47:10)

Instruction

In this passage we see the wisdom of Joseph as he instructs his family how to respond to Pharaoh during their impending audience with him. It appears that, although Pharaoh (through Joseph, see 45:18) had promised the best of the land to Jacob and his sons, the specific location had not yet been agreed upon. Joseph assumed that Goshen was the best place but proper protocol demanded that Pharaoh be the one who approved the terms. It is for this reason that Joseph gave some coaching to his family regarding the negotiations which would soon take place.

In all of this that it is quite clear that Joseph greatly desired his family to settle in Goshen, a place near the border of Canaan. This would accomplish two things: It would make it easy to return when the time was right; and it was far enough away that his kin would be safe from the ungodly assimilation with the Egyptian culture that was so prevalent in the large cities. He understood that for the seed to be preserved, it needed to be separated from the sons of Egypt.

Thus Joseph spelled out the words that they were to speak upon their meeting with Pharaoh. They were to tell him that their trade was that of tending to livestock; that is, that they were shepherds. And the reason for this is given in v. 34: “For every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” In other words, Joseph did not, in a very real sense, want his family to make a good impression!

The word “abomination” means “to abhor” and it carries with it the idea of something that is deemed to be “disgusting.” This was the type of impression that Joseph wanted his father and brothers to make. He did not want them to take on airs and to act the part of acceptability. Certainly, as we will see, he did not want them to be rude, but he wanted them to be honest before Pharaoh. He wanted them to let Pharaoh know that they did not fit with the cultural nobility. They were in fact those who would be seen as the social outcasts.

Before we move on let me make two observations. First, Joseph was not ashamed of his family; he was not ashamed to be called their brethren, despite the fact that he knew that they would be despised by many. And second, Joseph was not ashamed of his father. In other words, his success had not gone to his head. He understood that being in the covenantal family was far more significant than being the second in command of Egypt.

Interview

Once the men had been instructed they met with Pharaoh. He asked them concerning their occupation and, as instructed, they told him that they were shepherds. One wonders whether Pharaoh may have been tempted to wince! But all indications are that, at least outwardly, he was very gracious, and he told them to settle “in the best of the land.” (Interestingly, they already had settled in the best of the land!) Goshen was specified as the place, for this land, even to this very day, is one that is rich in pastureland and the soil is ideal for agriculture. In addition to the apportionment of this land, Pharaoh offered them jobs to care for his own livestock. As cows were deemed to be sacred in Egypt, the Pharaohs often had vast herds of them.

Invocation

The scene that follows is extraordinary, as we see the less is blessed by the better. And in this case “the less” is the one who is vocationally abominated by “the better”! The one who gives the blessing is the one who is culturally unacceptable, vocationally inferior and materially poorer. What a lesson for us!

Some tell us that this matter of Jacob blessing Pharaoh means nothing more than a greeting and a well-wishing; something like, “Long live the King.” But the writer to the Hebrews tells us in no uncertain terms that when Melchizedek blessed Abraham “the less [was] blessed of the better” (Hebrews 7:6-7). Thus whatever words were spoken by Jacob it seems patently clear that, as a patriarch of God’s people, he was pronouncing a wish for God’s best upon Pharaoh. And Pharaoh evidently accepted this.

This is a wonderful episode for it tells us that Jacob, even though he was in the presence of the most powerful ruler on earth, did not lose sight of the Ruler of all. He was not forgetful of God as he stood before one who thought he was a god. His God-consciousness was well intact.

This scene also tells us that Pharaoh was a man of some integrity and decency. We need to realise that there are decent unbelievers in this world! Jacob was respectful to Pharaoh and he was respectful to Jacob. Not all unbelievers are equally hostile to the church!

We also see here a proper attitude of the believer to this world: a sojourner. Jacob said that he was on a pilgrimage, that he was a sojourner on this earth. He said that, in comparison to his fathers, his life had been short and full of difficulties. Perhaps the old self-pity of Jacob was coming through, but then again, perhaps he was merely saying to Pharaoh, “You think that 130 years is a long time? (Note: Egyptians saw a long life as indication of the blessings of the gods, and to live to 110 years was seen as the epitome of blessedness.) You think that I have been unusually blessed? Well, I won’t argue with the fact that God has blessed me, but please know that I come from a heritage of those who have received much blessing from God! Our family has been blessed by a gracious and covenant-keeping God!”

A Separate Existence

The closing verses of our passage show how Joseph settled his family in the land of Goshen, a place separated from mainstream Egyptian life.

And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.

(Genesis 47:11-12)

Settled in Goshen

After the audience with Pharaoh Joseph helped his family to settle in Goshen. (Goshen was later named “Rameses,” see Exodus 1:11). And he confirmed their settlement by giving them all the sustenance that they needed. The supply was ample “according to their families.”

Let’s now turn our attention to the rationale behind the relocation of Joseph’s family in Goshen. In other words, why was it so significant that they settle in Goshen and why was Joseph so intent on this?

First, I want to make the point that the reason was not because Joseph was ashamed of his family. Joseph did not suggest this piece of land because his family was an embarrassment to him and thus he wanted them as far away as possible. The fact that Joseph was unashamed of his family before Pharaoh, presenting them as shepherds, is proof enough that he held them in high regard.

No, the reason for Joseph carefully orchestrating the interview with Pharaoh was because he was deeply committed to the preservation of the holy family. He saw value in his family being outcasts, for through this the seed would be preserved.

Joseph actually wanted to highlight the fact that his family would be seen as an abomination within Egyptian culture in order for them to be able to settle in a location that would allow them to maintain their own cultural and religious identity. Having known the pressures of living in a pagan society, he no doubt was concerned to protect the spiritual integrity of his family. He well knew the uniqueness of his family. He realised that within this family the promised seed was being carried and he thus did all that he could to be a faithful steward of the covenant. He realised that, in order to maintain the momentum of the redemptive covenant, it was essential for this family to be distinctively different. Any acculturation or assimilation with the Egyptians would only spell disaster. And four centuries later we see the wisdom of this forethought.

As the centuries progressed so did the progeny of Jacob’s twelve sons. As mentioned earlier, this small family eventually grew to a nation of two million, and from her came Israel’s great leader, Moses. Without doubt, one of the main factors was this plan devised by Joseph to keep his family distinct from the surrounding culture. It was clearly to the advantage of the gospel (of which they were stewards) to be an abomination to the surrounding culture.

With the people of God being seen as outcasts there was little threat that the Egyptians would want their children to intermarry with the Hebrews. A Hebrew as a slave would become the norm, but a Hebrew, an abominable shepherd, as a son-in-law? By no means!

And thus, as the children of Israel were largely ignored by the surrounding culture, they were free to worship God and to maintain their unique culture. But eventually the day would arrive when the surrounding culture would no longer be able to take them for granted. That day would eventually come when, after centuries of affliction and character development, the society at large would have to reckon with these people, for they were now a strong and major threat to the culture’s way of life. There was no longer enough room for a pantheon of gods plus the true God.

Pluralism was being challenged in a formidable way and thus something would have to be done. These abominable people would need to be exterminated and thus a genocide was enacted that would take place in the maternity ward. When that did not work the genocide came out from behind closed doors and into the neighbourhood homes. And we know the rest of the story. This God-centred people would indeed prove to be a blessing to all of the nations. This would happen in their exodus from Egypt, and eventually with God’s Son being called out of Egypt to go to the cross and secure the salvation of the world. Yes, thank God that Joseph realised the only way that Israel would be a blessing to the peoples would be for them to be initially an abomination to the people. And would to God that the church of our day would see this!

Joseph understood the big picture. He knew that the preservation and multiplication of God’s people was tied to their separation from other people. And his wisdom was honoured.

The same holds true for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The key to our being preserved in the world is not assimilation with the culture but rather separation from the world. We need to be close enough to the world in order to impact it but far enough away to be distinct. To the degree that this is true, to that degree the church will see multiplication (“new births”) taking place. And multiplication is key to her preservation.

It may sound ludicrous, but the fact is that when the church, in a proper way, is seen as an abomination in the world then she is often at her best and most beneficial to the world. But sadly, and with increasing frequency, our day seems to be saying the opposite, with the result that the church is weakened even though her budgets may be bigger. The fact is that assimilation with the culture may get you a hearing but what is heard is often not the gospel. Thus “churches” may mushroom and host great numbers and yet often they are only as strong as a mushroom. Those who live for one generation will plant “churches” that last for only one generation.

The church at Jerusalem is a good example of a body of believers who understood that to be popular was not the way to reach the community. It does appear that their popularity was a key factor in their initial growth. Acts 2 tells us of the church “having favour with the people.” The results were that the Lord continued to add to the church such as were being saved. But in Acts 5 this church became an abomination in the city as the Lord killed a couple of church members who chose to lie about their charitable contribution. Because Ananias and Sapphira were both covetous and prideful they lied about how much they had given to the church and God killed them on the spot. The result was predictable: “No man [dared] join himself to them.” Of course they didn’t! This was a distinctively different people and dishonesty was obviously not tolerated. In a sense, they had become an abomination in the community and thus everyone kept their distance—at least for a little while. But then God did something remarkable. He began to save multitudes of people and He added them to His church, right there in Jerusalem. Thus, the God-ordained separation of the church resulted in her multiplication and thus in her preservation. It was through her distinctiveness that she grew to be such a dynamic force. No, she did not save her surrounding culture (neither did Israel save Egyptian culture) but she did see many souls saved from that culture.

I suppose we could conclude from this that separation is God’s expectation and that in separating the church experiences spiritual reproduction with the result that she is preserved to the next generation. And this certainly should be the goal of all local churches.

We should not be ashamed to be shepherds in the midst of a world enamoured with Pharaohs. The surrounding culture may deem us insignificant as we live on the outskirts of the sin-sick mainstream of culture. But we should resolve to highlight our distinctiveness so that people can see how attractive and needful it really is! That is, our Deliverer is distinctively beautiful!

Again, notice that though Jacob identified himself with those who were an abomination, he was in fact the one that was blessing Pharaoh! Yes, the shepherd was the better, who blessed the Pharaoh, the lesser!

Let us learn that living a life that is separated unto God is a powerful testimony before a watching world. When we are committed to live according to God’s Word in our “city” (that is, the church) then we are in a position to impact the city that surrounds us. Those have always been the most help to others are those who have refused to live like the others.

The church is called to be holy. And at its root the word holy means to be “separate,” hence to be different. The glory of the church has always been in the fact that she is different to the prevailing culture. And her difference is not sanctimonious, prideful rejection of the world, but rather a difference born of love from and to God. And this love, as experienced and expounded in the gospel, drives us to live in such a way that is so countercultural that we are abominated by those who have yet to experience God’s saving grace.

The church has no need to apologise for this distinctiveness, for it is her birthright. Just as Joseph and his family were not ashamed of their vocation, neither must we be. “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1).

How then should we live? Distinctively; separated from the world because we have been separated unto God. And this will show up in our relationships, in our behaviour at work, in our morality, in our reading and entertainment habits, etc. This will be especially highlighted in our worship. Sadly, much that passes for worship today is more of an abomination to the Lord than it is to the world.

In our quest for growth the church all too often takes its cues from the surrounding culture and our worship thus becomes so Egyptianised that the world joins us in singing Amazing Grace (usually being played with quite the beat!) while despising that very grace in their hearts. And the sad reality is that many so-called worshippers are heading for hell while singing of heaven.

The church must return to her conviction that her greatness and power lies, not in becoming like the world, but rather in living apart from the world. I certainly do not mean the fanatical separation that has deluded many throughout the history of the church but rather the kind of separation that is driven by an inner compulsion given by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ in both action and in attitude; the kind of separation that will be an abomination to the surrounding culture is one that occurs quite naturally due to our devotion to Jesus.

Think about this: As the children of Israel lived together, separated from the wider Egyptian culture, they would have grown deeper in their relationships with one another and their unique identity would have been strengthened. This solidarity would no doubt have been a great asset to them as they began to undergo affliction. Thus much of their national strength would have been forged in this life of separation. And so it is for the church.

We are to carry out our vocation, our calling (seen by the world as an abomination) in community. Because we are an oddity we are to live out our faith together. Hear these words of John Calvin:

Joseph knew that the Egyptians detested shepherds. So he explained to the king that Goshen would be a suitable retreat for his brothers. For had the Israelites mixed with the Egyptians, they might have been scattered far and wide. But now, seeing that they were thought to be unworthy of being admitted to Egyptian society, they learned, in this state of separation, to cherish more fervently their union among themselves. In this way the body of the church, which God had set apart from the whole world, was not dispersed. The Lord often allows us to be despised or rejected by the world, so that we may be freed and cleansed from its pollution and may cultivate holiness. Finally, he does not allow us to be chained to the earth, so that we may be borne upward to heaven.

As we spend time together exhorting one another in our worship, reinforcing our God-given distinctiveness, we will grow stronger. And the healthier we become, the more fruitful we will be, for generations to come.

So in light of this, let us live in such a way that we are not ashamed of the gospel. Let us realise that Jesus Christ has saved us and He has separated us that He might save and separate others—even those who at this moment may view us an abomination. Is it not interesting that some Egyptians actually left with the Israelites upon their exodus? They saw that this group that was culturally distinct were the ones who were in the right. Hence many of them gave up their gods to serve the living and true God. May we have the same glorious impact upon our culture!