Israel In Egypt

by J. Baird, Paisley | Category: Studies In Genesis | Nov 1973

God forewarned Abraham concerning Israel's sojourn in Egypt, saying, "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance" (Gen. 15:13,14). That this prophecy was fulfilled in all respects is set forth in Stephen's address (Acts 7). The strange land was Egypt: the duration of the sojourn, the affliction there, and the final deliverance were all in strict accord with the word to Abraham (Exod. 1-14). It is remarkable that the Lord, while giving to Abraham the assurance of notable promises regarding the land, the numerous seed and the Seed (in whom all nations of the earth should be blessed), at the same time foretold the distress of Israel in Egypt. God never acts on the basis of an afterthought: He knows the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10).

The manner of fulfilment is characteristic of the works of God, who sent Joseph into Egypt in advance of his father and his brethren. In their envy and hatred his brethren sold him to passing merchants who sold him into Egypt (Gen. 37:28,36; 39:1). There Joseph, falsely accused, suffered imprisonment for a time, but the Lord ordered events so that at thirty years of age he was exalted by Pharaoh to be his grand vizier (Gen. 39-46). His great work there was not the saving of the people of Egypt from disastrous famine but rather the preserving alive of the chosen race, for God had sent him before them (Psa. 105:17). We pause here to observe that there are often two sides to the things that befall us, the human side (usually the more apparent) and the divine side (which usually requires to be revealed by God). In Joseph's case the human side consisted in his brethren's action in selling him into Egypt, an action based on unbrotherly jealousy. The divine side is seen in God's provision of a man "to save much people alive" (Gen. 50:20), including all of the chosen people, an action arising from divine love and foreknowledge. In the course of time both sides became apparent to Joseph, who sought to comfort his repentant brethren by revealing the truth to them (Gen. 45:5). We in our day have cause to be thankful for the record of the happenings to Joseph, for they show him as a notably complete type of Christ, who was sent into the world to bring life eternal to us.

Having at last revealed his identity to his brethren, Joseph sent them back to their father not only with the much needed corn but also with all that was necessary to enable the aged Jacob to journey from Canaan to Egypt, and 'to bring with him all the souls of his house (Gen. 46:27). Joseph left nothing undone that was necessary to ensure reunion with his father:

likewise our Saviour is our assurance of being with Him in the eternal day.

In the course of the journey to Egypt Jacob offered sacrifices at Beer-Sheba, and there God revealed' to him that the going down into Egypt was in accordance with His purposes, and gave him the reassuring word, "I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes" (Gen. 46:4). Jacob therefore went down into Egypt assured that God was with him, and, though he would die there, the nation would be brought back to the land that God had promised to him and to Abraham and Isaac before him.

Joseph purposed to place his father and 'his brethren in Goshen (Gen. 46:34) and Pharaoh readily consented (Gen. 47:6). Goshen, where the best pastures were located, was chosen because Jacob and his sons were "keepers of cattle" and the Egyptians abominated shepherds (Gen. 46:34). By this means Joseph kept his promise to his brethren that they should have "the good of the land" (Gen. 45:18,20). This provision along with the generous welcome extended by Pharaoh to Jacob would seem contrary to the circumstance that the Egyptians abominated shepherds. To resolve this apparent paradox some point out that the Pharaoh of the time of Joseph was one of the Hyksos Pharaohs. These Hyksos were Semitic in origin and pastoral in interests and occupation, and so the Hyksos (who then dominated Egypt) were themselves hated by the indigenous Egyptians. If this be the true explanation, we can see divine pre-vision and provision in the advent of the Hyksos, for, if an indigenous Egyptian had occupied the throne, it is most unlikely that Jacob and his company would have been so well treated.

If this be a sound elucidation of the paradox, it may shed light on other matters. The favour shown to Jacob and his house continued until at least beyond the death of Joseph, hence the children of Israel were not under taskmasters during the entire sojourn in Egypt. On the other hand, the affliction was fully

established before the birth of Moses, who was eighty years of age when he returned to lead the people out. In the Scriptures and in secular history there is no definite indication of the time when Israel began to be afflicted, and there are those who use this circumstance as an excuse for unbelief. Scripture is not alone in saying but little about the main period of the sojourn:

Egyptian records are notably meagre in this very period. Beginning with the coming to power of the Hyksos and extending through approximately the next four hundred years, Egyptian records are very sparse in comparison with those before and after that period. But, if the Hyksos themselves were hated by the indigenous Egyptians, this may explain why the Egyptian scribes might withhold information from posterity. (Or it may well be that the relevant records are still undiscovered.) For our part, we accept by faith the record in Genesis and Exodus as inspired Scripture.

A considerable amount of detail is given in Genesis as to the going down into Egypt and in Exodus as to the going out, but of the main period of the sojourn in Egypt we have little in the way of detail. There is an informative account of the death of Jacob and of his burial. In blessing his sons before he died (Gen. 49) Jacob spoke of the things which should befall them in the latter days, and it would appear that the future was to reflect the past. Reuben, the firstborn, did not inherit the promise of the Messiah: a sinful act unfitted him. This valued promise went to Judah. Again, the scattering of Levi in Israel was predicted. Also, Joseph is still presented as a type of Christ. Jacob indeed looked forward to more than the settlement in the land: he prophesied concerning the promised Seed, Christ.

Having blessed his sons, Jacob charged them that they should bury him in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the burying place purchased by Abraham. As they journeyed to Canaan to do so, they were accompanied by all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt (Gen. 50:7). This is not consistent with enslavement and rigorous bondage, but rather indicates sympathetic and favourable treatment from Pharaoh up to and beyond the death of Jacob. Similar circumstances appear to have prevailed until after the death of Joseph, who also died in Egypt, for there is no word as to affliction prior to it. The affliction of Israel began at a later date when the children of Israel had greatly multiplied and in the time of a Pharaoh who knew not Joseph, probably a Pharaoh of another dynasty who refused to recognize Egypt's indebtedness to Joseph (Exod. 1:7,8; Acts 7:17,18). Pharaoh was like many unregenerate ones today: they refuse to acknowledge the saving work of Christ and also fail to recognize God's bountiful provision for their temporal needs.

Jacob and Joseph both desired to be buried in the cave with Abraham and Isaac because, while they were experiencing God's blessing in Egypt, their hearts were in Canaan: such was their estimate of the promises of God. It is commonly accepted that as to our Christian experience the world is typified by Egypt: it is not our home. While we must live here, enjoying the blessing of God and testifying to His saving grace, our inmost desires for ourselves are centred on the eternal state: "looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God" (2 Pet. 3:12). It behoves us therefore not to be overmuch taken up with the things of this life, but rather to fulfil our period of service in the light of the eternal day.

The Genesis record takes us up to the death of Joseph, and as a consequence the circumstances attending the going out are relevant to a study of Exodus, the early chapters of which indicate the conditions that prevailed in Egypt in the days of the enforced labour and bondage. The children of Israel were made to build store cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses (Exod. 1:11). The impressed labour would not be pleasant, but through it they would gather knowledge and skill in building, which would prove an asset when they were settling in Canaan, and possibly also in the making of the tabernacle in the wilderness. Experience in building cities was necessary, for, since the call of Abraham, his progeny were tent-dwellers, at least up to the going down into Egypt. But not all that they acquired in Egypt was safe and good. They had learned a taste for the foods of Egypt (Num. 11:5), and in the wilderness they despised the God-given manna and lusted after the pleasant things of Egypt. While we are in the world, we cannot but gather many things from the world, things possibly good and bad: but in our days of service Godward we should be careful as to the effect these may have on our thoughts and ways. It is good to see a man highly competent in the skills he has acquired, especially if he makes it his aim to consecrate the good skills in service for God: the other things, the bad and the dubious, he should reject and seek to be fully nourished in the things of God.

FRAGMENT

The great Master Gardener, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, in a wonderful providence, with His own hand, planted me here, where by His grace, in this part of His vineyard, I grow; and here I will abide till the great Master of the vineyard think fit to transplant me. (Samuel Rutherford)

J. Baird, Paisley | Nov 1973
Studies In Genesis