We are proud of certain things in our life. We hate, when people question our dignity and integrity. Sometimes we may boast about the times when we successfully strode the path that others failed to tramp. But sometimes the situations in our lives forces us to compromise with certain things. It forces us to gulp all our pride and surrender before the situations.
Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham. Psalm 105:23
Israel were proud of many things. They took pride in calling themselves descendants of Abraham. They looked down upon the gentiles and uncircumcised. Even today they are proud of their heritage and would even fight with big nations to defend their country and their legacy. Such people had to live in the land of Ham for more than four-hundred years.
Ham was the son of Noah who was cursed by his father. He said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” Genesis 10:25
Israel, a proud nation who were blessed by God were living as slaves under cursed people of Ham. Sometimes the blessed will have to stay under the cursed ones. They will rule over them for a while but not for long. Israel were promised the land of Canaan but here they are living in the land of Ham. During such times people question God? But there are things people need to remember when they are in such positions.
A land of Goshen.
There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt – worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. Exodus 11:6
Even if we are living on the land of Ham, God won’t forget about us. He will provide for us with the land of Goshen. When God brought all the plagues in the land of Egypt, Goshen was protected. The livestock of Israel were not harmed when the livestock of Egypt died. The only place that did not hail was the land of Goshen. God knows to save the family of Noah when he lived in the land of impure people. He made sure to take out Lot and his family when He decided to punish Sodom and Gomorrah. God will save his people even if they are living among the cursed people, for He knows to make a distinction between the blessed and the cursed.
Even in the land of Ham there is a land of Goshen. Even if our lives are full of tempest and high waves, there will be peace. In the darkest times there will be a place full of light. If land is suffering from hail there will be a place to take refuge. When the land suffers economic crisis there will be a place of richness. That place is called the Goshen. Its not easy to survive the odds and its only God’s grace if we have survived all this.
A wall of hatred.
You should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.” Genesis 46:34
Israelites disliked the Egyptians and they detested them. Both of them disliked each other, but both of them stayed together. Sometimes we live in an environment where the people hate us and we dislike them but still we live with them because of our helplessness. We are living in a place where the world hates us and we consider the things of the world garbage. God puts us in such atmosphere to strengthen us. Egyptian cities were constructed with the help of Israelites. The Israelites plundered the Egyptians of their wealth. They both existed because of the other. But only one of them survived the red sea.
Hence, cursed and the blessed may stay together for a while but only the blessed will stand the storm. Even if the house of the curse looks good but only the house of the blessed will survive the rain and storm. People who are pulled up from the land of Ham are kept in the QUIVER OF GOD.
PS: Canaan was the grandson of Ham. Hence if blessed people can stay among the cursed so will the cursed ones get a blessed land. Stay tuned for part 2. May God bless you all..