Genesis 46:28—“… and they came into the land of Goshen”

All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six; and the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen (Gen. 46:26-28).

 

COMMON GRACE ARGUMENT:

How could the Egyptians, who were unbelieving heathen, put up with the people of Israel dwelling among them and promoting the God that they believed in?  Surely this was because of “common grace” operating among them, preventing them from rising up against the Jacob and his family?

  

(I)

Robert C. Harbach (1914-1996)

[Source: Studies in the Book of Genesis (RFPA, 2001), p. 837]

“And they came into the land of Goshen.” It is remarkable that they were allowed to do this, that they were tolerated in a land of wicked people, proud of their superior intellect, science, and civilization. Was this a restraint of Egyptian sin, without which Israel then would certainly have been denied entrance into Egypt? Was this an instance of “common grace,” an evidence of a common good prevailing among the totally depraved Egyptians? Was this a non-saving, relative good in the ungodly wicked? Is it “grace,” of a kind, to abominate the shepherd people tolerated with up-turned noses? No, for Egyptian sin continued to develop unrestrained until the nation was destroyed under the plagues and in the Red Sea. Nor may tolerant despisers be characterized by “grace” as long as the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel (Prov. 12.10).

 

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(II)

More to Come! (DV)