This is today's entry from Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett's devotional "Faithwalk," found at Devotions.org. Check the site out for this and other devotionals.
33 When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.”
15 And he blessed Joseph and said,
“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,
the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,
16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys;
and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”
God providentially paved the way for Joseph's family to sojourn in Egypt. At a time of famine, Jacob's extended family was welcomed there, where food and land was made available to him.
As they prepared to meet the Pharaoh, Joseph gave his family a bit of advice. He knew that Egyptians did not like shepherds, so he scripted an answer for them to use when asked about their occupation. He told them to say, "Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on" (46:34).
Imagine his chagrin when his brothers said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, just as our fathers were" (47:3). What were they thinking?
Perhaps they were thinking that the Egyptians might not like shepherds, but that was exactly what they were. Instead of it being an embarrassment, it was to them an encouragement.
When he blessed Joseph, Jacob spoke of "the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day" (48:15). The shepherd God is an encouragement to those who are a part of His flock. David would later write, "The Lord is my shepherd" (Ps. 23:1). And Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:14).
It may not sound good to others, but "shepherd" sounds good to God's own.
The New Testament Greek word for "shepherds" is used to describe pastors. Your pastor is an undershepherd of Jesus. It is a blessing of God that He has not left us as sheep without a shepherd.
