Genesis 46:28

Genesis 46:28 says, And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.  Israel sent Judah ahead to Joseph.  I am not sure how Judah became the spokesman for the brothers, but he seemed to have taken this responsibility, though I don't believe that he felt he was more important than the other brothers.  They had been in a bad situation when Judah had begun speaking for them, and when we as Christians find ourselves in a bad situation, someone needs to have the courage to speak up.  Judah was to tell Joseph to meet them at Goshen.  Verse twenty-nine states, 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.  Though Israel and his family were traveling in wagons, Joseph took a chariot to meet them.  Joseph didn't take the chariot because it was an implement of war, but because it was faster.  Joseph could have demanded that they come to him, but he was impatient to see them.  When we come to Christ, He meets us where we are.  God could demand that we meet all the requirements of His law before we come to Him, but He meets us where we are through our faith in Christ.  This does not mean that God is any less in charge, but God loves every person so much that He does not simply sit back and wait for a person to come to Him, but He reaches out to everyone with His love.  Then, it is up to each person whether or not he or she will accept that love.  Israel and his family still weren't all the way to the safety of Egypt, just as we are not all the way to spiritual safety until we accept Christ as our personal Savior.  Verse thirty declares,  And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.  Israel was ready to just die where he was because he had seen Joseph again.  That would have been a sad outcome, not only for Israel, but for the rest of his family, and I believe for Joseph in particular.  When someone stops just short of salvation, it is a sad thing, not only for those who are related to them, but it should also for all those who are followers of Christ as well.  Verse thirty-one proclaims, And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;  Joseph told his brothers and his father that he would go before them to Pharaoh and tell him who they were.  Just as Joseph went to Pharaoh, Jesus goes to the heavenly Father on our behalf, so we no longer have a reason to be afraid of God.  Verse thirty-two adds, 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.  Joseph said he would explain to Pharaoh that they were shepherds and therefore Pharaoh had no reason to be concerned about their intentions.  Joseph said that he would tell Pharaoh that they had brought their flocks and herds and everything that they had with them.  When we come to Christ, we can only come humbly and should bring everything that we have to God.  Just as Pharaoh was still in power over Israel and his family, and that includes Joseph, so is God in power, or authority, over all who accept Christ.  Verse thirty-three adds, And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?  Joseph asked them what they were going to say was their occupation when they were called before Pharaoh.  Joseph was not attempting to fool Pharaoh, but was simply asking his family to be honest about who they were.  Likewise, when we come to Christ, we must come with the honest statement of who we are, which is simply a sinner in need of being saved by the grace of God.  Verse thirty-four concludes, 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.  Joseph told them to be truthful about who they were, and he would ask that they be allowed to live in the land of Goshen.  When we come to Christ for salvation, we must come honestly and we will continue to live where we are, which is in this old sinful world, until such a time that God will call us home to heaven.