Genesis 47:5-6
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock."
Is it possible to settle "in" Egypt, but not be settled "for" or "with" Egypt? When Joseph's father, Israel (Jacob) and his brothers arrived in Egypt, Pharaoh gave the best land to them and put them in charge of any livestock he had (within the next two years everyone in the land would use their livestock for payment for grain during the famine). Earlier, God had told Israel that He would be using the provision and protection of Egypt to provide and expand Israel and his boys ... to make them a great nation:
Genesis 46:2-4
And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.”
God was going to use the world's system, combined with a famine, to make a great nation out of Israel. But, at the same time, God did not want Israel and the boys to fall in love with Egypt. Remember, when God had redeemed them from Egypt and had lead them into the wilderness they were hungry. God had provided the "mana" for them to eat, but they desired the glories of Egypt instead:
Numbers 11:5-6
We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
Although under Joseph they (70 souls) were given protection, over the years they would fall in love with Egypt. The seventy souls would grow into thousands upon thousands as God blessed them under the Egyptian world's system. But, they were not intended to fall in love with Egypt. Egypt was intended to produce, protect and procreate the nation. It was not supposed to become their heart's desire. The truth here is that the world can become a source of weakness for us, rather than a provision for us to accomplish God's plan. God sent us here to be messengers in the world, not worshippers of the world. Israel was small and God used the worldly system of Egypt to make her mighty. But, the system also corrupted her. The same can be said today. God would have US "use" the system to accomplish HIS plan. However, often we are "used" by the WORLD to defeat His plan. We might have to settle "in" our Egypt but we ought not settle "for" Egypt.
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