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or

REASONS I BELIEVE IT WAS

64 YEARS

FROM THE DEATH OF JOSEPH

UNTIL THE BIRTH OF MOSES

Acts 7:6, And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. As Stephen stood before council of Jews, which was composed of Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians and other Jews from Cilicia and Asia, he began his message from God by rehearsing the history of Israel, a history these Jews knew very well.

Notice carefully how Stephen worded this part of his message. He declares that Israel shall sojourn in a strange land, that they shall be brought into bondage, and that the time period is four hundred years. In verse 7, Stephen states that God will judge the nation that brings Israel into bondage.

In this chapter, I want to show that Israel was a stranger in the land of Canaan, then brought into bondage by the nation of Egypt, exactly as Stephen stated. God will judge Egypt because they made slaves out of the Israelites, instead of honoring them.

The main scripture used to teach that Israel was in Egypt 430 years is Exodus 12:40, "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years." The passage can be interpreted two ways.

1. The children of Israel was in the land of Egypt 430 years.

2. The children of Israel was sojourning 430 years.

Most people take for granted that Israel was in Egypt for 430 years without examining other scriptures for further proof.

1. If we examine any verse without using proper interpretation methods, we will not understand what those verses really say.

The proper method of scripture interpretation is to let scripture interpret scripture, not injecting our thoughts into the interpretation at all.

In order to discover whether Israel was in the land of Egypt for 430 years or whether they were sojourning 430 years, we will need to let the Bible speak for us. There are other passages that must be used for a proper interpretation.

Other scriptures that talk about Israel's sojourning and captivity.

Genesis 15:13, "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;" The length of the affliction will be 400 years. Notice that this verse does not say that Israel will be in Egypt 400 years, but that they will be: (1.) A stranger in a land that is not theirs. (2.) They shall be servants in a land that is not theirs. (3.) Their affliction shall be 400 years.

The following passages will prove that Stephen correctly stated the history of Israel. First, I will show that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel) are strangers in the land of Canaan. Being in bondage in the land of Egypt is not considered at this point.

Abraham is a stranger in the land of Canaan. Genesis 23:4 records Abraham as saying, "I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." Abraham said he was a stranger and proved it by buying a burying place for himself and his wife and all of his seed. Genesis 49:31, 50:13 states that Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah are buried in this cave.

Isaac is a stranger in the land of Canaan. Genesis 28:4, "And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham." In this passage, Isaac has called his son, Jacob, to him. Isaac commands Jacob to go to Padanaram to take a wife from the daughters of Laban, instead of taking a wife from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land they dwell. Isaac desires that God Almighty bless Jacob with the blessing of Abraham because, like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are both strangers in the land of Canaan.

Jacob is a stranger in the land of Canaan. Like his father and grandfather before him, Jacob confesses to being a stranger in the land of Canaan. Genesis 37:1, "And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan. " Jacob did go to Padanaram to seek a wife of the daughters of Laban. He was gone from the land of Canaan twenty years, but God so arranged the circumstances of his life so he would return to the land wherein he would be a stranger. God’s Word will be fulfilled. Jacob returned to the land of Canaan with all his wives, children, and herds, and paid the tithes he had promised. Jacob then dwelt, as a stranger, in the land wherein his father and grandfather was a stranger.

It is interesting to note that Joseph was never a part of the covenant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as far as being a stranger in the land of Canaan was concerned. Joseph was never accepted as part of the family while he lived in the land of Canaan. His brothers hated him and sold him into slavery, and through much trial and trouble, became accepted as the saviour of Israel while living in Egypt. Joseph was second in command in Egypt and when the famine came to the land of Canaan, invited his entire family to Egypt to escape certain death. Jacob once again left the land wherein he was a stranger, this time traveling to Egypt. Jacob died while in Eygpt, but gave careful instructions that he was to be buried in the land of Canaan, thus fulfilling the prophecies of God, Genesis 49:31. When Joseph died, his body was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt, Genesis 50:13. When Israel left the land of Egypt, they carried the bones of Joseph with them. They probably also carried the bones of other Israelites who had died in Egypt, at least this seems to be the thought of Exodus 14:11 when Israel is facing the Red Sea with the Egyptian army behind them. The verse states, "And they said unto Moses, Because there are no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness?…" Joshua 24:32 records that when Israel was settled in the land of Canaan as possessors, not strangers, they buried the bones of Joseph in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem. Jacob was not buried in the cave of Machpelah.

The following two passages confirm that God will establish his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, strangers in the land of Canaan.

Exodus 6:2-5 declares, "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant." God said that the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers, was the land of Canaan, not the land of Egypt. In verse 5 of this chapter, God makes mention of Israel who is in bondage in the land of Egypt. The bondage in the land of Egypt is in addition to being a stranger in the land of Canaan.

Another scripture that speaks about the nation of Israel being a stranger in the land of Canaan is Ps. 105:11,12 which states, "Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: {12} When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it." The writer says Israel was a stranger in the land of Canaan, not Egypt. It is apparent that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were strangers in the land of Canaan as they were few, very few, in number. When the nation of Israel went into Egypt they numbered 70 souls, Genesis 46:27. When they came out of Egypt 215 years later, they numbered 600,000 men from twenty years old and upward, able to go to war. It is likely the total population of Israel was close to 2,500,000 as John Gill observes in the following comments on Exodus 12:37:

"…they were above 600,000, besides old men, children, and women, that could not easily be numbered; and the word "about" will admit of it, since it may be used not to diminish, but to increase the number; and it is certain that in the second year after they were come out of Egypt, their number was 600,550 without the Levites, who were not numbered; and they that were numbered were such as were twenty years old and upward, and able to go forth to war, Numbers 1:9 2:32 and such were those here, as Jarchi observes; so that if there were 600,000 men of twenty years old and upwards, able to bear arms, besides women, children, and old men, it may well be thought that in all there were no less than near two millions and a half; for, according to the ordinary proportion allowed in other nations of four to one between the number of the whole people in a nation, and those men fit to bear arms, that the number of the Israelites alone, of all ages and sexes which went out of Egypt along with Moses, will amount to 2,400,000 souls {j}; which was a prodigious increase of seventy persons in little more than two hundred years, and a most marvellous thing it was, that in so large a number of persons there was not one feeble among them, Psalms 105:37."

Another infallible proof that the sojourning of Israel (which is 400 years long, as revealed by Stephen) as strangers in Canaan and in bondage in Egypt is found in Genesis 15:16 which states, "But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." This passage states that the nation of Israel will come out of Egypt in the fourth generation. These four generations cannot represent Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph or Judah, because Joseph (who is the representative of the generation of Judah) was the first generation to go into Egypt, not representative of the fourth generation that comes out of Egypt.

Exodus 6:16-20 sheds great light on who the four generations are, especially when compared to Genesis 15:14-16. There are two positions: (1) Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and Joseph, and (2) the fourth generation refers to that generation afflicted by that nation whom they shall serve, Genesis 15:14. Compare Genesis 15:14-16 to Ex. 6:16-20. The following will clearly explain that the four generations of Genesis 15:16 refers to the four generations that lived in Egypt.

The fourth generation that comes out of Egypt is listed in the following verses. "And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years. {17} The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. {18} And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years. {19} And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations. {20} And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years."

The four generations who lived in Egypt were:

Ex. 6:16 - Levi, who was born in Haran, lived in Canaan, and moved to Egypt. He died in Egypt.

Ex. 6:16 - Kohath, the son of Levi, was born in Canaan, moved to Egypt with Jacob and died in Egypt.

Ex. 6:18 - Amram, the son of Kohath, was born in Egypt, and died there.

Ex. 6:20 - Moses, the son of Amram and Jochebed, was born in Egypt, raised in Egypt, came to maturity in Midian, returned to Egypt to deliver Israel, and died in Moab and was buried near Bethpeor.

It is very clear from these scriptures who the four generations are. The four generations cannot be numbered from Abraham because it was in the time of Judah and Joseph that Israel entered into "that nation," Egypt. Joseph died in Egypt and certainly did not deliver the people from Egypt.

The four generations are numbered from Levi, who was the first generation of Israelites to live in Egypt. See ..\Sch 1 - Estimate generations in Egypt.sdr for further treatment of this thought.

The significance of this 430 years being divided into two equal parts is found in Daniel 7:27.

Jacob’s age at the birth of Joseph can be calculated as follows:

Gen. 47:8,9 - Jacob is 130 years old when he comes to Egypt during the 2^nd year of the seven year famine.

Gen. 41:46 - Joseph was 30 years of age when he stood before Pharoah.

Gen. 45:6 - Nine years later, Joseph revealed himself to his brethren.

Therefore, Joseph was 39 years old when Jacob came into Egypt.

Therefore, 130-39=91. This is the age of Jacob when Joseph was born.

Gen. 37:3 - Joseph is the son of Jacob’s old age.

Jacob stands before Pharaoh when he is 130 years old, Genesis 47:8,9.

God had made a covenant with Israel which He divides equally.

Satan makes a covenant with Israel which he divides equally.

There is very little persecution during the first half of the captivity, and little persecution during the first half of the tribulation period.

There is great persecution during the last half of the captivity, and great tribulation during the last half of the tribulation period.

The law was given on Mount Sinai when Moses was about 80 years old.

Estimated. See Schedule # 1 - ..\Sch 1 - Estimate generations in Egypt.sdr

Another way to prove who the four generations are is by comparing Ruth 4:18-20 (generations of Christ) with the generations of Levi (Ex. 6:16-20). Ruth 4:20 states, "And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon" This "Nahshon" is the same as "Naasson" of Matthew 1:4. This New Testament passage confirms that Naasson is the fourth generation from Judah. A further proof that Naasson (Nahshon) is of the fourth generation is found in Numbers 1:7. Nahshon, who is of the fourth generation, is a contemporary of Moses, who is also of the fourth generation. When Moses instructs Israel to number the people, Nahshon is the head of the tribe of Judah at the time, Numbers 2:3. Numbers 1:5-7 states, And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur. 6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai. 7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab. These scriptures make it abundantly clear that Nahshon was living when Moses lead Israel from Egypt. He died in the wilderness because of unbelief as all the people except Caleb and Joshua perished.

A New Testament proof that Exodus 12:40 is to be scripturally interpreted as Israel sojourning 430 years is found in Galatians 3:17, "And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect." This scripture states explicitly that there are 430 years from the promise given to Abraham (covenant) until the law. The promise was given to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-4 when he left everything and traveled to the place God instructed him. The law was given to Moses on Mt. Sinai 430 years after Abraham received the promise of God in Genesis 12.

There is only one scriptural conclusion to be reached. According to the scriptures set forth, and the principle of letting scripture interpret scripture, we believe we must interpret Exodus 12:40 as Israel sojourning 430 years, not being in Egyptian bondage for 430 years.

The fact that God makes a covenant with Israel of 430 years duration and this covenant is divided into two equal parts can be compared with the covenant Satan will make with Israel at the beginning of the tribulation period. Daniel 11:27 tells about this covenant of seven years being broken in the middle of the week. The last half of the tribulation period will be much worse for Israel than the first half. During the first half, Israel will remain in Canaan, (they did this during God's covenant). In the middle of the tribulation period, Israel will be forced to leave their land because of the Anti-Christ breaking this covenant. They shall go into another nation, (to Petra in the land of the Edomites) for help. See Revelation 12, and Daniel 11:41. This is the same thing that happened to Israel under God's covenant. Israel will not lose anything during the great tribulation because God will return to the earth, stopping the advancing armies against Israel. God did the same thing to Israel during his covenant with them, for there was a purchased possession of a burying place in the promised land. One difference will be that God's final covenant with Israel has no place for burying - for none will die.