Exd 6:16 And
these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations,
Gershon and Kohath and Merari:
Exd 6:18 And
the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron,
and Uzziel:
Exd 6:20 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.
Therefore, Jochebed (Moses mother) is the daughter of
Levi and the sister of Kohath, making her the fourth generation. Her husband
Amram would be a fifth generation along with her sons (Aaron and Moses)
and her daughter (Miriam). There is no record, to my knowledge, as to
when Jochebed died (In the "Movie" she leaves Egypt with Moses. LOL!).
But the Scripture clearly indicates (Genesis 15:16) that someone in this
"fourth generation" made it past Passover. This is not "impossi! ble"
as you suppose, if you only believed in what the Scripture actually says.
Jovial states:
"So 378 years before the Exodus, Abraham, Isaac
and familiy were living as free men in the Promised Land, not being servants
to anyone. Was he persecuted? He was on such good terms with his neighbors
they tried to GIVE him a burial place for Sarah. Just no record of persecution
going on in Genesis 23 either. In fact, they told him "you are a might
prince among us." (Gen 23:6). Sounds like he's in good standing with those
around him!!!!"
My response:
Gen 15:5 And
he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell
the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall
thy seed be.
Gen 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;
Gen 15:14 And
also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall
they come! out with great substance.
Act 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.
!
If you are willing to accept God's Word, without adding or subtracting
one's own bias, you will discover that these prophecies are very nonspecific.
It prophesies that Abraham's Seed would be greatly multiplied, but it
does not tell you how this will be accomplished. Abraham simply believed
God. It tells us that his Seed will be a stranger in a land that is not
their own. It does not tell us which land or who the rulers of that land
are. It states that his Seed will be "afflicted." And all of these things
will transpire over 400 years. It does not specifically state whether
the affliction is continuous for 400 years, but it might be. It does seem
to indicate that they will not have ownership of "a land" for a 400 year
period. But after 400 years the people they have served will be judged
and will give Abraham's Seed "great substance." Please remember that all
punctuation comes from the interpreter and by simply placing a comma can
alter a meaning either intended or not.
Prior to the Exodus, Abraham and his Seed did spend time in Canaan.
But it was not their land at that time, and they lived in movable tents.
They sojourned, they did not "lay down roots". And you are totally in
error if you think that he was always on good terms with those who occupied
that land. In Genesis 20 Abimelech takes Sarah thinking she is Abrahams
sister. (She was probably pregnant with Isaac at that time, after Abraham
circumcision in Genesis 17 and Isaac's birth in Genesis 21.). Abraham
then digs a well called Beer-Shebe and the Philistines steal it. Isaac
experiences famine in Gerar (Genesis 26) and Jacob is chased, ("running
for his life,") repeatedly by his brother Esau (Edom).
To my great surprise, I discovered today that Matthew Henry
even agrees with my interpretation. LOL!
"2.) The continuance of their sufferings-four hundred years.
This persecution began with mocking, when Ishmael, the son of an Egyptian,
persecuted Isaac, who was born after the Spirit, ch. 21:9; Gal.
4:29 .It continued in loathing; for it was an abomination to
the Egyptians to eat bread with the Hebrews, ch. 43:32; and it came at
last to murder, the basest of murders, that of their new-born children;
so that, more or less, it continued 400 years, though, in extremity, not
so many. This was a long time, but a limited time. "
"3. The deliverance of Abram's seed out of Egypt. That great event
is here foretold: Afterwards shall they come out with great substance.
It is here promised, (1.) That they should be enlarged: Afterwards
they shall come out; that is, either after they have been afflicted
400 years, when the days of their servitude are fulfilled, or after the
Egyptians are judged and plagued, then they may expect deliverance. Note,
The destruction of oppressors is the redemption of the oppressed; they
will not let God's people go till they are forced to it. (2.) That they
should be enriched: They shall come out with great substance; this
was fulfilled, Ex. 12:35 ,36. God took
care they should have, not only a good land to go to, but a good stock
to carry with them."
---------------------------------
As I mentioned in my first reply on this topic, I really do not want
to debate specific dates, because I know that it would be futile. Everyone's
"counting" can vary a year or two. I have used the work of a doctor Steven
Jones, Ph.D. as a "template," but do not consider his work as "Gospel."
But when God says 400 years or 430 years, you can guarantee that He will
be precise. If there was any " time gap" he would tell us, and would not
let us use the "smorgasbord" method of prophecy interpretation. Let's
return to what God ! has actually said without adding or subtracting our
presumptions. All the charts and graphs are simply wood, hay, and stubble.
Shalom, John