Blessings Jovial,

 

The Scriptures demonstrate both 400 and 430 year prophecies regarding Abraham and his Seed. I believe that both have been fulfilled and are extremely precise. Though, the years that I present as their occurrence may be lacking in precision, the concepts are still accurate and applicable.

 

Exd 12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, [was] four hundred and thirty years.

 

Exd 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even

 ! ;

the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

 

Many will place this as occurring in 1447 B.C. or 2448 years from Adam. Now, what was occurring on the "selfsame day" 430 years earlier around 1877 B.C. or 2018 years from Adam? Would you believe Genesis 15 ?

 

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 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

 

Gen 15:7 And he said unto him, I [am] the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

 

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.

 

Therefore, it was 430 years to the day from the time that Abraham received the Covenant and the promise that his seed would inherit the land; to the time that his seed was greatly increased in number, set free from Egypt and given "great substance." They were also presented with the opportunity to enter and possess the land and no longer be "a stranger in a land that is not theirs." (Due to their unbelief, they spent extra time in the wilderness.)

 

The bondage, affliction and servitude of Abrahams see! d would last for 400 years.

 

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.

 

The persecution of Abrahams seed began with Ishmael, 400 years prior to the release of the Children of Israel from their captivity in Egypt. (1847 B.C. or 2048 years before Adam.)

 

Gen 21:8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the [same] day that Isaac was weaned.

 

Gen 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

 

Gen 21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast ! out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, [even] with Isaac.

 

Gen 21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.

 

Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman

 

Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.

 

Reportedly, Hagar was the daughter of Pharaoh, who was given to Sarah as a handmaiden, after Pharaoh attempted to add Sarah to his hairim. Therefore, Hagar was a princess in her own right, and Ishmael would be half Egyptian and a grandson of Pharaoh.

 

Gen 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

 

Gen 21:13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he [is] thy seed.

 

Therefore, from the weaning of Isaac until the Egyptian Passover, Abrahams seed was persecuted for a total of 400 years by the Egyptians and Ishmaelites. And it was 430 years from the time that Abraham was given the promise of a multitude of descendants and a land of his own, until that multitude was given their freedom and brought before the Father as a nation.

 

Shalom, John

 

 

Dates and basic concept from:

Secrets of Time ,  Dr. Stephen E. Jones, Phd