Jovial (13 Dec 2005)
"The 400 Years: Abraham was free, and in the Promised Land 378 years before the Exodus."

There were several math errors that were performed at http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/dec2005/johnc1212.htm in an attempt to "prove" that there was some sort of 400 contiguous period in which Israel was enslaved as a stranger in another nation.  Let me correct these problems.  

First off, the post said Isaac was born in 2048 (years after Adam) when Abraham was 90.  Sarah was 90 when the promise was given, Abraham was 99, making him 100 when Isaac was born and thus Isaac was born in 2058, not 2048.  

Abraham recieved the "Promise" in Gen 12 at the age of 75 and then left for Egypt (See Gen 12:4).  He later left Egypt for the Negev. He eventially came back to the promised land though, though its hard to say for how long. Sarah is recorded as having died at Hebron (Gen 23:2) at the age of 127. Gen 22 does record him going to Moriah for a sacrifice, but it does not record him living in that region. Abraham lived in Philistia (See Gen 21:34) for a while, which I think was part of the land of Promise, but never really conquered. So he and his seed were out of the Land in the year 2033 (years after Adam or YAA). Israel departed Egypt in 2463 (YAA). That's 430 years.

Since Isaac was born in 2048, that would be 405 years before they left Egypt, not 400, as was claimed in the statement....

"Isaac is born 2048 years from Adam, exactly 400 years prior to the Children of Israel leaving Egypt. There is no "theory" about it. Check the Scriptures, history, and Jasher. "

WRONG. Isaac was born 25 YEARS after Abraham left the promised land, not 30 years so it would be 405 years before Israel would leave Egypt.

There is no major event recorded on Isaac's 5th birthday.

Sarah died in Hebron at age of 127(Gen 23:1). So Abraham and family where living in the promised land 37 years after Isaac was born (2085, which was 378 years before the Exodus).

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!!!!

When we get to Gen 24, he's outside the Promised Land again. But Gen 23 is enough to tell us that Abraham and his seed were not outside the Promised Land for a contiguous 400 year period, because in Gen 23, he is living in the promised land, free, and viewed as a "mighty price among" other living in the Promised Land.

There just isn't a contiguous 400 year period of slavery. BUT when you add up the years in which Israel was a slave, it DOES ADD UP to 400 years!!!!

Also, in Gen 15, God said they would come out of Egypt in the FOURTH GENERATION of their slavery. There was a lot more than 4 generations from Isaac to Moses, but exactly 4 during the 215 year period Israel was enslaved when Moses led them out. In fact, trying to mate 400 years with 4 generations is simply impossible. That would mean the average birth would be at 100, and it happened at that age only once. But 4 generations over 215 years - pretty easy there! That makes the average birth at age 54, which is very doable. So if Israel was only enslaved in Egypt for 4 generations, it must have only ticked off 215 of those 400 years, and the best explanation of the 400 years is by the chart of ....

It's just the only thing that makes any sense if Abraham was living in the Promised Land a free man, and a "might prince among" the people there 378 years before the Exodus.

Shalom,

Joe
Slide Presentation WITH SOUND : http://mywebpages.comcast.net/yoseph/ppts/s42j/sld001.htm
For ordering info on "The 42 Journey Pattern of Our Spiritual Growth and Prophecy", See http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jovial/ads/42journeys.htm#ORDERS
Home Page : http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jovial/learn/mc/mcindex.htm