ISRAEL SPENT 430 years in Egypt. This is recorded in Exodus 12:40-41 and Galatians 3:17. How do we reconcile that with God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would return “in the fourth generation” (Gen. 15:16), or the four generations between Levi and Moses (Ex. 6:16-20)?
We address that, and Derek admits his timeline of the ancient Hebrews needs to be adjusted accordingly. For the record, he now agrees with the plain reading of the 430 years, which places Jacob and his family in Egypt in 1876 BC, which means Abraham arrived in Canaan in 2091 BC.
We also discuss Moses’ encounter with God at Mount Sinai and His revelation of the divine name, and why Moses’ birth story was not copied from that of the Akkadian king Sargon the Great.
You can read a summary of the proto-Hebrew inscriptions found in the Sinai, as translated by Dr. Douglas Petrovich, at The Interactive Bible.
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Re: Sharon’s comment on the fallen realm influencing Pharaoh against Egypt: Josephus in Antiquities Book 2 wrote about a dream Pharaoh supposedly had: one of the scribes (said to be Jannes or Jambres in the Targum) told the king that about this time, there would be a child born to the Israelites, who, if he were reared, would bring Egyptian domain low…which thing was so feared by the king that he commanded every male child born to the Israelites to be cast into the river to be destroyed.
Names were very important to God. Notice that He never gave a name to the king of Egypt, but He not only named the midwives Shiphrah and Puah, but he also rewarded them with families.
Notice also, that thereafter the king commanded All his people to cast the male children into the river. Later God “rewarded” the king with the same watery grave he commanded upon the male children.
Now we have a second ark: the first was for Noah and this one was for Moses.
Another reward: Moses’ mother was actually paid to nurse him!
The historical record (Antiquities) of Josephus includes a story of Moses becoming a general in the Egyptian army during a battle against Ethiopia. After the battle, Moses marries Tharbis, daughter of the Ethiopian king. She could possibly be the woman Miriam criticizes in the wilderness (see Num. 12:1).
Reuel/Jethro…It is not uncommon for ancients, like Sabean kings and priests, to have more than one name. Several kings of Israel, including Solomon, did.
“I am that I am”…”I will be who I will be”…According to rabbinical sources, the interpretation of this is that God is saying, “I shall be with you and with them.”
By the way, guys…this has also become my favorite time of the week in studying the Bible with you!
Gilberts— OMG, This teaching was top shelf!!! So you are saying that you base the 430 years from 1876 – 1446 BC which had nothing to do with Abraham. It begins with Jacob’s arrival in Egypt? Also, you mentioned the 4 generations as as time periods. Not physical generations and it begins with Levi, Kohath, Amran, and Moses which are respectively, a tribe, clan, family, and individual. What is the significance of this? To exemplify your definition of generation or something else? Thanks again for ministry.