“Trust And Obey The LORD!”(Gen.15:7-15).
“Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years to the very day, all the LORD’S divisions left Egypt”(Ex.12:40-41).
The story of origins originates from a certain point, and the story is told backwards. Most times, such stories begin why “How…?; then accompanied by the “W” questions.
How else could it be explained that the LORD who cared so much about his chosen people allowed them to be in bondage for such a long time?
The simple answer is that what happened was the fulfilment of a divine prophecy of hundreds of centuries before the exodus.
The 430 years of the Egyptian bondage was the outcome of an unintentional error made by Abram. “Abram fell into a deep sleep…”, when he was supposed to be awake.
The context of the story is the LORD’S covenant and promise with Abram in which the LORD told Abram, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.”
As earlier mentioned, Abram may have made an unintentional blunder by falling into a deep sleep, but this was the consequence of doubt and mistrust. He did not believe in the promises of God. He wanted the LORD to prove to him that he would actually have possession of that land.
The LORD asked him to make some animal sacrifices. By sundown Abram “fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him. Then the LORD said to him, ‘Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years. But I will punish the nation that they serve as slaves, and afterwards they will come out with great possessions.”
This was happening at a time when the people had the common belief that “parents have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are on edge,” or as our folks sing, “children pay the debts their parents owed.”
Some lessons from the text:
- When the LORD says, “I am the LORD, ” he is emphasising his omnipotence, omniscience, benevolence, transcendence, and immanence! When he makes a pronouncement in that capacity, his word stands and happens.
- Although it is in our human nature to doubt and be distrustful of others, we should not force the LORD to prove himself to us. His word should be enough for us.
- Lastly, the generational curse is real; but to say we can cut off such curses is fake. What God says will be, will be! The slavery may have lasted for 430 years instead of 400 years. The question is, who was there spending time on accuracies of timing?
The LORD is the LORD whose word is eternal. He has revealed himself through his Son and has given us the Spirit, who inspires us when doubts assail and who helps us to trust and obey the LORD.
Prayer of the day and week: Holy Spirit, keep us away from deep sleep that may bring hardship on our offspring. Amen!
Welcome back to a new working day and week! Have a blessed working day and week! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.
16/06/2025.