And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
God showed Abraham beforehand that his descendants would serve as bondmen in Egypt for four hundred years before they would possess Canaan, and that He would judge that nation and bring them out with great wealth afterward. The revelation came in vision through great darkness, foretelling long servile bondage and oppression to an idolatrous nation so that the promised land would not come immediately. The appointed judgment fell when God visited Egypt with plagues and fearful displays of power greater than their gods, and Israel departed on the very day appointed despite Pharaoh's power. They came out carrying the promised substance, including silver, gold, and clothing obtained from the Egyptians, and Pharaoh and his army were destroyed in the Red Sea when they pursued. The bondage was allowed because of transgression, unfaithfulness, and idolatry, yet God did not forsake His covenant, but when they humbled themselves, cried for deliverance, and promised to obey, He brought them forth as His peculiar treasure.
Revelation to Abraham
God showed Abraham beforehand in vision what would happen to his descendants, revealing in figure through a great darkness that his posterity would become bondmen to an idolatrous nation, Egypt. The promise belongs to the prophecy that his descendants would suffer before they were established in Canaan, so that possession of the promised land would not come immediately. It declared that they would endure a long, servile bondage and oppression in Egypt.
It foretold that God would judge the nation they served and that afterward they would come out with great substance and wealth. That judging of Egypt was accomplished by plagues and fearful judgments, and the coming out with wealth was accomplished when Israel departed carrying possessions, including silver, gold, and clothing obtained from the Egyptians. Its citation alongside the account of the departure binds the prediction directly to the Exodus.
The prophecy was given about four hundred years before its fulfillment in Israel's deliverance from Egypt. It specified an appointed time of service, affliction, and sojourning of four hundred years, stated elsewhere as nearly four hundred years, before deliverance would come. When the time came, Pharaoh's power and empire could not prevent fulfillment, for Israel came out on the very day God had appointed. He visited Egypt with fearful judgments and brought Israel forth by a mighty display of power, showing that He rules over the universe and is greater than the Egyptians' gods, and He destroyed Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea when they pursued Israel. His leading them away from the direct route to Canaan at that time also showed His compassion alongside His judgment.
The same timing measured the Amorites, whom God spared for more than four hundred years until their iniquity was full. When they hardened themselves in sin and made war on His people, their probation ended and judgment came.
Judgment and Deliverance
The promise assured Israel that God remembered His covenant and that deliverance would come after their long suffering in captivity, and its setting alongside the account of their departure binds the prediction directly to the Exodus. It foretold that God would judge the nation that enslaved Abraham's descendants and afterward bring them out with great wealth and substance.
That judgment was fulfilled when God visited Egypt with plagues and fearful judgments, judging the Egyptians by a mighty display of power. By those acts He showed that He rules over the universe and is greater than the Egyptians' gods. Israel's departure from Egypt completed the prophecy after the foretold time of service, affliction and sojourning of four hundred years. Neither Pharaoh's power nor his empire could prevent its fulfillment at the appointed time, and Israel came out on the very day God had appointed.
The deliverance included bringing Israel forth and destroying Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea when they pursued Israel. At the same time God's leading them away from the direct route to Canaan showed His compassion alongside His judgment. Coming out with great substance was fulfilled when the Israelites departed carrying away the promised wealth and possessions. Those goods included silver, gold, and clothing obtained from the Egyptians.
Cause and Covenant Mercy
The bondage in Egypt was because of transgression of God's law and was punishment for apostasy. Unfaithfulness, intermarriage with other nations, and the resulting idolatry explain why God allowed them to go into Egypt to become bondmen to an idolatrous nation. Famine brought Abraham's descendants into Egypt to preserve their lives, and God did not forsake them because of His covenant with Abraham. He allowed them to suffer oppression so they would turn to Him, choose His righteous and merciful rule, and obey His requirements.
When they humbled themselves before God, acknowledged His dealings, and cried earnestly for deliverance from the oppressive yoke of the Egyptians, their cries reached heaven. They promised to serve God and be obedient to His law if He would break off the yoke of bondage. God answered in a wonderful manner by bringing Israel forth from Egypt and taking them to Himself in covenant as His peculiar treasure.
The promise to Abraham that God would bring them out and break the oppressive yoke was recalled by the elders to encourage the Hebrews to trust God. Many struggled to believe because of their suffering and lost hope under oppression. The Egyptians mocked the expectation of deliverance.
God showed Abraham beforehand that his descendants would serve as bondmen in Egypt for four hundred years before they would possess Canaan, and that He would judge that nation and bring them out with great wealth afterward. The revelation came in vision through great darkness, foretelling long servile bondage and oppression to an idolatrous nation so that the promised land would not come immediately. The appointed judgment fell when God visited Egypt with plagues and fearful displays of power greater than their gods, and Israel departed on the very day appointed despite Pharaoh's power. They came out carrying the promised substance, including silver, gold, and clothing obtained from the Egyptians, and Pharaoh and his army were destroyed in the Red Sea when they pursued. The bondage was allowed because of transgression, unfaithfulness, and idolatry, yet God did not forsake His covenant, but when they humbled themselves, cried for deliverance, and promised to obey, He brought them forth as His peculiar treasure.
Revelation to Abraham
God showed Abraham beforehand in vision what would happen to his descendants, revealing in figure through a great darkness that his posterity would become bondmen to an idolatrous nation, Egypt. The promise belongs to the prophecy that his descendants would suffer before they were established in Canaan, so that possession of the promised land would not come immediately. It declared that they would endure a long, servile bondage and oppression in Egypt.
It foretold that God would judge the nation they served and that afterward they would come out with great substance and wealth. That judging of Egypt was accomplished by plagues and fearful judgments, and the coming out with wealth was accomplished when Israel departed carrying possessions, including silver, gold, and clothing obtained from the Egyptians. Its citation alongside the account of the departure binds the prediction directly to the Exodus.
The prophecy was given about four hundred years before its fulfillment in Israel's deliverance from Egypt. It specified an appointed time of service, affliction, and sojourning of four hundred years, stated elsewhere as nearly four hundred years, before deliverance would come. When the time came, Pharaoh's power and empire could not prevent fulfillment, for Israel came out on the very day God had appointed. He visited Egypt with fearful judgments and brought Israel forth by a mighty display of power, showing that He rules over the universe and is greater than the Egyptians' gods, and He destroyed Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea when they pursued Israel. His leading them away from the direct route to Canaan at that time also showed His compassion alongside His judgment.
The same timing measured the Amorites, whom God spared for more than four hundred years until their iniquity was full. When they hardened themselves in sin and made war on His people, their probation ended and judgment came.
Judgment and Deliverance
The promise assured Israel that God remembered His covenant and that deliverance would come after their long suffering in captivity, and its setting alongside the account of their departure binds the prediction directly to the Exodus. It foretold that God would judge the nation that enslaved Abraham's descendants and afterward bring them out with great wealth and substance.
That judgment was fulfilled when God visited Egypt with plagues and fearful judgments, judging the Egyptians by a mighty display of power. By those acts He showed that He rules over the universe and is greater than the Egyptians' gods. Israel's departure from Egypt completed the prophecy after the foretold time of service, affliction and sojourning of four hundred years. Neither Pharaoh's power nor his empire could prevent its fulfillment at the appointed time, and Israel came out on the very day God had appointed.
The deliverance included bringing Israel forth and destroying Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea when they pursued Israel. At the same time God's leading them away from the direct route to Canaan showed His compassion alongside His judgment. Coming out with great substance was fulfilled when the Israelites departed carrying away the promised wealth and possessions. Those goods included silver, gold, and clothing obtained from the Egyptians.
Cause and Covenant Mercy
The bondage in Egypt was because of transgression of God's law and was punishment for apostasy. Unfaithfulness, intermarriage with other nations, and the resulting idolatry explain why God allowed them to go into Egypt to become bondmen to an idolatrous nation. Famine brought Abraham's descendants into Egypt to preserve their lives, and God did not forsake them because of His covenant with Abraham. He allowed them to suffer oppression so they would turn to Him, choose His righteous and merciful rule, and obey His requirements.
When they humbled themselves before God, acknowledged His dealings, and cried earnestly for deliverance from the oppressive yoke of the Egyptians, their cries reached heaven. They promised to serve God and be obedient to His law if He would break off the yoke of bondage. God answered in a wonderful manner by bringing Israel forth from Egypt and taking them to Himself in covenant as His peculiar treasure.
The promise to Abraham that God would bring them out and break the oppressive yoke was recalled by the elders to encourage the Hebrews to trust God. Many struggled to believe because of their suffering and lost hope under oppression. The Egyptians mocked the expectation of deliverance.