“But in the fourth generation, they (the seed of Abraham), shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” Genesis 15:16
Time with God is not the same thing as time with men. In the Apostle Peter’s second letter, he writes: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day.” (3:9) It is because of our limitations with regard to grasping something of the eternal, that we have a hard time understanding how the time of one day is a very small thing in the sight of God, even one thousand years is very little to Him. Why? Because He is eternal, never changing, or as the writer of Hebrews put it: “…Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” (13:8) And yet, Peter goes on to say, “…the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness.” (3:9) In other words, God is a God of time, and this revealed for our sakes, but also, the One who exists outside of the limits of time, but who will always honor His word of promise at the right time.
When God revealed to Abraham that his decendants would be strangers in a land that was not theirs, serving and being afflicted by the inhabitants of that land four hundred years, He did so to reveal that He was a God of hope, absolutely faithful according to His word, and that, because He was, and is, eternal, the passing of years will not alter the realization of His will. God had given to Abraham several promises concerning the land into which he had brought him, having left Ur of the Chaldees. He promised him a seed, Isaac, through whom a nation would be formed. Not only would the seed of Abraham multiply, but there was associated the promise of fruitulness, the promise of a land where they could dwell, and where God would care for them, revealing Himself to them. That nation that would be formed, moulded together as one, would allowed to remain “captive” in Egypt for four hundred years. However, at the right, and perfect time, would be brought out miraculously by God Himself, into a land “…flowing with milk and honey.”
After the period of four hundred years, and after Moses had been commissioned by God to lead the people out of Egypt, they were temporarily detoured in the wilderness for forty years, and this because of their unbelief, and disobedience. However, there would come a day, when Joshua, the son of Nun, would be commissioned by God to take the place of Moses, and lead the people into the promised land. What perhaps was not known to the Israelites, was that all the while they were being prepared to be a nation, a believing nation, that would follow God in the conquest, the iniquity of the Amorites, those who inhabited the land, had come to its fullness. Much like the unbelieving people of Noah’s day, those of Canaan had become hardened in their hearts to the point where very few would turn to God for salvation, even in the face of the demonstration of God’s power and glory. The time had come to possess the land that God had promised to Abraham over four hundred years before.
Later in the history of Israel, after she had entered into the land, built cities and the temple in Jerusalem, she was led captive to Babylon. Jeremiah declared to Israel that because of her rebellion against God, the captivity would last seventy years. After this was accomplished, the Lord would speak through Haggai and Zechariah, both prophets of God, telling the people that the time had come to rebuild the temple, and that God Himself promised, “…I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: My house shall be built in it.” (Zech. 1:16) The time had come, not only to possess the land, but to rebuild the temple. God’s timing was perfect, to be recognized and adhered to.
Dear Father, Accomplish fully your will today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.