The story of the Israelites being in Egypt for 400 years is a pivotal one in the Old Testament. In Genesis 15:13, God tells Abram (who would later become Abraham), “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.” This verse alludes to the future enslavement of Abraham’s descendants in Egypt and their eventual exodus under the leadership of Moses.
To understand why God sent the Israelites to Egypt for 400 years of affliction and servitude, we have to go back to the context leading up to Genesis 15:13. In Genesis 15, God makes a covenant with Abram, promising him that his offspring would inherit the land of Canaan. Abram, who was childless at the time, questioned how God would fulfill this promise (Genesis 15:2-3). God then makes a stunning prophecy, telling Abram that his descendants would be strangers in a foreign land for 400 years before inheriting Canaan (Genesis 15:13).
At the time, this prophecy must have seemed mysterious to Abram. Yet, its fulfillment centuries later is a powerful testimony to God’s sovereignty and foreknowledge. Let’s look at some key reasons why God ordained this sojourn in Egypt:
1. To grow the Israelites into a great nation (Genesis 15:5)
When God initially called Abram out of Haran and promised to bless him, make him a great nation, and bless the whole world through him (Genesis 12:1-3), Abram had no children. God later promised that Abram’s descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5). For this promise to be fulfilled, the Israelites needed time to rapidly multiply into a mighty nation, which would require around 400 years given average generational lengths. Egypt and its fertile Nile delta provided a place for rapid growth in numbers, so God strategically placed them there.
2. To fulfill Joseph’s prophecy (Genesis 50:24)
Generations after Abram, his great-grandson Joseph rose to power in Egypt and saved many lives by preparing for a severe famine. Before Joseph died, he told his brothers that God would “visit” them and bring them out of Egypt to the land He had promised their fathers (Genesis 50:24). God sent the Israelites to Egypt not only to fulfill the prophecy to Abram but also to Joseph, showing His faithfulness.
3. To put them through a “furnace of affliction” (Deuteronomy 4:20)
God described Egypt as an “iron furnace” where the Israelites were afflicted with hard labor (Deuteronomy 4:20). This difficult experience was intended to humble them and strengthen their faith in God. As Psalms 105:19 says, God sent Joseph to Egypt and then later called Jacob’s family into Egypt’s furnace to prepare them for deliverance by His mighty hand.
4. To show Egypt His power (Exodus 7:5)
Through the 10 plagues preceding the Exodus, God displayed His power over the gods of Egypt: “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.” Had God not sent Israel to Egypt, He wouldn’t have had the opportunity to reveal His glory by releasing them from Pharaoh’s hand.
5. To set the stage for the Exodus and establish an Israelite nation
The Exodus from Egypt is foundational to Israelite history and theology. Had they not been oppressed as foreigners in Egypt before their miraculous rescue, God would not have had the chance to powerfully deliver them. This contributed to their national identity as God’s people whom He redeemed. The Exodus also set the stage for God to establish His covenant with Israel at Sinai after freeing them (Exodus 19:4–6).
In summary, God orchestrated Israel’s time in Egypt to grow them into a populous nation, fulfill His promises, humble and prepare them, display His wonders, and establish them as His special people through a redemptive Exodus. This important chapter in Israel’s history reinforced central biblical themes of God’s sovereignty, power, faithfulness and grace.
Key Bible Passages
Here are some key Bible passages illuminating why God sent Israel to Egypt for 400 years:
– Genesis 15:13-14 – God’s prophecy to Abram about 400 years of affliction then return to Canaan
– Genesis 50:24 – Joseph telling his brothers God will visit them and bring them out of Egypt
– Exodus 1:7-14 – The Israelites multiplying rapidly in Egypt then being oppressed
– Exodus 3:7-10 – God sees the affliction of Israel in Egypt, so He will deliver them
– Exodus 6:6-8 – God reaffirming His promise to deliver them from Egypt to the Promised Land
– Exodus 7:3-5 – God will multiply His signs in Egypt so they know He is the Lord
– Exodus 12:40-42 – Israel dwelt in Egypt 430 years total before the Exodus
– Deuteronomy 4:20 – God brought Israel out of the “iron furnace” of Egypt
– Psalms 105 – Recounts how God used Joseph and circumstances to bring Israel to Egypt, multiply them, then deliver them
– Micah 6:4 – Reminder that God sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead Israel out of Egypt
In conclusion, this pivotal sojourn in Egypt and the Exodus served multiple purposes in God’s redemptive plan for Israel. Despite difficult afflictions in Egypt, the people grew, and God powerfully proved His faithfulness and sovereignty by redeeming them and shaping them into a nation under His covenant promises.