THE SELFSAME DAY

THE SELFSAME DAY

Many years ago, I came upon a phrase which "grabbed" me, and wouldn't let me go. It is found in Exodus 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even THE SELFSAME DAY it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, [that] the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

I wondered what had marked the BEGINNING of the four hundred and thirty years. When did they begin? What was the occasion, and who were the "players" in the event?

My quest took me into many places, and many families, and over much history. But I finally arrived at an answer which satisfied me. The last pieces of the puzzle came together a few days ago.

I had to go back to 1920 B.C. when the Lord commanded Abraham to divide the carcasses of different birds and animals and make a sacrifice. Abraham stood and faithfully guarded the sacrifice from the vultures and other predators until the evening. Then, the Lord appeared and made a covenant with Abraham.

Genesis 15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. BUT IN THE FOURTH GENERATION THEY SHALL COME HITHER AGAIN: for the iniquity of the Amorites [is] not yet full.

The children of Israel were to be in Egypt for four generations, and in those four generations they would multiply from seventy souls to become a company of 2 to 3 million people. How could they do it? The Bible simply says that they "multiplied exceedingly" while they were there. Pearl and I have three generations following us, and we number 25 today, all told. Abraham's descendants through Isaac numbered 70 people through Isaac at the middle of the fourth generation before going into Egypt.

Pharez, of generation 5, went into Egypt. The fourth man below him, Nahshon, came out of Egypt as the head of the tribe of Judah.

How many kids would each family have in it, for such a multiplication to be accomplished in four generations? Is there any way to figure it out? (Exceedingly!!!!)

The BEGINNING of the four hundred and thirty years began in 1920 B.C. on the plain where God met Abraham and passed between the pieces of the divided sacrifice-- the sign of an immutable covenant.

One word, "sojourning" enters into the equation. Exodus 12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, [was] four hundred and thirty years.

God met Abraham in 1920 B.C.. Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt in 1490 B.C.. It equals 430 years. Nine generations in 430 years. About right?

But, there is MORE. Later.