Les Feldick Bible Study

When did the 430-year period that God told Abraham about come to an end?

The 430-year period ended when the tabernacle was raised up, when Israel was ready to go to the promised land, as the context explains. The last 215 years were in Egypt. This completes the time from Abraham's call. This timeframe began when God first called Abraham and concluded when the nation was prepared to enter the promised land.

Les explains that the 430-year period God told Abraham about transpired from the time He first called Abraham until Israel went out of the wilderness experience into the land of Egypt, or as he clarifies, when the tabernacle was raised up, when they were ready to go to the promised land. He notes that the 215 years in Egypt were part of that 430. God sovereignly directed Jacob's family to Egypt, telling Jacob in Genesis 46:3, "I am God, the God of thy father, fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there in Egypt make of thee a great nation." The twelve sons became the setting for the population explosion seen in Exodus. After the tabernacle was raised up and they were ready for the promised land, they rejected it and went 40 years in the wilderness.