What did God prophesy to Abraham about his descendants in Egypt?
God prophesied to Abraham that his descendants would be strangers in Egypt, serve and be afflicted four hundred years; that nation would be judged, and afterward they would come out with great substance. In the fourth generation they would return to Canaan.
Les explains that this is probably the beginning of genuine prophecy: God is telling Abraham what will happen long into the future, and it will come true exactly as He says. Abraham’s seed, meaning his children and children’s children, would be strangers in a land not theirs—Egypt—and would serve and be afflicted four hundred years. God also said He would judge Egypt, and afterward they would come out with great substance. Abraham himself would die in peace and be buried in a good old age. In the fourth generation, his descendants would come back to Canaan. Les ties this to why God later told Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanite peoples, because of the iniquity or wickedness of the Amorites, indicative of all the Canaanite tribes.
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;