God waited because the iniquity of the Amorites — the Canaanite peoples — had not yet reached its full measure (Genesis 15:16).
In Genesis 15:16, God told Abraham that his descendants would return in the fourth generation because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. Les teaches that God gave the Canaanite peoples about 400 years to straighten up their act, but instead they sank deeper and deeper into wickedness (Clips 1, 3). When their sin reached full measure, God was just in commanding Joshua to destroy them completely and give the land to Israel (Clips 1, 6).
Genesis 15:16 — This is the verse where God explicitly states the reason for the delay — the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full.
Genesis 15:13 — This verse establishes the 400-year timeframe of affliction that precedes Israel's return to Canaan.
In the covenant recorded in Genesis 15, God revealed both the timeframe and the reason for Israel's delay in occupying Canaan. He told 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.' He then promised to judge that nation and bring Israel out with great substance (Genesis 15:13-14). The explicit reason for the wait is given in Genesis 15:16: 'But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.' The fulfillment of this timeline is recorded in Exodus 12:40-41, where the children of Israel came out of Egypt at the end of 430 years.
Les connects Genesis 15:16 directly to Deuteronomy 7, where God told Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanite peoples — the same reason God gave Abraham centuries earlier (Clip 2). He notes that from Abraham's call until Joshua led Israel into the land was 'four hundred and almost ninety years,' and that throughout that time God was waiting for the Canaanites to turn from their iniquity (Clip 1). Instead, they went deeper and deeper into wickedness, immorality, and abominations, until God could fairly command Joshua to spare no one (Clips 1, 6). Les also clarifies the timeline: the 430 years from Abraham's call until Israel came out of Egypt did not mean the Israelites were in bondage for the entire 400 years — 215 years elapsed before the sojourn in Egypt even began (Clip 4). He emphasizes that the whole delay was part of God's sovereign plan, and that God let His own people suffer in Egypt so that the Amorites and Canaanites could prove the worthiness of the judgment that was coming (Clips 0, 5). Because they never repented, God 'gave the Canaanite people 400 years to straighten up their act' before commanding their complete destruction (Clips 3, 6).
In Genesis 15:16, God gave Abraham the explicit reason his descendants could not yet occupy Canaan: the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. Les explains that 'Amorites' is indicative of all the Canaanite tribes (Clip 2), and that God was waiting for the Canaanites to turn from their iniquity (Clip 1). They did not turn. Instead, they went deeper and deeper into immorality and abominations for roughly 400 years (Clips 1, 3). Only when their sin reached full measure did God command their total destruction (Clip 6).
Les references all three figures in his teaching. He says it was 'four hundred and almost ninety years' from the time of Abraham's call until Joshua led Israel in (Clip 1). He also teaches the 430 years God delineated from Abraham's call until Israel came out of Egypt, and he corrects the common impression that the Israelites were in slavery and bondage for the whole 400 years — 215 years of that timeline elapsed before the sojourn in Egypt even began (Clip 4).
Les teaches that God's command to kill every Canaanite was the righteous outcome of their own choices. God patiently let Israel suffer in Egypt so that the Amorites and Canaanites could prove the worthiness of the judgment that was coming (Clip 5). Because they became so rotten, God said not to spare one — not even an infant or a person of long years — because anyone left alive would corrupt Israel like 'a rotten apple in the barrel' that ruins the rest (Clips 1, 6).
When the 400-year wait had ended and Israel reached the border of Canaan, they still refused to believe God and insisted on sending spies. God told them He would drive the Canaanites out — He said He would use hornets — and that all they had to do was move in and take whatever was there (Clip 7). The spies returned with a frightening report, and Israel wept instead of trusting God's promise to give them the land (Clip 7).
God's Sovereign Plan in the Genesis 15 Prophecy
Les shows that Israel's 400-year affliction, their exodus with great substance, and the judgment of Egypt were all part of God's sovereign plan in the same prophecy that sets the timetable for Canaan.
The Full Mark of Wickedness
Les gives the core answer: God waited nearly 490 years for the Canaanites to turn from their iniquity; instead they sank deeper into wickedness, so God finally told Joshua to spare none of them.
The Amorites' Iniquity Not Yet Full
Les ties Genesis 15:16 to Deuteronomy 7, showing that the reason Israel was to destroy the Canaanite peoples was the same reason God gave Abraham: the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full.
400 Years to Straighten Up
Les states plainly that God gave the Canaanite people 400 years to straighten up their act, which is why Abraham's offspring had to stay out of the land until that time was up.
The 430-Year Timeline Clarified
Les clarifies that the 430 years from Abraham's call to the exodus did not mean Israel was in bondage the whole time — 215 years elapsed before the Egyptian sojourn even began.
Proving the Worthiness of Judgment
Les explains that God patiently let Israel suffer in Egypt so that the Amorites and Canaanites could prove the worthiness of the judgment that was coming upon them.
The Rotten Apple in the Barrel
Les describes God's fairness in telling Joshua to kill every Canaanite — even infants and the elderly — because one survivor would corrupt the whole nation like a rotten apple in a barrel.
Israel's Unbelief at the Border
Les shows what happened when the wait was over: Israel still refused to trust God, so despite His promise to drive the Canaanites out with hornets, they wept instead of taking the land.
Genesis 15:13: 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;
God's prophecy that Abraham's descendants would be afflicted for 400 years — the waiting period in question before they would occupy Canaan.
Genesis 15:16: But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
The definitive answer to the question: Israel would return only when the Amorites' iniquity was full.
Exodus 12:40-41: Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. 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.
Marks the exact end of the 430-year period, confirming that God fulfilled the promise to bring Israel out.
Deuteronomy 7:20: Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.
God's promise to drive the Canaanites out with hornets — the fulfillment Les references when Israel reached the border.
God told Abraham that his descendants would return to Canaan in the fourth generation because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full (Genesis 15:16). Les explains that God gave the Canaanite people 400 years to straighten up their act; instead they sank deeper into wickedness, proving that their judgment was just (Clips 1, 3).
Les corrects this common impression. He teaches that 430 years elapsed from Abraham's call until Israel left Egypt, and that 215 years of that period passed before the sojourn in Egypt even began (Clip 4).
By the time of Joshua, the Canaanites' iniquity had reached full measure. Les says God's command not to spare one — even infants or the aged — was fair and necessary, because one spared Canaanite would corrupt all Israel like a rotten apple in the barrel (Clips 1, 6).
No. Les emphasizes that the entire timeline was God's sovereign plan (Clip 0). The wait let the Canaanites' iniquity become full so that when Israel entered, God's judgment was clearly just (Clips 2, 5).
Watch the Teaching: Israel’s Title Deed: Understanding God's Covenant in Genesis 15