What is the meaning of Acts 7:6? God told him “God spoke as follows: ‘Your descendants will be foreigners in a land not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.’ ” (Acts 7:6) • “Him” is Abraham, first called by God in Genesis 12:1–3 and later assured in Genesis 15:13–14 that the unfolding plan would include a long sojourn and affliction. • Stephen, retelling Israel’s history, highlights God’s initiative—He is the One who reveals, directs, and guarantees every step (Genesis 17:1–8). His descendants • The promise points beyond Abraham to Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve tribes (Genesis 12:7; 22:17). • This lineage is not merely biological; it is covenantal—God binds Himself to the offspring (Exodus 3:15–16). • Even when circumstances grow dark, the family line remains the channel of blessing (Romans 9:7–8). Foreigners in a strange land • “Foreigners” underscores displacement; Egypt was never meant to be their home (Genesis 46:1–4). • Joseph’s rise prepared the refuge, yet by Exodus 1:8 “a new king… did not know Joseph,” turning hospitality into hardship. • Living as outsiders trains God’s people to rely on Him alone (Deuteronomy 10:19; Hebrews 11:9). Enslaved and mistreated • Exodus 1:11–14 recounts forced labor: “They made their lives bitter with arduous labor”. • Oppression fulfills God’s forewarning but also sets the stage for His mighty deliverance (Exodus 3:7–8; Psalm 105:23–25). • Affliction does not negate the covenant; it showcases God’s power to redeem (Romans 8:18). Four hundred years • Genesis 15:13 gives the same figure; Galatians 3:17 shows the period ends with the giving of the Law. • The number is literal yet rounded, matching the 430 years in Exodus 12:40–41 that count from Jacob’s arrival to the Exodus. • God rules the calendar; the duration is fixed by His wisdom, proving His sovereignty over history (Acts 17:26). summary Acts 7:6 reminds us that God foreknew Israel’s exile, foretold its hardship, limited its length, and pledged deliverance. Abraham’s descendants would suffer, yet every moment unfolded under the watchful hand of the covenant-keeping God who turns bondage into blessing and strangers into heirs. |
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