“In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
{Genesis 15:16} (NIV1984)
God’s irrevocable promise to Abram had two parts; many descendants through his son who was not yet born and possession of the land on which Abram wandered. To have many descendants takes time. Babies become children, children become teenagers, teenagers become adults, adults become parents, and then the cycle starts again. The word 'generation', describes that cycle of time, and in this text, a generation is a 100 years (Acts 7:6).
Our human reasoning tells us God needed that time in order for enough people to be born to make a nation. Yet this verse tells us that the purpose of the 400 years was a spiritual purpose. We are given insight in this verse into our Holy God’s approach to time and sinful humans. God doesn’t need time, but we need time. Time doesn’t affect Him, but it affects us for we are creatures of time. There are set times allotted for us, including a set time period for us to repent, or conversely a set time that God will allow humans to continue in sin, before coming to them in wrath. The set time for the Amorites was 400 years.
The apostle Peter (2 Pe 3:9) tells us that a thousand years are like a day to God, and that He is not slow but He is patient with us, waiting for us to repent. Praise God for His patience, His long suffering, His willingness to give us time, and to strive with us! May we seek Him daily in confession and repentance.
No comments:
Post a Comment