The Number Four Hundred Thirty The number four hundred and thirty years, which, though it has the same point as to its termination, does not commence at the same point. From the call of Abraham, or the "promise" made to him at that call (Genesis 12:3), unto the Exodus was 430 years. This covers the whole period of the "sojourning"; not of Abraham's "seed," as in Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6, but of Abraham himself. This is what is mentioned in Galatians 3:17 as the period from the "promise" to the "Law." It is referred to also in Exodus 12:40, where the "sojourning" is the nominative case (or subject) of the verb, while the sentence, "who dwelt in Egypt," is merely a relative clause, defining parenthetically an important point concerning them. The Number Four Hundred Ninety This is the period of the 70 sevens referred to under the head of Chronology. We need not therefore further enlarge on it here beyond pointing out the spiritual significance of the number itself as being seven times seventy. Daniel was praying, and he was concerned about the 70 years prophesied of by Jeremiah (Daniel 9:2 and Jeremiah 25:11,12, 19:10). And the answer meant that though those 70 appointed years were about to end in restoration and blessing, another period of seven times 70 years had been determined (9:24-27), and they would commence from the very "decree" (Nehemiah 2) which should end the former 70 years. And these should run their course, marked by certain incidents, before the full and final restoration of Daniel's "city" and "people" should be accomplished. The number 490 marks the product of spiritual perfection (7) with regard to the working out of Jerusalem's number (70). For 7 times 70 is 490. | 