Acts 7:6
“God spoke in this way: that his offspring would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.”
What does Acts 7:6 mean?
Stephen is recounting God's promise to Abraham, reminding the Jewish council of their shared heritage. God was telling Abraham that his descendants would spend centuries in a foreign country as slaves before inheriting the promised land. This happened when Abraham's family went to Egypt during famine and eventually became enslaved until Moses led them out. The point Stephen is making—by recalling this ancient promise—is that hardship and displacement are part of God's bigger plan, not a sign of abandonment. Even when the people of Israel faced centuries of oppression, God never forgot them or his covenant. For those going through prolonged difficulty, this speaks to a God who sees long-term and doesn't lose sight of his people through their darkest seasons.