The fulfillment of time and the manner of departure

And I have brought her to their ruler, that is, the Word ruling over them, in order to praise her; for this was the purpose of the holy Abraham, to bring them joyfully. [Genesis 12:12: And there fell upon Abram a dark and great fear concerning the suns.]

But Abram, beholding divine sights, was seized by a fear befitting perfection. Note that a dark ecstasy fell upon him concerning the suns, signifying the progress of the Word by the passing of the day of his present state, so that another progress of blessing might be received by him as it comes upon him, according to which it was said: 'I will fulfill him with length of days,' Genesis 25:15 not necessarily promising him long life, but clearly progress in illuminations. Therefore 'ecstasy' falls upon him; and ecstasy is not like madness, but is wonder and the translation from the visible to the invisible. For the apostle says: 'Whether then we are beside ourselves, or whether we are in our right minds' 2 Cor 5:13, not declaring that we have learned from God, but that, even if we become outside of human things through contemplation, we do this through God, just as David says: 'I said in my ecstasy: Every man is a liar' Ps 52:6; for having become ecstatic, he says concerning men that they are liars, he himself no longer being a man because of the communion of the Holy Spirit, but being another of those concerning whom it was said: 'For where there is strife and jealousy among you, are you not humans and walking according to human ways?' Gal 5:15. While Abram is in ecstasy, a dark fear falls upon him, not participating in darkness but in uncertainty and not knowing readily; such a great fear does not happen to small men. And since instead of uncertainty darkness is often taken, it is said: 'And he set darkness in his hiding place' Ps 18:11; and in truth, the contemplation and comprehension of super-abundant dogmas instills a gloom upon the great, and falls upon such people a divine fear with reverence.

And it was said to Abram: 'Knowing you shall know that your seed shall be a stranger in a land not its own, and they shall enslave them and afflict them for four hundred years; and the nation, which they shall serve, I will judge; and after these things they shall come out this way with much spoil.' Genesis 15:13-14 The sojourning into Egypt...

The word foretells it; for they did not dwell as strangers being their own, having served Pharaoh and having been much ill-treated by him and the Egyptians. It does not contend with what is written there in Exodus; for there it is said: 'After four hundred and thirty years the power of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt' (Exodus 12:40), here it says 'after forty'; but it must be understood that it was not said that they went out upon the completion of the four hundred years, but after four hundred years, which the thirty years make manifest. And the 'I will judge the nation whom they shall serve' (Exodus 12:3) has reached its outcome according to what is written in Exodus; for He brought upon them ten-fold plagues, and they sank at last like lead in much water. But also 'with much baggage' (Exodus 12:36) they have gone out, as history shows, from which we are instructed that, even if God ill-treats someone in time, He does not do this differently, but for a good end.

If the word also alludes to the sojourning of the saints, consider this. 'And you shall go to your fathers in peace, having been nourished in a good old age; but in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full' (Genesis 15:15-16). It is apparent from the immediate text that he is foretelling to him the departure from life. And for edification, these things might be said. The wise man departs from life in peace, but the one sinning has confused thoughts and has a troubled soul; and just as one is received in death, so he will be judged. The one having prepared peace for himself from this place, he departs in peace, but the one having trouble and confused thoughts toward this, he will be judged. This is shown from what is in Ecclesiastes: 'Wherever the wood falls, there it remains' (Ecclesiastes 9:7). This does not have this meaning in history; for it is not always that wherever wood falls, there it remains; for often it is moved; but it is clear that the man is what is signified in enigma through the wood, so he will be judged as he is found.

Therefore, fittingly, Abraham will depart to the fathers being pleasing to God, sharing the same promise; for 'the firstfruits' are 'Christ, then those of Christ.' And even for the righteous, the promise and the dwelling are different; for there are many dwellings with the Father. Thus, he will depart to the fathers according to the Spirit, being diligent in the...