But like the stars in the vast circuit of their appointed path, God's purposes know no haste and no delay. Through the symbols of the great darkness and the smoking furnace, God had revealed to Abraham the bondage of Israel in Egypt, and had declared that the time of their sojourning should be four hundred years. "Afterward," He said, "shall they come out with great substance." Gen. 15:14. Against that word, all the power of Pharaoh's proud empire battled in vain. On "the self-same day" appointed in the divine promise, "it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt." Ex. 12:41. So in heaven's council the hour for the coming of Christ had been determined. When the great clock of time pointed to that hour, Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

Men ligesom stjernerne på deres fastsatte banes store kredsløb, kender Guds formål hverken til hast eller opsættelse. Gennem symbolerne med det store mørke og den rygende ovn havde Gud åbenbaret Israels trældom i Egypten for Abraham og havde forkyndt, at tiden for deres ophold der skulle være fire hundrede år. Gud sagde: "Og siden skal de vandre ud med meget gods." 1Mos. 15,14. Imod dette ord kæmpede hele magten i Faraos stolte rige forgæves. "Netop på den dag," der var bestemt i det guddommelige løfte, "drog alle Herrens hærskare ud af Egypten." 2Mos. 12,41. På samme måde var timen for Kristi komme blevet besluttet i det himmelske råd. Da tidens store ur angav denne time, blev Jesus født i Betlehem.