The reason Israel was brought out of the land promised to Abraham was famine. Joseph’s brother sold him into slavery, but he made his way into the king’s court. He oversaw the stockpile of food because the Lord showed him it was coming. This is why all of Israel was in Egypt. See the book of Genesis. The three prominent subjects of Exodus are: God’s plan for deliverance God’s guidance for morality God’s order for worship. The length of time between Joseph’s death (Ge 50:26) and the beginning of Israel’s persecution by the Egyptians was about 220 years 3 Reasons For Redemption Exodus 1:8-12  1. Political Because of the rapid increase in their number, they were feared as a potential threat to the government’s security.  As a result, as time passed, their conditions changed.  The new ruler inaugurated a new policy toward them.  They came to be regarded as foreigners or slaves. The cursing of God’s people through a program of oppression leads to a great deliverance for them, but they must keep their eyes on the redemption promised to them in the promises delivered to the fathers. God permitted and used Israel’s time in slavery to keep them from serving false gods and from adopting the immoral lifestyles of most Egyptians. God’s people became such a force that the Government was worried that they would take over. God fearing people multiply rapidly because they have healthy marriages and work harder because they serve a God that calls them to do so. Why is it that we, as Christians in America, are not such a force that the Government is afraid of us? We are lazy and comfortable. We had our time of prominence, and we grew complacent. Exodus 1:13-14  2. Economic They were used for slave labor, and Pharaoh worked them ruthlessly.  This new Pharaoh, now determined to reduce them to slavery, set cruel taskmasters over them and forced them to do the most complex kind of public work—making bricks.  Under these conditions, the sons of Jacob were no longer free people who welcomed guests to another land.  They were slaves whose lot was one of oppression and suffering. Many people marvel at the pyramids today, and thought I mighty force had to have built these. Picture. They were right, it was God’s people. Sometimes God has us go through hardship to show us his hand. If you are walking in a time that you feel oppressed or a time when you have no hope, God may have you going through this to teach you something. The question is, will you learn or harden your heart? Exodus 1:15-22  3. Social The Egyptians acted brutally and violently toward the Israelites. Pharaoh initiated a state-sponsored genocide and demanded the killing of all male Hebrew babies. Pharaoh wanted to kill the boys to slow their growth so they would fear him.  The midwives “feared God” more than they feared the king of Egypt. The “fear of God” was then a response of faith. Even though these women lied to Pharaoh (which the Bible, as is often the case, does not stop to condemn at this point precisely), they are praised for their outright refusal to take infant lives. Their reverence for life reflected a reverence for God. God’s people did the right thing in the face of a government that starkly contrasted what they believed. They were more afraid of God than the pharaoh.  I think now we compromise our beliefs because we want to be cool instead of Holy. We compromise our beliefs to get in and fit in instead of being set apart as God has called us to be. What are our transformational moments? Are you lazy and just fine with allowing everyone to do the work of the Lord while you spectate? Do you need God to grow you in your testing time today? Would you land in jail to stand up for your beliefs?