The land back home where his father and brothers were living, however, was in food crisis. Jacob sent his oldest sons to Egypt to buy grain so they would not starve. Unbeknownst to the boys, they were about to come face-to-face with their little brother. Rather than extending bitterness, Joseph extended grace (so much like Jesus!) and welcomed his father and brothers and their entire families into Egypt. Their descendents were born and lived there for the next four hundred years.

A Little Time Travel
Ah, but they didn’t live free. The descendants became slaves to Egyptian rulers. Then, in 1526 BC a boy named Moses was born, supposedly to die, as Pharaoh had every baby boy born of the Israelites thrown into the Nile River.

But Moses lived. He was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter until he reached manhood. One day he saw an Egyptian beating one of his own people and he killed the abuser. When his sin was discovered he fled to Midian (located in Southeastern Sinai), married a young woman named Zipporah, had children, and worked as a shepherd. In time he stood before God Almighty who ordered him back to Egypt for the purpose of freeing His chosen race from slavery. He returned and the story we know as “The Exodus” occurred.

The Long Way Home
Eventually Pharaoh allowed his slaves to go free. With Moses in the lead (although directly behind the Lord), those who had just been in bondage began on what would be a 40-year trek toward the Promised Land.

Moses and the Lord had a “leadership meeting” of sorts. The Lord said to Moses, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.[2] This was most definitely an unlikely route and the long way home.