Why did God tell Jacob to go down to Egypt?
The purpose was that God would make of Jacob a great nation in Egypt. Scripture records God telling him, "Fear not to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of thee a great nation." Israel thus became a nation in Egypt, in slavery, before coming out under Moses.
Les teaches that God's directive to Jacob fits the Abrahamic Covenant. God had promised Abraham a nation, a geographical land, and eventually His own government and King through Israel. Israel had to become a viable nation, and that occurred in Egypt, in slavery. God therefore told Jacob not to fear going down, because there He would make of him a great nation. Later they came out under Moses as a nation, went through the wilderness, entered the Promised Land under Joshua, were ruled by judges for 400 some years, then asked for a king. Saul failed, and David followed.
More Questions
What did God tell Jacob when he was about to go down to Egypt?
God spoke to Jacob and told him not to fear going down into Egypt, because there God would make of him a great nation.