Why did the sons of Jacob lose fellowship with Abraham's God?
The sons of Jacob ended up in Egypt, a pagan, godless land, because of famine and Joseph's position, and there they became mortgaged to the heathen Egyptians, fell into bondage, and lost fellowship with Abraham's God; therefore God had to redeem them.
Les explains that God had called Abraham and promised a nation through Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons, and God was in full fellowship with that line. But the brothers hated Joseph, the favored son, and for all practical purposes killed him, though God spared his life. Joseph ended up in Egypt and became second greatest in Egypt, controlling grain for the seven years of famine. When famine hit Canaan, the brothers had to go down to Egypt. As a result, Abraham's offspring, the sons of Jacob, were now in Egypt, a pagan, godless land. There they lost their fellowship with Abraham's God and became mortgaged to the pagan, heathen Egyptians. They were in bondage, so God would have to buy them back and redeem them. That redemption would come through the Passover blood and God's power at the Red Sea, as Israel was bought out of Egypt unto God's own self.