8-10 Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.

11-16 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17-22 But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house, and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds. Acts 7:8-22 English Standard Version

In the first seven verses of this Chapter, Stephen, who was on trial for preaching about Jesus in Jerusalem, told the court of how Israel had been formed as a nation by God. God had called a man named Abram to move to a land which He would show him. Abram's name was changed to Abraham, and he became the father of Isaac, who then became the father of Jacob. After a strange encounter with God, Jacob's name was changed to Israel. He became the father of twelve sons, which led to the twelve tribes of Israel. That's how Israel was formed. Today's verses show how Israel was kept by God from disappearing as a people.

It starts with a man named Joseph, made famous to even those who aren't Christians by a musical called 'Joseph and his technicolour dream coat'. What was it that saved Joseph after his jealous brothers had sold him into slavery? (vs 8-10)

God was with him! Not only did God rescue him out of his afflictions, but He made Joseph a ruler over Egypt. We will surely never have as big a role to fill in God's plans as he did, but we can be encouraged by the knowledge that God is with His people, even when they go through deep trials. And, as with Joseph, our times of trial may equip us, or put us in a position, to be a blessing to others.

The second example of God preserving Israel was when the affliction of severe famine fell upon the land they were living in. Many people would've died in those days through such an event. But, through being able to interpret dreams, God had placed Joseph in a position of power. He arranged for grain to be stored in abundance in the years before the famine hit. And then, when his family came to Egypt to buy grain, he made himself known to them, and had the whole family – all seventy-five of them, including 'granddad Jacob' – brought to Egypt. Once again we see God looking after the people He had called to be His own.

The third incident of God's care was when, after a long time, the Israelites had grown from just 75 people to a large population. This made the Egyptians afraid, and laws were made to force fathers to expose their infants so they would not be kept alive. That would've led to the nation eventually fading out of history. But once again God stepped in. He caused a Jewish baby to be adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, and be raised in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. The same folk who built the Pyramids which still amaze people today. God preserves His people. So don't lose heart through the scary changes taking place in our world today!