G‑d told Moses that He was now going to redeem the Jewish people in order to give them the Torah and to bring them to the Land of Israel. Moses asked how he should explain G‑d’s silence throughout the Jews’ century of slavery. G‑d replied that He indeed felt their pain throughout their exile. However, the exile had a purpose, and His mercy is operative at all times, even if it is hidden. G‑d then told Moses that if he tells the people that the time of their redemption has arrived, they will believe him – despite their complaints about G‑d’s treatment of them.
The Promise of the Redemption
פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת הֶעָשׂוּי לָכֶם בְּמִצְרָיִם: (שמות ג:טז)
[G‑d told Moses to tell the people], “I have indeed remembered you and what is being done to you in Egypt.” Exodus 3:16

Even though the Jews had sunk to a dangerously low spiritual state, even serving idols, G‑d did not tell Moses to rebuke them or to warn them that if they do not mend their ways their exile will continue. Rather, G‑d instructed him to remind them of the merit of their forbears and to announce that in this merit and in the merit of their suffering they were about to be redeemed. Only much later, when he had an alternative for them – a commandment for them to fulfill – did Moses tell the Jews to stop serving idols.

Similarly, the most effective way to draw the hearts of our fellow Jews closer to G‑d is by first showing them the beauty of their heritage and uplifting them with the promise of the Redemption.1