The Israelites were in captivity in Egypt for hundreds of years. It was not until God summoned Moses to deliver them from the Pharaoh of Egypt did they escape this incarceration. Shortly after crossing the Red Sea the Israelites entered the forty-year time period known as the Exodus. Exodus literally means "out of homeland"; this term has been applied to many recent events that have happened in the past half-century. Migration is the movement of one people to another land; in the case of an exodus this movement is out of one's homeland. For example, the relocation of Jews known as the Bataan death march can be referred to as an example of a modern day migration. Migration is the movement of one people to another land; in the case of an exodus this movement is out of one's homeland. .
The departure of Catholics from Iraq to neighboring European countries is the most recent example of an exodus. The similarities are outweighed by the differences from the biblical account, however one cannot deny that such a mass movement over two-thirds of Iraq citizens who align themselves with the Catholic Church have left their homeland in midst of oppression, economic despair, and the fear of war. Besides leaving their homeland and being oppressed these people have left from the same Middle Eastern region that the Israelites entered into after their wandering. Although the majority of Catholics have left Iraq not all have them have departed, as did all the Israelites when they fled from Egypt. Attacks upon Catholic establishments have occurred recently, but the minor oppression that these Catholics have endured has not been seen as a punishment from God that they needed to repent for. The Hebrews believed that they needed to call out to their Lord in order to be delivered (Exodus 3: 7-8). Throughout human history people from around the world with different cultures and beliefs have been continually treated cruelly.
