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Passages to study: Exodus chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Read with the class: Exodus 5:1-19, 10:24-29.
Memorization text: Younger children - Job 33:14.
Older children - Prov. 29:1.
OBJECTIVES: To show
1.That a believer may have to suffer while God carries out His work in the world.
2.That the servant of God may suffer from the misunderstanding even of his brothers in
Christ.
3.That God uses the ordinary, common-place things of life to show His power.
4.That God wants to bring about repentance., by exercising His patience and
goodness.
SCENE No. 1. In the country.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON:
- When he was younger, Moses got ahead of God in his attempt to free Israel.
- Forty years later, it was difficult to convince him that it was time to begin this great
work. However, at last he departed for Egypt.
Apl. When one is young, it is hard to wait, but as the years go by, one learns to doubt
oneself. Now Moses has to learn to have faith in God and in His word.
- In Ex. 4:27, Aaron receives instructions from God to go out into the wilderness to meet
Moses.
Sug. Imagine with the students what these two brothers would feel upon meeting after so
many years of separation.
- It is not known if they had been able to keep in touch during the time that Moses
was living in Pharaoh’s palace.
- Although it would seem almost impossible to Aaron, Moses brings good news about the
liberation of the Israelites from Egypt and their departure for the promised land..
Cns. Aaron had to have faith in the word of God spoken by his brother.
- Once they arrived in Egypt, Aaron introduced Moses to the elders of the Israelites, who
gathered to hear about God’s plans.
- Ex. 4:30. The signs that Moses and Aaron demonstrated led the people to believe
the words they spoke.
- The people’s faith in the word that was brought to them convinces them that they
must cooperate and obey.
- Israel was going to be affected by the plagues that were coming.
Apl. The believer finds himself involved with what God is doing while He carries out His
work in this world.
- Pharaoh is a figure of the devil, a cruel taskmaster who does not willingly give up his
control over the human race.
Cns. Probably some of the elders would remember the words spoken to Abraham long before,
about the years his descendants would spend in Egypt and how they would later be freed
from slavery.
Apl. Not only did they have the word of Moses which they had just heard, but also the
verification of God’s word given earlier to Abraham Gen. 15:12-16.
SCENE No. 2. Pharaoh’s palace.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE LESSON:
- The first time that Moses and Aaron present themselves before Pharaoh, he rejects their
request for freedom.
- One can imagine the dramatic scene and the tension that would reign in the palace when
Moses presents God’s Order: “The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Let My
people go ... ‘ “ Ex. 5:1.
FIG. (For flannelgraph, we suggest writing these words out, and those of Pharaoh, to add
to the scene.)
- Pharaoh refuses to recognize the Lord and despises Him with the words, “Who
is the Lord, that I should obey His voice? I know not the Lord, neither will I let
Israel go.”
- He will learn by bitter experience the answer to his defiant question.
- Another part of his reply is made when he increases the work of the enslaved Israelites.
- On a second appearance before Pharaoh, they perform the first miracle, something that
was immediately copied by the magicians.
- These two brothers had outstanding courage, but it would have been useless without God’s
power working in them.
- Moses’ rod is called the rod of God in Ex. 4:20.
Apl. God uses common things to achieve something uncommon. He wants it to be clear
that true power comes from Himself.
- Ex. 5:19-23. The Israelites do not understand how much commitment will be required
of them before they are finally set free. When they find themselves more heavily
loaded with work and are threatened with greater punishment for not fulfilling the demands
of their masters, they change their minds and criticize Moses.
Apl. Those who serve God are often misunderstood by the very people they are serving.
Sug. Take advantage of this moment to warn the students of the foolishness of criticizing
others when they don’t understand why certain things happen, although there is a
purpose unknown to them for what is happening.
SCENE No. 3.
- Flannelgraph figures could include:
··············(1a) Good drinkable water.
··············(1) Contaminated river water (color red).
··············(2) Frogs.
··············(3) Lice.
··············(4) Flies.
··············(5) Death of the cattle.
··············(6) Boils.
··············(7) Rain, Hail and Fire.
··············(8) Locusts.
··············(9) Thick darkness.
··············(10) Death of the firstborn..
·············· (List of the Plagues)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCENE:
Sug. Ask the students to imagine how they would feel if the plagues were to come today.
They might think of being in their homes, or on the street, at play or in
conversation, etc.
Cns. Ask the students which of the plagues would be the most bothersome, the most
damaging, the hardest to bear, etc.
Apl. The main lesson is that God speaks many times, offering new opportunities, but
unbelievers do not pay attention.
- God shows great patience with Pharaoh when He continues to speak to him.
- The magicians are able to imitate some of the plagues, but the gods of the Egyptians can
not take away even one of them, (Ex. 8:7-8), showing that no one should trust them.
- God shows Pharaoh His great goodness when He shortens the plagues because Pharaoh
apparently changes his mind.
- Pharaoh tries to make a deal with Moses so that not all of the Israelites would obey
God. If he can convince them to leave their children or their herds of animals, they
will not leave Egypt definitely
and forever.
Apl. Today there is a strong temptation to make an arrangement with the world for the sake
of gaining some advantage. It is said that it is important to get ahead, think
about your future welfare, etc., and not live separated from the world.
- Ex. 8:8-12. God shows great mercy toward Pharaoh when He does not send him a final,
devastating judgment. - The series of plagues which are removed as soon as he
requests it, show that God wants the Egyptians to repent.
- In the second last plague, the Egyptians sit for three days in their darkened houses,
surrounded by an extremely dense darkness. God wants them to realize they are lost
as long as they do not have His light.
Apl. Sinners live in spiritual darkness and the Lord Jesus alone, the *Light of the world,
can enlighten them and give them life.
Apl. God uses the unsavory, difficult experiences in life to call our attention to
Himself.
Sug. Ask the students if anyone has had some experience in which they recognized that God
was speaking to them.
Note: The last judgment, the death of the firstborn, is the subject of the next lesson.
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