Elementary Level, Block 4—Moses
Week 31
Moses—The First Period of His Life
Point to Emphasize: We are best cared for in our families where we learn how to love God and follow Him.
Reference Reading: Exodus 2:9-10a; Acts 7:20; Hebrews 11:23-25
Memory Verse: As for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah. (Joshua 24:15)
Story Sample
Now we come to the second book in the Bible, the book of Exodus. In this book there is a story about a man named Moses who would one day grow up to lead God’s people back to the land God had given them. In the next weeks we will find out together what kind of person Moses was, and why we would like to be like him.
So let’s start at the very beginning, when Moses was just a baby. He was just like all of us, right? We all started out as babies, and every one of us had a dad and a mom. And some of us had brothers or sisters too. So Moses started out just like us.
But things changed very quickly for Moses. When Moses was born in Egypt, the ruler of the Egyptian people was called Pharaoh, and he had an evil plot to destroy all the Hebrew boy babies! Oh no! But God had a better plan for Moses!
Moses’ mom was a good mother, so she cared very much for this baby boy. She knew that her baby belonged to God. What would a good mother need to do to care for a baby? What did your mother do to take care of you when you were a baby? [Feeding, changing diapers, bathing, keeping warm and clothed, keeping him happy so he wouldn’t cry.] So when Moses mother found out about Pharaoh’s plan, she hid Moses. But, after three months, as he grew, it got harder and harder to hide him. Moses mom must have realized that she needed to do something soon, or the Egyptians might come and take her son away. I’m sure his mother must have prayed to God about what she should do. The plan that Moses mom decided on was to place her baby inside a basket and put him in the reeds at the river’s edge.
Now Moses had a sister, Miriam, and she was a very good sister. Can you tell me what makes a good sister? [Obedient to parents, loving her brother, watching out for him, following her parent’s instructions.] After their mom placed baby Moses in the river so that he would be safe, Miriam stayed nearby, watching to see what would happen to him.
One day Pharaoh’s daughter came to this very place along the river to bathe. And while she was bathing she saw the basket, hidden in the reeds. She realized that this must be one of the Hebrew boys that her father had ordered to be destroyed. She wanted to save him and keep him. She knew the baby was young and probably hungry and would need someone to nurse him, but what would she do?
Miriam was still watching her younger brother Moses, and she saw Pharaoh’s daughter holding the baby. So she approached Pharaoh’s daughter and asked if she would like Miriam to find a Hebrew woman to care for the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter agreed. Who do you think Miriam picked to take care of Moses? That’s right, Moses’ Mother? Pharaoh’s daughter did not know that it was his real family caring for him. So, during his early years Moses remained with his family and his mother was able to keep him safe. Then, when he was a little older, he moved into the palace with Pharaoh’s daughter.
Now, what did Moses’ family do with him during those early years? Sure, they fed him, cared for him, loved him….and what else? Since this family knew the true God, they surely taught their children about God—the One who created them, loved them, and chose them to be His people. They were preparing him for the day when he would go to live in the palace, so that he would never forget he belonged to God.
Moses family loved and followed God, and they had a family life that would cause their children to fear, love, and follow God, too. Maybe his family life was a little like ours. Maybe they sang hymns or children’s songs together, prayed together, and told stories about God. [Storyteller, please share your example on how in your household you sing together, read some verses, practice memorizing verses and review the story learned in children’s meeting. Lead the children to see that this is the best way to grow in our early years and that it will help them to be very useful later.]
So, this kind of family life was causing Moses to become something great, someone who loved God and would be useful to God! Wouldn’t you like to be useful to God one day?