Intermediate Level, Block 4—Egypt to Good Land
Week 35
The Exodus from Egypt—Crossing the Red Sea
Point to Emphasize: We can be those who trust in the faithful God, who cares for His people and fulfills His promises.
Reference Reading: Exodus 13:20—14:31
Memory Verse: Trust in Jehovah with all your heart… (Proverbs 3:5)
Story Sample
God is faithful and He cares for His people and fulfills His promises. Last week we saw that the children of Israel were finally preparing to leave Egypt. God gave Moses the plan to be carried out, but God was also watching over His people to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
As the people left Egypt, Jehovah God went before them and led the way. During the day, He went before them in a pillar of cloud. At night, He was in a pillar of fire to give them light. This way, they could travel by day or by night. They did not need a map because Jehovah was always before them leading the way in the pillar of cloud or in the pillar of fire. They were on their way at last!
Back in Egypt, when Pharaoh was told that the children of Israel had fled, he and his servants once again changed their heart and regretted letting God’s people leave. So Pharaoh set up a chase to go after them. He got all the chariots of Egypt, and he and the Egyptians pursued after the children of Israel with all the horses, chariots, horsemen, and army. The children of Israel were camped by the sea when they saw Pharaoh and his army with their chariots coming for them. They got scared and cried out to Jehovah. They cried out to Moses asking him why he had brought them out of Egypt. They thought for sure Pharaoh would capture them and show no mercy.
What had the children of Israel forgotten? They had forgotten that God promised to bring them out of Egypt into Canaan, had forgotten all the things God did to force Pharaoh to let them go, and had forgotten God’s faithfulness and care. Oh, how easily we forget! Sometimes someone does something very nice to us, like our brother or sister sharing with us the cool toy they got as a reward. But then later they accidentally break the brick toy we were working so hard on building, and we forget how nice they had been to us and we get angry with them.
But Moses told the people not to be afraid, because Jehovah will fight for them and save them from the Egyptians. Oh, this is great! Now we get to see Jehovah fight the Egyptian armies. Jehovah, who was in front of the children of Israel as a pillar of cloud, moved to their rear and stood between them and the Egyptians. The Egyptians could not see the children of Israel, and when the children of Israel looked behind them, all they saw was the cloud. At night the cloud was light to them, while the Egyptians had darkness.
Now let’s see what happened next. Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Jehovah caused a strong wind to blow, parting the waters and drying up the land so the children of Israel could walk through. The waters stood like a big wall on either side. And you know what happened next? The Egyptians pursued them—Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen went in after them right into the sea. Then Jehovah looked down upon the Egyptians and made them all confused. He caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made it difficult for them to drive. The Egyptians realized that Jehovah was doing this, so they turned to try to escape. Right at that moment Jehovah said to Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea so that the waters would come back over the Egyptians with all their chariots. And Moses did. The sea washed back in as the Egyptians were trying to escape, covering the chariots and the horsemen, even all the army of Pharaoh. Not one of them was left. But the children of Israel were safe. That day Jehovah saved Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel believed in Jehovah and in Moses.
Wow! God was so faithful to take care of Israel and to fulfill His promises. He carried them through with the pillar of cloud, with the pillar of fire and by parting the Red Sea so they could go through and be saved from the Egyptians. In the very same way, God in His faithfulness is caring for each one of us. Yes, we might not see a pillar of cloud directing our way and yes, we might not see God opening up a sea in front of us. However, if we trust God we will see the amazing things He is doing in our lives in order to carry us through. We can surely trust in Him. [Storyteller, insert your own story of how you care or were care for by someone.]
We can be those who trust in God through our parents and those above us, like our serving ones, grandparents, aunts and uncles. We can see God’s faithfulness in the way they care for us and the way they take care of our needs.