Bible Reading: Exodus 1: 1-22 

Main Idea 

God keeps His promises and provides for His chosen people. 

The Israelites experienced a terrible time in Egypt, but God had not forgotten them. He remained concerned about His people and continued working even during their suffering. 

The Story 

The story of Exodus continues from the end of Genesis. Jacob, who was also called Israel, and his family had gone to Egypt during a great famine. Jacob's son Joseph had become an important leader in Egypt, and his family settled in Goshen.

As time passed, Joseph and his generation died. However, the Israelites continued to have many children and became very numerous.

Eventually, a new Pharaoh came to power who did not know Joseph. He became afraid of the growing Israelite population. Pharaoh thought that if war came, the Israelites might join Egypt's enemies, fight against Egypt and leave the country.

Because of his fear, Pharaoh made the Israelites slaves. Slave masters were placed over them, and they were forced to perform hard labor. They built the store cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh.

But something unexpected happened: the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more numerous they became.

Pharaoh then tried another plan. He ordered two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill the Hebrew baby boys when they were born while allowing the girls to live.

The midwives feared God and refused to obey Pharaoh's command. They allowed the boys to live.

God was kind to the midwives and gave them families of their own. Meanwhile, the Israelites continued to become even more numerous.

Finally, Pharaoh commanded his people to throw every Hebrew baby boy into the Nile River, while allowing the girls to live.

Bible Reading : Exodus 2:1-22

Main Idea 

God is always at work, even when we cannot see the results.

Study 2 follows Moses from his birth through his escape to Midian and shows how God protected and prepared him. 

The Story 

A man and woman from the tribe of Levi had a baby boy. Because Pharaoh had commanded that Hebrew baby boys be killed, the baby's mother hid him.

She successfully hid him for three months.

When she could no longer hide him, she made a basket from papyrus, placed the baby inside it and put the basket among the reeds along the Nile River.

Pharaoh's daughter went to the Nile to bathe and discovered the basket. She realized that the baby was a Hebrew child, but she felt sorry for him.

The baby's own mother was eventually brought to care for him, and Pharaoh's daughter paid her to do so.

When he grew older, Pharaoh's daughter took him as her son and named him Moses.

Moses therefore grew up as part of the Egyptian royal family and was educated like an Egyptian. However, he still cared about the Hebrews.

One day, Moses saw an Egyptian mistreating a Hebrew. Moses killed the Egyptian and hid his body.

When Pharaoh learned what Moses had done, he wanted to kill him.

Moses fled Egypt and escaped to Midian.

There he sat near a well and encountered the daughters of Reuel. When other shepherds mistreated the women, Moses helped them.

Reuel welcomed Moses into his household. Moses eventually married Reuel's daughter Zipporah, became a shepherd and began a new life in Midian.

Bible Reading: Exodus 2:23 - 3:22 

Main Idea 

God accmplishes His purposes by calling people to work with Him. 

This is where Moses' story changes dramatically. God is about to send Moses back to Egypt. 

The Story 

After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites remained in slavery and cried out because of their suffering.

God heard them.

He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saw what was happening to the Israelites and was concerned about them.

Meanwhile, Moses was living in Midian and working as a shepherd.

While tending sheep, Moses came to Horeb. There he saw something extraordinary:

A bush was on fire, but it was not being destroyed.

Moses approached to investigate.

God called to him from the bush.

God told Moses not to come closer and instructed him to remove his sandals because the place where he was standing was holy ground.

God explained that He had seen the misery of His people in Egypt and heard their cries. He knew about their suffering and had come to rescue them.

God intended to bring them out of Egypt and into a good and spacious land.

But God was going to involve Moses in His plan.

He told Moses that He was sending him to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Moses questioned his ability:

Who was he to go to Pharaoh and bring Israel out of Egypt?

God's answer was what Moses needed: God would be with him.

Moses then wondered what he should tell the Israelites if they asked for the name of the God who sent him.

God identified Himself as “I AM WHO I AM.”

Moses was to tell the Israelites that I AM had sent him.

God then instructed Moses to gather the elders of Israel and give them God's message.

God's plan also included the Israelites leaving Egypt with possessions. The study says that the Egyptians would give them silver, gold and clothing, so they would not leave Egypt empty-handed. 

Bible Reading: Exodus 4:1-21, Exodus 27-31 

Main Idea 

God has the power to keep His promises and to do miracles. 

God had called Moses to return to Egypt and help lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses was afraid and unsure that the people would believe him, but God did not send Moses without help. He gave Moses miraculous signs, promised to help him speak, and sent Aaron to help him. 

The Story 

After God called Moses at the burning bush, Moses was still worried. He asked what would happen if the Israelites did not believe him or listen to him.

God responded by showing Moses that His power would be with him.

🐍 The First Sign — The Staff Becomes a Snake

God asked Moses what he had in his hand.

Moses had his staff, the shepherd's crook he used while caring for sheep.

God told Moses to throw it onto the ground. When Moses did, the staff became a snake.

Moses ran away from it!

God then instructed Moses to reach out and take the snake by its tail. When Moses picked it up, it became a staff again.

This miraculous sign would help the Israelites believe that God had truly appeared to Moses.

✋ The Second Sign — Moses' Hand

God gave Moses another miraculous sign.

Moses placed his hand inside his cloak. When he removed it, his hand had become leprous.

God told him to put his hand back into his cloak. When Moses removed it again, his hand had returned to normal.

The study explains that this sign demonstrated God's power working through Moses. 

💧 The Third Sign — Water Becomes Blood

God provided a third sign in case the people still refused to believe.

Moses could take water from the Nile River and pour it onto dry ground.

The water would become blood on the ground.

So Moses was given three miraculous signs:

Staff → Snake → Staff

Healthy Hand → Leprous Hand → Healthy Hand

Water from the Nile → Blood

These signs were evidence that Moses had truly been sent by God. 

🗣️ Moses Makes Another Excuse

Even after seeing God's power, Moses remained afraid.

Moses told God that he had never been a good speaker. He described himself as “slow of speech and tongue.”

Moses did not believe that he was capable of speaking before Pharaoh and the people.

But God reminded Moses who had created the human mouth.

God asked who makes people able to speak, who makes them mute or deaf, and who gives them sight or makes them blind.

God then told Moses that He would help Moses speak and teach him what to say.

The problem was not whether Moses was capable enough. God had promised to help him.

Yet Moses still asked God to send someone else.

The study explains that God became angry with Moses when Moses continued making excuses. It was not wrong for Moses to ask questions, but once God had answered those questions, Moses needed to act rather than continue making excuses because he was afraid. 

👥 God Sends Aaron to Help

God did not leave Moses to do everything alone.

God told Moses that his brother Aaron the Levite could speak well.

Aaron would help Moses speak to Pharaoh and the people.

God would help both Moses and Aaron know what to do.

Moses would also take his staff with him because God would use it to perform miraculous signs.

🧳 Moses Returns to Egypt

Moses finally agreed to do what God had called him to do.

He returned to Jethro, also known as Reuel, and said goodbye.

Moses then took his wife and family and began the journey back toward Egypt.

Importantly, Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

The shepherd's staff that Moses once used to guide sheep would now be used by God in miraculous signs. 

🤝 Moses Meets Aaron

God had also been working through Aaron.

Moses met Aaron in the desert, just as the Lord had said.

Together, Moses and Aaron returned to Egypt.

They gathered the elders of Israel.

Aaron told the elders what God had said to Moses, and Moses performed the miraculous signs before the people.

What did the Israelites do?

They believed.

When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped God.

Moses had been worried that they would not believe him, but God demonstrated His power and kept His promises.

Bible Reading: Exodus 5:1-23  Exodus 6:1-9 

Main Idea 

God reassures His people during difficult times and remains faithful to His promises, even when circumstances seem to get worse.

Moses and Aaron obeyed God by asking Pharaoh to release the Israelites. However, instead of setting them free, Pharaoh made their lives more difficult. The Israelites became discouraged, but God reminded Moses that He had not forgotten His people and would deliver them from slavery.

The Story 

After Moses and Aaron returned to Egypt and spoke to the Israelite elders, the people believed that God had heard their suffering. They were hopeful that they would soon be free from slavery.

Moses and Aaron then went to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and delivered God's message. They told Pharaoh to let the Israelites go so they could hold a festival to the Lord in the wilderness.

However, Pharaoh refused to obey. He questioned who the Lord was and declared that he did not know Him. Pharaoh made it clear that he would not let the Israelites go.

Moses and Aaron explained that the God of the Hebrews had appeared to them. They asked Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to God.

Instead of agreeing, Pharaoh accused Moses and Aaron of distracting the Israelites from their work. He believed the people were being lazy and wanted an excuse to stop working.

That same day, Pharaoh gave a new command to the Egyptian slave drivers and Israelite foremen. Previously, the Israelites had been provided with straw to make bricks. Now, they would have to find their own straw, but they were still expected to produce the same number of bricks every day.

This made their work much harder. The Israelites spread throughout Egypt gathering stubble, which they could use instead of straw. However, finding the materials took extra time, making it difficult to complete their daily work.

The Egyptian slave drivers continued demanding the same number of bricks. When the Israelites failed to meet their required quota, the Israelite foremen were beaten.

The foremen went to Pharaoh and complained about the unfair treatment. They explained that the workers were no longer receiving straw but were still expected to make the same number of bricks.

Pharaoh refused to listen. He again accused them of being lazy and ordered them to return to work without reducing their brick quota.

After leaving Pharaoh, the Israelite foremen met Moses and Aaron. They were angry because they believed Moses and Aaron had made their situation worse. Instead of being freed, the Israelites were suffering more than before.

Moses became discouraged and turned to God in prayer. He asked why the Israelites were experiencing even more trouble and why God had sent him if the people were not being rescued.

God responded by reassuring Moses that His plan had not changed. He told Moses that Pharaoh would eventually release the Israelites because of God's mighty hand. In fact, Pharaoh would be forced to drive them out of Egypt.

God reminded Moses of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He had promised to give their descendants the land of Canaan, and He had not forgotten that promise.

God explained that He had heard the groaning of the Israelites and remembered His covenant. He promised to free them from slavery, redeem them with His mighty power, take them as His people and bring them into the Promised Land.

Moses delivered this message to the Israelites, but they did not listen because they were discouraged by their harsh labor and cruel bondage.

Although the Israelites could not yet see how God would rescue them, God was still working to fulfill His promises.

Memory Verse

"Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant." - Exodus 6:5 (NIV) 

Bible Reading: Exodus 6:28- 30 Exodus 7:1-24 

Main Idea 

God used miraculous signs and plagues to demonstrate His power and authority over Pharaoh and the false gods of Egypt.

Although Pharaoh repeatedly refused to obey God's command to release the Israelites, God continued revealing His power through Moses and Aaron. The events showed that the Lord was greater than Pharaoh and the Egyptian magicians.

The Story 

After God reassured Moses that He would rescue the Israelites, He once again instructed Moses to speak to Pharaoh and tell him everything that God commanded.

However, Moses was still worried about his ability to speak. He questioned why Pharaoh would listen to him when he spoke with faltering lips.

God explained that Moses would represent Him before Pharaoh, while his brother Aaron would serve as his prophet, speaking the messages God gave Moses.

God also warned Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh's heart would become hard and that he would refuse to listen, even after witnessing miraculous signs and wonders.

Nevertheless, God promised to bring the Israelites out of Egypt through mighty acts of judgment. Through these events, the Egyptians would come to know that He was the Lord.

Moses and Aaron obeyed God's instructions. At this time, Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83 years old.

God told Moses and Aaron what to do when Pharaoh asked them to perform a miracle. Aaron was to take his staff and throw it onto the ground in front of Pharaoh.

When Aaron threw down his staff, it became a snake.

Pharaoh then summoned his wise men, sorcerers and magicians. Using their secret arts, the Egyptian magicians also threw down their staffs, which became snakes.

However, something remarkable happened. Aaron's staff swallowed up the staffs of the Egyptian magicians.

This demonstrated that God's power was greater than the power of the Egyptian magicians.

Despite witnessing this miracle, Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as God had said.

God then instructed Moses to meet Pharaoh the next morning when he went to the Nile River.

Moses was to tell Pharaoh that the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, had sent him with a command to let the Israelites go so they could worship Him in the wilderness.

Because Pharaoh continued refusing to obey, God would demonstrate His power through a plague.

God instructed Moses to tell Aaron to take his staff and stretch out his hand over the waters of Egypt.

In the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised his staff and struck the water of the Nile River.

Immediately, the water of the Nile turned into blood.

This was the first plague that God sent upon Egypt.

The plague affected the waters of Egypt, including its rivers, streams, ponds and reservoirs. Even water stored in wooden buckets and stone jars was affected.

The consequences were terrible. The fish in the Nile died, the river began to smell terrible, and the Egyptians could no longer drink its water.

The Nile River was extremely important to Egypt because the people depended on it for water and daily life.

The Egyptians also worshipped a false god associated with the Nile named Hapi. They believed Hapi was responsible for the greatness of the river. By turning the Nile into blood, God demonstrated that He was more powerful than the gods worshipped by the Egyptians.

However, Pharaoh's magicians were also able to imitate the sign using their secret arts.

Because of this, Pharaoh continued refusing to listen to Moses and Aaron. His heart remained hard, and he returned to his palace without taking the warning seriously.

Meanwhile, the Egyptians were desperate for drinking water. They dug along the Nile River to find water because they could not drink from the river.

Even after witnessing God's power through the snake and the plague of blood, Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites.

But God's plan was not finished. He would continue demonstrating His power until the Israelites were delivered from slavery.

Memory Verse 

"The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." - Psalm 24:1 (NIV) 

Bible Reading: Exodus 7:25   Exodus 8: 1-32 

Main Idea 

God demonstrated His power over creation through the plagues, showing that the Egyptian gods were false gods and that He alone was the true God.

Although Pharaoh continued refusing to release the Israelites, God gave him several opportunities to obey. Through the plagues of frogs, gnats and flies, God showed that He controlled nature, heard the prayers of His servants and protected His people.

The Story 

After God turned the Nile River into blood, seven days passed. Pharaoh still refused to release the Israelites, even after witnessing God's power.

God instructed Moses to return to Pharaoh and command him to let the Israelites go so they could worship Him. God warned Pharaoh that if he refused, Egypt would experience another plague.

The Second Plague — Frogs

When Pharaoh refused to listen, God instructed Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his staff over the waters of Egypt.

Aaron obeyed, and frogs came out of the Nile River and covered the land of Egypt.

The frogs were everywhere. They entered people's houses, bedrooms, beds, kitchens and even the palace of Pharaoh. The Egyptians could not escape them.

Pharaoh summoned his magicians, who used their secret arts to make frogs come up on the land as well. However, although the magicians could imitate the miracle, they could not remove the frogs.

For the first time, Pharaoh asked Moses and Aaron to pray to the Lord to remove a plague. He promised that if the frogs disappeared, he would allow the Israelites to leave Egypt and offer sacrifices to God.

Moses asked Pharaoh when he wanted the frogs removed. Pharaoh answered, “Tomorrow.”

Moses agreed and explained that this would demonstrate that there was no one like the Lord.

Moses then prayed to God, and the Lord answered his prayer. The frogs died in the houses, courtyards and fields.

The Egyptians gathered the dead frogs into large heaps, and the land began to smell terrible.

However, when Pharaoh saw that the plague had ended, he hardened his heart and refused to let the Israelites go, breaking his promise.

The Third Plague — Gnats

God then instructed Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his staff and strike the dust of the ground.

When Aaron obeyed, the dust throughout Egypt became gnats, which covered people and animals.

Pharaoh's magicians attempted to produce gnats using their secret arts, just as they had done with the earlier miracles.

However, this time, the magicians could not duplicate the miracle.

Recognizing that the power behind the plague was greater than their own, the magicians told Pharaoh:

“This is the finger of God.”

This was an important moment because the Egyptian magicians were beginning to recognize that the Lord was more powerful than the gods they worshipped.

Despite their warning, Pharaoh's heart remained hard, and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron.

The Fourth Plague — Flies

God once again sent Moses to Pharaoh with the command to release the Israelites so they could worship Him.

When Pharaoh refused, God warned that swarms of flies would cover Egypt.

However, this plague would be different from the previous ones.

God promised that the flies would not enter Goshen, the region where the Israelites lived.

By protecting Goshen, God would demonstrate that He could distinguish between His people and the Egyptians.

The next day, enormous swarms of flies entered Pharaoh's palace and the houses of the Egyptians.

The flies spread throughout Egypt, and the land was ruined because of them.

However, the Israelites living in Goshen were protected from the swarms.

Pharaoh eventually called Moses and Aaron and offered to let the Israelites sacrifice to God, but only if they remained inside Egypt.

Moses refused because the Israelites needed to travel into the wilderness to worship God as He had commanded.

Pharaoh then offered a compromise. He agreed to let the Israelites travel into the wilderness, but warned them not to go very far.

He also asked Moses to pray for him.

Moses agreed to pray but warned Pharaoh not to deceive the Israelites again by refusing to release them after the plague ended.

Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.

God answered Moses' prayer and removed every fly from Pharaoh, his officials and his people. Not a single fly remained.

However, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart and refused to let the Israelites go.

Although God had repeatedly demonstrated His power, Pharaoh continued disobeying Him.

Through these plagues, God showed that He alone rules over creation, that the Egyptian gods were powerless compared with Him, and that He was able to protect His chosen people.

Memory Verse 

"Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when i call to him." - Pslam 4:3 (NIV) 

Bible Reading: Exodus 9:1-35 

Main Idea 

There is no one like the Lord in all the earth. God has power over animals, weather and even the most powerful rulers.

Through three additional plagues, God demonstrated His authority over Egypt and continued giving Pharaoh opportunities to obey. However, Pharaoh remained stubborn and refused to release the Israelites, even after witnessing the suffering caused by his decisions.

The Story 

After the plagues of frogs, gnats and flies, Pharaoh continued refusing to release the Israelites from slavery.

Although God had repeatedly demonstrated His power, Pharaoh would not obey His commands.

God once again instructed Moses to go before Pharaoh and deliver His message:

“Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”

God warned Pharaoh that if he continued refusing, more plagues would come upon Egypt.

The Fifth Plague — Death of Livestock

God warned Pharaoh that a terrible disease would strike the livestock belonging to the Egyptians.

The disease would affect animals such as horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep and goats.

However, God promised to make a distinction between the animals belonging to the Egyptians and those belonging to the Israelites.

The livestock of the Israelites would be protected.

God also announced that the plague would happen the following day.

Just as God had said, the plague struck Egypt, and the Egyptian livestock were devastated by the disease.

However, not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.

Pharaoh even sent officials to investigate what had happened to the Israelites' animals.

When they returned, they confirmed that none of the Israelites' livestock had died.

Despite seeing this difference, Pharaoh remained stubborn and refused to release the Israelites.

This plague also demonstrated God's power over the Egyptian gods. The Egyptians worshipped a bull god known as Haap or Apis, whom they believed protected livestock.

By sending the plague, God showed that this false god could not protect the Egyptians' animals.

The Sixth Plague — Boils

Because Pharaoh continued refusing to obey, God instructed Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of soot from a furnace.

God told Moses to throw the soot into the air while standing before Pharaoh.

When Moses obeyed, the soot spread throughout Egypt like fine dust.

The dust caused painful boils to break out on the Egyptians and their animals.

Boils were painful swellings or sores that developed on the skin.

Even Pharaoh's magicians were affected by the boils.

The magicians, who had previously attempted to imitate God's miracles, could not stand before Moses because of their boils.

However, Pharaoh still refused to listen.

The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, just as He had told Moses would happen.

Even though the Egyptians were suffering, Pharaoh continued resisting God's command.

The Seventh Plague — Hail

God then instructed Moses to return to Pharaoh early in the morning and warn him about another plague.

This time, God would send a terrible hailstorm unlike anything Egypt had experienced since it became a nation.

God explained that He could have already destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but He had allowed Pharaoh to remain so that His power could be demonstrated.

In Exodus 9:16, God explained that His purpose was to show His power so that His name would be proclaimed throughout the earth.

God warned that the hailstorm would destroy people and animals left outside without shelter.

However, He gave the Egyptians an opportunity to protect themselves.

Some of Pharaoh's officials feared the word of the Lord and hurried to bring their servants and livestock indoors.

Others ignored God's warning and left their servants and animals outside.

God then instructed Moses to stretch out his staff toward the sky.

When Moses obeyed, the Lord sent thunder, lightning and a powerful hailstorm across Egypt.

The hail struck people, animals, plants and trees throughout the land.

The storm was so severe that it destroyed crops and damaged the land.

However, no hail fell in Goshen, where the Israelites lived.

This once again demonstrated God's ability to protect His people while bringing judgment upon Egypt.

The Bible explains that the flax and barley crops were destroyed because they had already developed, while the wheat and spelt were not destroyed because they ripened later.

When Pharaoh saw the destruction, he summoned Moses and Aaron.

For the first time, Pharaoh admitted:

“This time I have sinned.”

He acknowledged that the Lord was right and that he and his people were wrong.

Pharaoh asked Moses to pray for the thunder and hail to stop. He promised that he would release the Israelites.

Moses told Pharaoh that he would leave the city, stretch out his hands toward the Lord and pray for the storm to end.

Moses explained that this would demonstrate that the earth belongs to the Lord.

However, Moses also told Pharaoh that he knew Pharaoh and his officials still did not truly fear the Lord.

After leaving Pharaoh, Moses prayed to God.

The Lord answered his prayer, and the thunder, hail and rain stopped.

But when Pharaoh saw that the storm had ended, he sinned again and hardened his heart.

His officials also hardened their hearts.

Despite experiencing seven plagues and repeatedly witnessing God's power, Pharaoh still refused to let the Israelites go.

Through these events, God demonstrated that He had authority over animals, sickness, weather and earthly rulers.

The Egyptians believed that Pharaoh and their gods were powerful, but the plagues revealed that there was no one like the Lord in all the earth.

Memory Verse 

"A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart." - Proverbs 21:2 (NIV) 

Bible Reading: Exodus 10: 1 - 29   Exodus 11: 1 - 10 

Main Idea 

God has power over everything and everyone, and He continued giving Pharaoh opportunities to obey Him.

Even after witnessing seven terrible plagues, Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites. God demonstrated His power through the plagues of locusts and darkness and warned Pharaoh about the final plague. These events showed that God was greater than Pharaoh and the false gods of Egypt.

The Story 

After the devastating hailstorm, Egypt had suffered enormous destruction. Animals had died, crops had been damaged, and the Egyptian people were experiencing the consequences of Pharaoh's refusal to obey God.

However, Pharaoh continued to harden his heart and would not allow the Israelites to leave Egypt.

God instructed Moses to return to Pharaoh once again. He explained that the miraculous signs were intended to demonstrate His power and help future generations of Israelites understand what He had done in Egypt.

God wanted the Israelites to tell their children and grandchildren about the miracles He performed so that they would know that He was the Lord.

The Eighth Plague — Locusts

Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh and delivered God's command to let the Israelites go so they could worship Him.

They warned Pharaoh that if he continued refusing, God would send a terrible plague of locusts upon Egypt.

Locusts are insects similar to grasshoppers. They travel in large groups called swarms and can destroy enormous amounts of vegetation.

God warned that the locusts would cover the ground so completely that the Egyptians would barely be able to see it. They would eat everything that had survived the earlier hailstorm, including the remaining crops and plants.

Pharaoh's officials were becoming increasingly concerned about the destruction of Egypt. They pleaded with Pharaoh to release the Israelites, asking whether he realized that Egypt was already ruined.

Pharaoh then summoned Moses and Aaron and asked who would be leaving Egypt to worship God.

Moses explained that everyone would go, including the young and old, sons and daughters, and their flocks and herds.

However, Pharaoh refused to allow everyone to leave. He offered to let only the men go and worship the Lord.

Moses and Aaron would not accept this restriction because God's command was for His people to leave Egypt.

God then instructed Moses to stretch out his hand over Egypt.

When Moses obeyed, the Lord caused a strong east wind to blow across the land throughout the day and night.

By morning, the east wind had brought an enormous swarm of locusts into Egypt.

The locusts covered the land, settling throughout the country in numbers unlike anything the Egyptians had experienced before.

They ate every plant and crop that had survived the hailstorm. Nothing green remained on the trees or plants throughout Egypt.

The plague was devastating because the Egyptians depended on their crops for food. With the remaining vegetation destroyed, the country's food supply was in serious danger.

Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron.

He admitted that he had sinned against the Lord and against them. He asked Moses to forgive him and pray that God would remove the deadly plague.

Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.

God answered his prayer by changing the direction of the wind. A powerful west wind carried the locusts away and swept them into the Red Sea.

Not a single locust remained in Egypt.

However, despite receiving another opportunity to obey, Pharaoh still refused to release the Israelites.

The Ninth Plague — Darkness

Because Pharaoh continued resisting God's command, the Lord instructed Moses to stretch out his hand toward the sky.

God then sent a terrible plague of darkness across Egypt.

This was not ordinary nighttime darkness. It was so intense that it could be felt.

The darkness lasted for three days.

During this time, the Egyptians could not see one another, and no one could leave their place.

However, the Israelites had light where they lived.

This demonstrated that God controlled the darkness and could protect His people while bringing judgment upon Egypt.

The Egyptians worshipped several false gods associated with the sun, including Ra, Horus and Osiris.

They believed these gods controlled the sun and its power. However, when darkness covered Egypt, their gods could do nothing to remove it.

The plague demonstrated that the Lord was more powerful than the gods of Egypt, including those associated with the sun.

After experiencing three days of darkness, Pharaoh summoned Moses once again.

This time, Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites go and worship God, including their children.

However, he insisted that their flocks and herds must remain in Egypt.

Moses refused this condition because the Israelites needed their animals to offer sacrifices and worship the Lord.

He explained that they would not know exactly what animals would be required for worship until they reached their destination.

Pharaoh became angry and refused to listen.

He ordered Moses to leave his presence and warned him never to appear before him again. Pharaoh declared that Moses would die if he saw his face again.

Moses responded that he would not appear before Pharaoh again.

The Warning of the Tenth Plague — Death of the Firstborn

Although Pharaoh continued refusing to release the Israelites, God had one final plague planned for Egypt.

God told Moses that after this last plague, Pharaoh would finally allow the Israelites to leave. In fact, he would drive them out of Egypt completely.

God also instructed the Israelites to ask their Egyptian neighbours for articles of silver and gold.

The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favourably upon the Israelites, and Moses himself was highly respected by Pharaoh's officials and the Egyptian people.

Moses then announced God's warning about the final plague.

At approximately midnight, the Lord would go throughout Egypt.

Every firstborn son in Egypt would die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave working at her hand mill.

The firstborn of the Egyptian livestock would also die.

God warned that there would be loud wailing throughout Egypt, unlike anything the nation had experienced before.

However, God would make a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The Israelites would be protected so that everyone would recognize that the Lord treated His people differently.

Moses explained that Pharaoh's officials would eventually come to him, bow down and urge him and the Israelites to leave Egypt.

After delivering this message, Moses left Pharaoh in great anger.

God had given Pharaoh many opportunities to obey, but Pharaoh continued resisting Him.

The final plague would demonstrate God's authority over life and death and bring about the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery.

Memory Verse 

"Your right hand, LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, LORD, shattered the enemy." - Exodus 15:6 (NIV) 

Bible Reading: Exodus 12: 1 - 42 

Main Idea 

God faithfully delivered the Israelites from slavery exactly as He had promised, demonstrating His faithfulness, protection and power over evil.

After many years of suffering in Egypt, the Israelites were finally going to be free. Through the first Passover and the tenth plague, God fulfilled His promise to rescue His people. The Israelites learned that they could trust God, that obedience was important and that they should always remember what He had done for them.

The Story 

After nine devastating plagues, Pharaoh still refused to release the Israelites from slavery.

God had repeatedly demonstrated His power over Egypt, but Pharaoh continued to disobey His commands.

However, God had already warned Moses that one final plague would cause Pharaoh to release the Israelites.

Before the final plague took place, God gave Moses and Aaron special instructions to prepare the Israelites for their departure from Egypt.

Preparing for the First Passover

God told Moses and Aaron that the month in which these events occurred would become the first month of the year for the Israelites.

On the tenth day of the month, each Israelite household was instructed to choose a one-year-old male lamb without defect. The animal could come from either the sheep or the goats.

If a family was too small to eat an entire animal, they were to share it with their nearest neighbour.

The Israelites were instructed to care for the chosen animal until the fourteenth day of the month.

At twilight on that day, the animals were to be slaughtered.

God then instructed the Israelites to take some of the animal's blood and place it on the two sides and the top of the doorframe of the house where they would eat the meal.

The blood would serve as a special sign marking the homes of the Israelites.

The Israelites were also instructed to prepare a special meal consisting of roasted meat, bitter herbs and bread made without yeast.

The meat had to be roasted over a fire rather than eaten raw or boiled in water.

They were to eat the meal quickly and be fully prepared to leave Egypt.

God instructed them to eat with their cloaks tucked into their belts, sandals on their feet and staffs in their hands.

This was because the Israelites would soon be leaving Egypt, and they needed to be ready to travel.

The special meal became known as the Lord's Passover.

The Meaning of Passover

God explained that during the night, He would pass through Egypt and bring judgment upon the nation.

The final plague would cause the death of the firstborn sons of the Egyptians and the firstborn of their animals.

However, the blood placed on the doorframes of the Israelite homes would serve as a sign.

When God saw the blood, He would pass over those houses, and the destructive plague would not strike the people inside.

The Israelites were instructed to remain inside their houses until morning.

Moses also instructed the elders to use a bunch of hyssop to apply the blood to the doorframes.

The Israelites could not protect themselves from the plague through their own power. They needed to trust God and obey His instructions.

The people listened to Moses and Aaron and did exactly what God had commanded.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

God also instructed the Israelites to remember their deliverance by celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

This celebration would last for seven days.

During this time, the Israelites were to eat bread made without yeast.

Yeast is an ingredient that causes bread dough to rise. However, the Israelites would leave Egypt so quickly that they would not have time to wait for their bread to rise.

The unleavened bread would therefore remind future generations of how quickly God had delivered His people from slavery.

The Israelites were also instructed to remove yeast from their homes during the celebration.

God commanded them to observe this celebration every year so that their children and future generations would remember what He had done.

When their children asked about the meaning of Passover, the Israelites were to explain how God had spared their homes during the final plague and rescued them from Egypt.

The Tenth Plague — Death of the Firstborn

At midnight, the Lord carried out the final plague upon Egypt.

Every firstborn son in the Egyptian households was struck down, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn son of the prisoner in the dungeon.

The firstborn of the Egyptian livestock also died.

The plague affected the entire nation, and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt.

The Bible explains that there was not a house among the Egyptians without someone dead.

However, the Israelites who had obeyed God's instructions were protected.

The Lord passed over their homes, and their firstborn sons were spared.

This demonstrated God's faithfulness to His people and the importance of trusting and obeying His commands.

Pharaoh Finally Releases the Israelites

During the night, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron.

After experiencing the final plague, Pharaoh finally agreed to release the Israelites.

He told them to leave Egypt and worship the Lord as they had requested.

Pharaoh also allowed them to take their flocks and herds, something he had previously refused to permit.

Before they left, Pharaoh even asked Moses and Aaron to bless him.

The Egyptians also urged the Israelites to leave quickly because they were afraid that everyone in Egypt would die if they remained.

The Israelites therefore prepared to depart immediately.

The Israelites Leave Egypt

Before leaving Egypt, the Israelites took their dough before the yeast had been added, carrying it in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing.

They also followed God's earlier instructions by asking the Egyptians for articles of silver, gold and clothing.

God caused the Egyptians to look favourably upon the Israelites, and they gave them the items they requested.

In this way, the Israelites left Egypt with valuable possessions, just as God had promised.

The Israelites then began their journey from Rameses to Succoth.

The Bible records that approximately 600,000 Israelite men on foot, besides women and children, left Egypt.

A mixed group of other people also travelled with them, along with large numbers of livestock, including flocks and herds.

Because they had been forced to leave so quickly, the Israelites had not prepared enough food for their journey.

They baked unleavened bread from the dough they had brought out of Egypt because there had been no time to add yeast and allow it to rise.

God's Promise Is Fulfilled

The Israelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years.

At the end of those 430 years, on that very day, the Israelites left Egypt.

This was the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, made hundreds of years earlier, that his descendants would eventually leave the land where they had been enslaved.

Although the Israelites had suffered for many years, God had never forgotten them.

He had carefully planned their deliverance, including the timing of their departure and the provisions they would take with them.

The Bible explains that the Lord kept vigil that night to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

A vigil is a period of watchfulness. This means that God was watching over His people as they left the land of slavery.

The Israelites were finally free!

Through these events, God demonstrated that He always keeps His promises, watches over His people and has the power to defeat evil.

The Israelites were instructed to remember their deliverance through the annual celebration of Passover, teaching future generations about God's faithfulness and goodness.

Memory Verse 

"The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation." - Exodus 15 : 2