Dear Parents, Guardians, Teachers:
In this lesson, our children will learn that sometimes we have to leave a problem totally up to God.
In order to save Moses, his mother Jochebed had to let him go. She had to literally let him leave, with no control over what would happen to him. She could only send Miriam to watch and see what God would do. Sometimes we are in similar situations. There are many problems in life that are out of our control. We have to “let go and let God” work out the situation. It’s easy to ask God to take care of something, but it can be very difficult to “let go.” But, God wants us to learn to TOTALLY let go and let God work on His Plans!
Scripture Reference: Exodus 1:1-2:10
Memory Verse:
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.
Hebrew 11:23
Welcome Activity:
God Can, We Can
Give each student two index cards or 1/2 bond paper. Have them write God on one and Me on the other. Tell them to hold up the most appropriate card when you ask each of the following questions.
1. Who can respond to a bully with politeness? Me
2. Who can make the bully a nicer person? God
3. Who can find a solution to every problem? God
4. Who can make a problem worse by trying to force others to do what I want? Me
5. Who can be patient when a problem occurs? Me
6. Who has enough money to provide for my every need? God
The Story:
Many years ago God’s people lived in tents in Egypt. At first, they had moved to Egypt as special guests of the Pharaoh. Their ancestor, Joseph, had saved the whole country of Egypt from Famine.
But now, 400 years later, the memories of Joseph and the old Pharaoh had faded. The current Pharaoh did not like it that there were so many Israelites living in his country. He thought, “What if we are attacked by enemies? There are so many Israelites that they might take the side of the enemies and fight against Egypt.”
So Pharaoh thought of a plan to make the Israelites weak. He told his leaders that the Israelites were now going to be slaves in Egypt. They would have to work very hard but never get paid. The Israelites were forced to carry large stones and build huge buildings. They were treated very badly.
Even though they were treated so badly Pharaoh’s plan to make them weak did not work. Still the population of the Israelites increased. More and more children were born.
Pharaoh was so angry that he thought up another plan to stop the number of Israelites from increasing.
Two women were midwives who helped the Israelite mothers when they were having babies. Pharaoh called the women before him and said, “Every time when you are helping a mother and she gives birth to a boy, I want you to kill the baby boy right away.”
“Now I will stop the boys growing up to fight against me,” Pharaoh thought to himself.
But, once again, the plan did not work. The midwives tricked Pharaoh and told him that they could never make it there in time to kill the baby boys.
Pharaoh was furious! He now made a new law that was terrible. He told everyone in Egypt that, if they saw a baby boy among the Israelites, they were to take the baby boy and throw him into the Nile River so that he would die.
Of all the times to have a baby boy this was probably the worst. But this is when Jochebed and her husband, Amram, gave birth to their third child. He was a boy and his name was Moses. Amram and Jochebed loved Moses. His big sister, Meriam, and big brother, Aaron, loved Moses too.
They did not want anyone to take him and kill him! For three months they hid baby Moses so no one knew that they had a baby boy. But babies cannot be hidden in a house for long. A baby cries and crawls and soon the neighbours would know he was there.
So Jochebed had her own plan to protect Moses. She made a basket out of papyrus (the plants that grow by the river). Then she covered the basket with thick tar so that it would be waterproof. She was making a basket that could float.
Jochebed put the baby in the basket at the edge of the river. Moses’ big sister, Meriam, stayed nearby. Maybe no one would find the baby hidden in the reeds.
But someone did find Moses. Of all the people who might find him it was the Pharaoh’s own daughter. Her handmaid brought the baby to her. Little Moses was crying and she felt sorry for him.
She knew the baby was an Israelite but, even though her father had commanded everyone in Egypt to throw Israelite babies into the Nile river, she wanted to keep him.
Moses’ big sister, Meriam, was watching as all of this happened. Bravely, Meriam approached the princess and said that someone would need to take care of the baby since he was so small. Meriam asked if the princess would like her to go and find an Israelite woman to be like a caregiver or nurse to the baby.
Pharaoh’s daughter thought that this was a good idea. The princess said she would like to pay a woman to do all of that work. When the baby got older he could come and live in the palace with her. So who do you think Meriam brought back to the princess? It was their very own mother!
God helped Moses’ family take care of him and protect him. Moses stayed in their house with them until he was big enough to live in the palace with the princess.
Even though Pharaoh had all kinds of plans to hurt God’s people God knew that someday Moses would be a great leader of his people. Even though there was danger everywhere else, Moses grew up safely in the very palace where the Pharaoh lived.
Review Questions:
1. Why did the new Pharaoh hate the Israelites? Because there were so many of them and he thought they might join with Egypt’s enemies.
2. How did the Pharaoh treat the Israelites? He made them slaves and made them work very hard. He was cruel to them.
3. What did the Pharaoh tell everyone to do if they saw a baby Israelite boy? They were to throw them into the river to die.
4. What were the names of Moses’ family members? Amram (father), Jochabed (mother), Aaron (brother), and Miriam (sister).
5. How did Moses’ mother hide him? Put him in a woven basket that was made to float in the reeds beside the Nile River.
6. Who found the basket with baby Moses inside? The Pharaoh’s daughter.
7. What did Pharaoh’s daughter do? She adopted Moses and raised him in the palace.
Activities After the Lesson:
1. Have your kids watch the animated story of “The Birth of Moses” below:
2. Let the kids do this Craft: How To Make Origami Babies. View this video for the detailed instruction.
Sources: Sunday School Sources, Mission Bible Class, Saddle Back Kids
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