The Red Sea and Desert Journey Exodus 14-16

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1 Page1 The Red Sea and Desert Journey Exodus Learning Objectives 1. The children will examine the story of the Israelites as they wandered through the desert and God parting the Red Sea. 2. The children will explore how the almighty God cared for His people. 3. The children will recognize that God wants to provide for all our needs. Memory Verse: Getting Started The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him. --Exodus 15:2 (NKJV) Choose One Activity Paper Wad Wars See: Old Testament Lesson 40 - Teacher s Guide You will need about fifty pieces of wadded paper and some large pieces of cardboard for shields. Divide your class into two groups. (Recruit extra volunteers or modify the activity as needed.) The children will the divided pieces of paper at each other without using the cardboard shields first. After a few minutes, allow the children to be able to use the shields. When you are finished with the activity, talk to the children, pointing out that if they were behind the shield, they were safe. Remind the children that the Lord is our protection and shield. If we stand behind Him and obediently follow Him, He will protect us. In today s lesson, God led Moses and the Israelites on their journey, and He protected them from danger too. (Continue with the lesson.) Trust in the Lord Puzzle See: Grade School Puzzles Trust in the Lord You will need to print out one worksheet for each child. First the children will cross out all words that are days of the week. Next, they will cross out all words that are colors. Then they will cross out all words that are names of women in the Bible. Last, they will cross out all words that are numbers. Then they will determine what the message is. Continue with the lesson. Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions Message: God will provide for all our needs. Exodus 14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "Tell the people of Israel to turn back. Have them camp near Pi Hahiroth between Migdol and the Red Sea. They must camp by the sea, right across from Baal Zephon. Pharaoh will think, 'The people of Israel are wandering around the land. They don't know which way to go. The desert is all around them.' I will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn. He will chase them. But I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh and his whole army. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord." So the Israelites camped by the Red Sea.

2 Page2 Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions - Continued The king of Egypt was told that the people had gotten away. Then Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them. They said, "What have we done? We've let the people of Israel go! We've lost our slaves and all of the work they used to do for us!" So he had his chariot made ready. He took his army with him. He took 600 of the best chariots in Egypt. He also took along all of the other chariots. Officers were in charge of all of them. The Lord made the heart of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, stubborn. So he chased the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. The Egyptians went after the Israelites. All of Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen and troops went after them. They caught up with them as they camped by the sea. The Israelites were near Pi Hahiroth, across from Baal Zephon. As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up. There were the Egyptians marching after them! The Israelites were terrified. They cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, "Why did you bring us to the desert to die? Weren't there any graves in Egypt? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? We told you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians.' It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here in the desert!" Moses answered the people. He said, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you today. Do you see those Egyptians? You will never see them again. The Lord will fight for you. Just be still." Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people of Israel to move on. Hold your wooden staff out. Reach your hand out over the Red Sea to part the water. Then the people can go through the sea on dry ground. I will make the hearts of the Egyptians stubborn. They will go in after the Israelites. I will gain glory for myself because of what will happen to Pharaoh, his whole army, his chariots and his horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. I will gain glory because of what will happen to all of them." The angel of God had been traveling in front of Israel's army. Now he moved back and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved away from in front of them. Now it stood behind them. It came between the armies of Egypt and Israel. All through the night the cloud brought darkness to one side and light to the other. Neither army went near the other all night long. Then Moses reached his hand out over the Red Sea. All that night the Lord pushed the sea back with a strong east wind. He turned the sea into dry land. The waters were parted. The people of Israel went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left. The Egyptians chased them. All of Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. Near the end of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud. He saw the Egyptian army and threw it into a panic. He kept their chariot wheels from turning freely. That made the chariots hard to drive. The Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for Israel against Egypt." Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "Reach your hand out over the sea. The waters will flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." So Moses reached his hand out over the sea. At sunrise the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians tried to run away from the sea. But the Lord swept them into it. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen. It covered the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the people of Israel into the sea. Not one of the Egyptians was left. But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground. There was a wall of water on their right side and on their left. That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of Egypt. Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. The Israelites saw the great power the Lord showed against the Egyptians. So they had respect for the Lord. They put their trust in him and in his servant Moses.

3 Page3 Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions - Continued Exodus 15 ~ The Song of Moses and Miriam Here is the song that Moses and the people of Israel sang to the Lord. They said, "I will sing to the Lord. He is greatly honored. He has thrown Pharaoh's horses and their riders into the Red Sea. The Lord gives me strength. I sing about him. He has saved me. He is my God. I will praise him. He is my father's God. I will honor him. The Lord goes into battle. The Lord is his name. He has thrown Pharaoh's chariots and army into the Red Sea. Pharaoh's best officers drowned in the sea. The deep waters covered them. They sank to the bottom like a stone. "Lord, your right hand was majestic and powerful. Lord, your right hand destroyed your enemies. Because of your great majesty, you threw down those who opposed you. Your burning anger blazed out. It burned them up like straw. The powerful blast from your nose piled up the waters. The rushing waters stood firm like a wall. The deep waters stood up in the middle of the sea. Your enemies bragged, 'We will chase Israel. We will catch them. We'll divide up what we take from them. We'll eat them alive. We'll pull our swords out. Our powerful hands will destroy them.' But you blew with your breath. The Red Sea covered your enemies. They sank like lead in the mighty waters. Lord, who among the gods is like you? Who is like you? You are majestic and holy. Your glory fills me with wonder. You do wonderful miracles. You reached out your right hand. The earth swallowed up the Egyptians. Because your love is faithful, you will lead the people you have set free. Because you are so strong, you will guide them to the holy place where you live. The nations will hear about it and tremble. Pain and suffering will take hold of the Philistines. The chiefs of Edom will be terrified. The leaders of Moab will tremble with fear. The people of Canaan will melt away. Fear and terror will fall on them. Your powerful arm will make them as still as a stone. Then your people will pass by, Lord. Then the people you created will pass by. You will bring them in. You will plant them on the mountain you gave them. Lord, you have made that place your home. Lord, your hands have made your holy place secure. The Lord will rule forever and ever." Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the Red Sea. The Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them. But the people of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground. Aaron's sister Miriam was a prophet. She took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her. They played tambourines and danced. Miriam sang to them, "Sing to the Lord. He is greatly honored. He has thrown Pharaoh's horses and their riders into the Red Sea." At the Waters of Marah and Elim Then Moses led Israel away from the Red Sea. They went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert. They didn't find any water there. When they came to Marah, they couldn't drink its water. It was bitter. That's why the place is named Marah. The people told Moses they weren't happy with him. They said, "What are we supposed to drink?" Then Moses cried out to the Lord. The Lord showed him a stick. Moses threw it into the water. The water became sweet. There the Lord made a rule and a law for the people. And there he put them to the test. He said, "I am the Lord your God. Listen carefully to my voice. Do what is right in my eyes. Pay attention to my commands. Obey all of my rules. If you do, I will not send on you any of the sicknesses I sent on the Egyptians. I am the Lord who heals you." The people came to Elim. It had 12 springs and 70 palm trees. They camped there near the water.

4 Page4 Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions - Continued Exodus 16 ~ The Lord Gives Israel Food Every Day The whole community of Israel started out from Elim. They came to the Desert of Sin. It was between Elim and Sinai. They arrived there on the 15th day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community told Moses and Aaron they weren't happy with them. The Israelites said to them, "We wish the Lord had put us to death in Egypt. There we sat around pots of meat. We ate all of the food we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert. You must want this entire community to die of hunger." Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people must go out each day. Have them gather enough bread for that day. Here is how I will put them to the test. I will see if they will follow my directions. On the sixth day they must prepare what they bring in. On that day they must gather twice as much as on the other days." So Moses and Aaron spoke to all of the people of Israel. They said, "In the evening you will know that the Lord brought you out of Egypt. And in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord. He has heard you say you aren't happy with him. Who are we? Why are you telling us you aren't happy with us?" Moses also said, "You will know that the Lord has heard you speak against him. He will give you meat to eat in the evening. He'll give you all of the bread you want in the morning. But who are we? You aren't speaking against us. You are speaking against the Lord." Then Moses told Aaron, "Talk to the whole community of Israel. Say to them, 'Come to the Lord. He has heard you speak against him.' " While Aaron was talking to the whole community of Israel, they looked toward the desert. There was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud! The Lord said to Moses, "I have heard the people of Israel talking about how unhappy they are. Tell them, 'When the sun goes down, you will eat meat. In the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.' " That evening quail came and covered the camp. In the morning the ground around the camp was covered with dew. When the dew was gone, thin flakes appeared on the desert floor. They looked like frost on the ground. The people of Israel saw the flakes. They asked each other, "What's that?" They didn't know what it was. Moses said to them, "It's the bread the Lord has given you to eat. Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, 'Each one of you should gather as much as you need. Take two quarts for each person who lives in your tent.' " The people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, and some gathered a little. When they measured it out, those who gathered a lot didn't have too much. And those who gathered a little had enough. All of them gathered only what they needed. Then Moses said to them, "Don't keep any of it until morning." Some of them didn't pay any attention to Moses. They kept part of it until morning. But it was full of maggots and began to stink. So Moses became angry with them. Each morning all of them gathered as much as they needed. But by the hottest time of the day, the thin flakes had melted away. On the sixth day, the people gathered twice as much. It amounted to four quarts for each person. The leaders of the community came and reported that to Moses. He said to them, "Here is what the Lord commanded. He said, 'Tomorrow will be a day of rest. It will be a holy Sabbath day. It will be set apart for the Lord. So bake what you want to bake. Boil what you want to boil. Save what is left. Keep it until morning.' " So they saved it until morning, just as Moses commanded. It didn't stink or get maggots in it. "Eat it today," Moses said. "Today is a Sabbath day in the Lord's honor. You won't find any flakes on the ground today. Gather them for six days. But on the seventh day there won't be any. It's the Sabbath."

5 Page5 Bible Lesson with Discussion Questions - Continued In spite of what Moses said, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather the flakes. But they didn't find any. Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, "How long will all of you refuse to obey my commands and my teachings? Keep in mind that I have given you the Sabbath day. That is why on the sixth day I give you bread for two days. All of you must stay where you are on the seventh day. No one can go out." So the people rested on the seventh day. The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seeds. It tasted like wafers that were made with honey. Moses said, "Here is what the Lord has commanded. He has said, 'Get two quarts of manna. Keep it for all time to come. Then those who live after you will see the bread I gave you to eat in the desert. I gave it to you when I brought you out of Egypt.' " So Moses said to Aaron, "Get a jar. Put two quarts of manna in it. Then place it in front of the Lord. Keep it there for all time to come." Aaron did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. He put the manna in front of the tablets of the covenant. He put it there so it would be kept for all time to come. The people of Israel ate manna for 40 years. They ate it until they came to a land that was settled. They ate it until they reached the border of Canaan. The jar had an omer of manna in it. An omer was two quarts. Discussion Questions: 1. What miracle did God perform at the Red Sea? (Moses used his wooden staff to part the water.) 2. How did God keep the Egyptians away from the Israelites before they crossed the Red Sea? (He placed a pillar of clouds and a pillar of fire between the two groups.) 3. What happened when the Egyptians pursued the Israelites? (God threw the army of Egyptians into a panic. Then Moses stretched out his hand and the sea came over the Egyptians so that they all drowned.) 4. How did the attitudes of the Israelites change? (They were no longer afraid, and they trusted God.) 5. If you were an Israelite and were crossing the Red Sea, and you turned around and saw the Egyptian army coming after you, how do you think you would have felt? (Discuss together. Reflect on how it might have been difficult to trust in God.) 6. Who do you trust? (Discuss together. Make a list together. Once the list is made, have the children identify who the most important person on the list is to trust GOD. Circle it. Remind the children if you trust in God with all your heart then God will provide what you need.) 7. What problems would a journey through the desert likely bring with it? (Their clothes and shoes would likely wear out, food and water would be scarce, etc.) 8. What happened after the people had been eating the manna for a while? (They started to complain that they wanted meat to eat.) 9. Who got angry? (God became angry and so did Moses.) 10. What happened while the Israelites were eating that quail? (God became angry and he caused them to get sick while the food was still in their mouths.) 11. Why do you think that God became so angry with the Israelites? (Discuss together.) 12. Have you ever complained about the food on your plate or about a gift someone gave you that you didn t really want? (Discuss this together and whether or not that is the attitude God wants us to have.)

6 Page6 Application to Real Life Look up together in the Bible: James 1:2-4 and read what it says. (See below for additional translations to help the children better understand this passage.) NIRV translation: My brothers and sisters, you will face all kinds of trouble. When you do, think of it as pure joy. Your faith will be put to the test. You know that when that happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. The strength to keep going must be allowed to finish its work. Then you will be all you should be. You will have everything you need. ICB translation: My brothers, you will have many kinds of troubles. But when these things happen, you should be very happy. You know that these things are testing your faith. And this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete. You will have everything you need. According to these verses in the Bible, no one has a perfect life. Things will come up or happen to us. Sometimes these things will happen at school, or at home too. But instead of complaining about the challenges we might be facing, God wants us to have a happy heart. Whatever God permits to happen in our lives, those things will give us the patience and strength to go forward. We need to trust in God, and know that He will help us through all of our experiences. These experiences help us to become the person that our Heavenly Father wants us to be, and therefore will help our souls to be ready for Him when He sends His son again. Remind the children to thank God for providing everything that they need, including those difficult experiences that shape us into the person God wants us to be come. Memory Work Suggestions 5 minutes 1. Recite the memory verse. 2. Practice finding the memory verse and/or Bible text in their Bible! 3. Retell last week s lesson in your own words. What did you learn from it? 4. Allow a volunteer (child) to lead the class in an opening/closing prayer. Activity Ideas Choose One Activity Red Sea Challenge You will need to have about blue balloons, blown up prior to class. Place the balloons in the middle of the floor. Divide your children up into two teams. Each team should stand at opposite ends of the room. Remind your children that God separated the water so that there was a wall of water on both sides and dry land on which the Israelites could walk. Tell them that they are going to "separate" the water and see who can make the biggest wall of "water". Demonstrate how to pick up a balloon, rub it on yourself or the carpet and then get it to stick to the wall using static electricity. On the word go each child should grab a balloon from the pile on the floor, rub the balloon on his or her clothes or hair and try to stick it to the wall on his team's side of the room. If a child gets it to stick on the wall, he can then go and get another balloon. After a certain amount of time call out, "Stop!" Count the number of balloons stuck to each wall. The team with the most wins. (This game can be played with as little as 2 people, so recruit extra volunteers as needed.)

7 Page7 Activity Ideas - Continued Choose One Activity Scripture Match-Up See: Grade School Activities Scripture Match-Up You will need to print a copy of the worksheet for each child or pair of children to work together. The children will need to use their Bibles to look up the verses and match them up with the corresponding scripture reference. If your children are still learning how to look things up in the Bible, work together as a class to find the verses and work through the sheet. Please see the above website for the worksheet and detailed instructions. When you are finished with matching the verses, be sure to complete the discussion questions. Bible Exercise Grumbling Look up the following verses together in class. You could work together, or have some friendly competition as to who can find the verse first (either students play against each other or they can all work together to beat the teacher). Exodus 15:24, Numbers 14:2, John 6:43, 1 Corinthians 10:10, Philippians 2:14, James 5:9 and 1 Peter 4:9. (Note: You do not have to look them all up. These are just examples of appropriate verses about grumbling.) As you look up each one, then read it out loud and talk about what it means together. Remember to celebrate your successes of finding the Bible verses! Part the Water Activity You will need a large tub of water, a spatula, a blow dryer, and a towel. The children will try to part the water in the tub using the tools that you have brought. (Of course, they won t be able to.) Help the children experience what a miracle God performed for the Israelites. Ask your students what they think it must have been like to witness and be saved by such a miracle. God allowed the Israelites, who were over two million people, to pass safely because they were His children and He had special plans for them. God cast judgment on their enemies because they did not follow Him. If we follow God and stay close to Him in our lives, He will protect us too! Journal Choose One How has God provided for you lately? Be specific. Write about it. Why do you think the parting of the Red Sea was such a miracle? What would you have thought if you were there and witnessed it? Write about it. Homework Ideas - Read at home the lesson titled: The Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20, 32-34). - Learn the memory verse: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. --Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV) - Work on memorizing Article of Faith #. - Review the Ten Commandments by writing them down. Bring your paper to class.

8 Other Resources Old Testament Curriculum Lesson 40 and 41 Page8

9 Page9 Take Home Page: The Red Sea and Desert Journey Today I learned Today your child was reminded that God will provide for all our needs. The children examined the story of the Israelites as they wandered through the desert and how God parted the Red Sea for their escape from Egypt. They also explored how the almighty God cared for His people. Help me learn my memory verse The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him. --Exodus 15:2 (NKJV) Ask me 1. What miracle occurred at the Red Sea? 2. What other miracles did God provide for His people? 3. Do you trust God to provide everything that you need every day? Why or why not? Live Your Faith If you have ever experienced a miracle in your life (or heard of one in someone else s), share that with your child. Remind your child that just as God provided for the Israelites in miraculous ways, He will also do that for you. Share with your child how God has provided for your needs throughout your life, and how that has affected your faith. Encourage your child to always look to the Lord whether things are going well or not, and to know that He will also provide exactly what they need when they need it.