Introduction to Moses

OBJECTIVE

Through the story of Moses, we will discuss the relationship between God and Moses as well as the power of God given through Moses to help the Israelites, and learn how God protected Moses from his birth to the start of his missionary work.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 5 Minutes

Bring a whiteboard or a blank large size paper and draw the table below. Ask the children to list the

things that can protect us, and the people that protect us to fill out the chart.

Today we will learn about a great Father in the Old Testament. Moses was an Israelite, and fought Pharaoh (the king of Egypt), in order to free his people.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse: "My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth" Psalm 121:2

References: Exodus 2-3

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 15 Minutes

Moses was born a Hebrew during the time the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt. All Hebrew baby boys were to be killed as Pharaoh was scared that the Hebrews would take his throne. Moses' mother placed him in a basket by the side of the Nile River. Miriam, Moses' sister, watched over him until Pharaoh's daughter went to the river to bathe and found Moses in a basket.
To make sure Pharaoh's daughter did not do something to hurt baby Moses, Miriam told her that she knew a woman that could take care of the baby,who was actually Moses and Miriam's mother. Moses' mother was able to nurse the child Moses and at the same time was able to teach him about God and his people the Hebrews. When Moses grew up, Pharaoh's daughter took him back to live with her as though he were her son.
Moses grew up as an Egyptian prince but he knew that he was a Hebrew. He saw his people were badly treated by the Egyptians like slaves and wanted to save them but with his own ways. When he was 40 years old during an incident, Moses lost his temper and killed an Egyptian who beat a Hebrew slave to death. Word got out about what Moses did and he had to run away into the desert and there he found his uncle and stayed with him for a long time, about 40 years.
Moses stayed in a place called Median and got married. One day he was tending the flock of his father-in -law close to a mountain called Horeb, or the mountain of God. Suddenly, he saw a bush that was on fire but the leaves and the bush itself was not burning. So Moses thought, "I'll go over and see this strange sight. Why doesn't the bush burn up? "The Lord saw that Moses had gone over to look. So God spoke to him from inside the bush. He called out, "Moses Moses" Here I am," Moses said. "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals. The place you are standing on is holy ground."
God spoke to Moses from the burning bush and told him that he must go back and free the Hebrews (His people) because he heard their cries and will bring them to a land flowing with milk & honey.
Moses asked God many questions because he knows himself to be just a regular person and not a man of war or a big diplomat and does not have any army. God told him He will be with him and perform many miracles through him and Pharaoh will let him go at the end.
Moses was 80 years old when he started his mission assigned by God to free the Hebrew people from slavery in Egypt and take them to the promised land.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 7 Minutes

How God protected Moses and why?
What did Moses' sister do?
What did Moses' mother do?
Why did Moses run out and where did he go?
In what form did God speak to Moses and why did He speak to him?
Did Moses accept God's calling? And why?

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

We use many things to protect us, for instance helmets, gloves and heavy coats in the winter. People also protect us from harm, such as firefighters, police and lifeguards. God's protection is always there, even when we don't know it. He has a plan for us just as He did for Moses.
Although things may seem difficult at the time, God is always working in us for the good.

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

This website lists many crafts that can be made to go along with the story of Moses. Servants may choose which one is most appropriate to their class.

SERVANT RESOURCES

Refer to the Old Testament Timeline attached for major events and chronological order through the Bible.
Additional visual aids and story illustrations can be found here: FreeBibleImages

Servants may have the children watch these videos on Moses' story as a baby until the crossing of the Red sea

Old Testament Books Song- Missing Deuterocanonical books (Tobit and Judith from history books, Wisdom and Sirach from poetic books, Baruch, 1&2 Maccabees from prophetic books, and the Prayer of Manasseh)

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

This week we learned about the story of Moses and the relationship that Moses had with God. God led Moses and the Hebrews in the desert and Moses fought for the Hebrews with the help of God. Remind the children of God's protection this week during any of the actions happening with you as parents or specifically with them.

Additionally, students may make Fiteer Malak with their families or as a special day in sunday school (please plan accordingly, as the full recipe - see attached below - requires 3 hours total)