The Red Sea Crossing
TEXT: Exodus 14:5-31; Hebrews 11:29
- supplemental scriptures
The students will be able to describe the things that took place just prior to the crossing. They will realize that when any pressure comes to their life they can turn to God and He will deliver.
- memory verse
Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. — Exodus 14:13
- bible lesson outline
Introduction: Take a baking pan or tray of water to class. Allow your students to try to separate the water using their hands. When they see they cannot do this, tell them that your story today is about a miracle God did when He parted the waters for the Children of Israel.
- The Children of Israel were frightened when Pharaoh pursued them with chariots and horsemen. Moses told them "Fear ye not ... The Lord shall fight for you."
- The Angel of God and the pillar of the cloud came between the Children of Israel and the Egyptians giving light in the night to Israel and darkness to Egypt.
- At the Red Sea the Lord told Moses to lift up his rod, and stretch out his hand over the sea. A strong east wind blew all night making a dry road for them in the midst of the sea.
Climax: When the Children of Israel had crossed the Red Sea safely, the Lord overthrew the Egyptians and they were drowned.
Conclusion: God worked as Moses obeyed. The Red Sea parted and Israel was delivered. God will deliver us as we face the pressures and problems of life.
Response: The students will be able to tell the story of the Red Sea crossing and realize that when they are under pressure from the devil, the Lord will deliver them.
- background information
Though the Egyptians had suffered the terrible plagues that befell them, more judgment was yet to come. God further hardened Pharaoh's heart and he sent his army in pursuit of the Israelites.
God did not lead the Israelites out of Egypt through the country of the Philistines which was the shortest route to the Promised Land. The Philistines were a warlike nation and God did not wish to discourage the Israelites with war. So the Lord led them through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. They followed God's leading to the shore of the Red Sea. They were now trapped in the wilderness by the army of Pharaoh coming in behind them. The Children of Israel were terrified because they were unarmed and apparently they could not escape to the right or left because of the rough terrain and the sea that was before them.
God had given Moses instructions on what to do and Moses told the Israelites to fear not, but to "stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." God could easily have slain the Egyptian army as He did the Assyrian army at a later date, but He had a different plan. He told Moses to hold out his rod over the sea and the water divided. The Children of Israel went across on dry ground, but when the Egyptian army followed them, God caused their chariot wheels to fall off and slowed them down. When all the Egyptian army was in the sea, Moses again held out his rod over the sea and the water came together, drowning the Egyptians. We learn from this that if we are serving God, we have nothing to fear, no matter how impossible the situation may seem.
- in-class activities
- Take a tray of water. Let the children try to separate the water with their hands. Explain that this is impossible for man to do.
- Use a large piece of blue material to represent the Red Sea. Fold it so you can open up a center portion and have a strip of brown cloth laid there to represent the dry ground. Let your students hold a strip of people (see Patterns) and move them through the sea. Then move the strip of soldiers through. When they are in the center, fold the blue cloth back over them.
- Attach magnetic strips to bottom piece of strips of people representing the Children of Israel (see Patterns). Hold a magnet under your background scene to pull the people through the Red Sea.
- Use a paper chain of people to represent the Children of Israel. Make a simple Red Sea for them by folding a piece of blue construction paper so the two narrow ends meet in the middle. Underneath these flaps glue a strip of brown paper through the center to represent the path on dry ground.
- How did Moses and his people get across the Red Sea?
- Why did Pharaoh change his mind about letting Israel go?
- What should Pharaoh have done?
- Do you always learn to obey after your parents punish you? Why?
- Why were the Children of Israel afraid when they saw the Egyptians coming after them?
- How do you think Moses felt?
- Can we trust God today to fight our battles? Can we trust our Sunday school teachers and ministers to lead us right?
- What do you think about the cloud God made to separate the Israelites from the Egyptians? What side of it would you want to be on?
- How would you feel if you were walking through a sea with big walls of water on both sides of you? What do you suppose they saw? Fish?
- How could the bottom of the sea be dry ground?
- pre-school suggestions
- Cut out and paste on Popsicle sticks the airplane, boat, car, truck, and bicycle (see Patterns). Explain that the Children of Israel didn't have any of these when they traveled.
- Give each child a copy of the picture of Moses holding his rod beside the Red Sea (see Patterns). Let them color the picture. Spread a thin layer of glue on the path and let the children sprinkle sand on it.
- Give each child the two halves of the Red Sea cut from blue construction paper (see Patterns) and let them draw waves on them. Help them cut the brown path with people on it to glue to the green construction paper background. Attach the two halves of blue to the green background at the center, top with a paper fastener. The two sides will swing apart to reveal the path between.
- Give each child a copy of the Crossing of the Red Sea sheet (see Patterns). Have them circle the way the Children of Israel crossed over the water.
- review ideas
Bring two sacks—one labeled "Problems" and one labeled "Solutions." Tell the class that all of us, like the Children of Israel, have problems. Open the Problems sack and read the slip of paper inside (preferably problems the children can relate to). The Children of Israel were also concerned about how to get away from the Egyptian army. But then open the Solutions sack and pull out a Bible, a Primary Pals, a miniature church (or picture of one) and praying hands. By coming to Sunday school and church and reading our Bible we learn to pray and trust that God will send a solution. He always does, just like He parted the Red Sea.
Have two puppets act out the song, "How Did Moses Cross the Red Sea?" Have children say "No, no" in the appropriate places.
Take two large pieces of cardboard and cut the top like waves. Paint them blue. Attach these to chairs and setup with a pathway between. Let your children walk between, pretending this is the Red Sea. Pretend the army is nearing, and push the chairs together.
Use an overhead to present this review. Use a piece of blue acetate cut down the center to represent the Red Sea. Split apart and move a strip of people through as you tell about the Children of Israel's crossing on dry land. When you put in a strip of soldiers, move the two pieces of blue acetate back together.