YEA Lesson Library
Song and Dance
About This Lesson
From crossing the Red Sea and being delivered from Pharaoh’s army to complaining about water three days later, this lesson teaches the student to stand firm in their faith despite adversity.
Scriptures
Exodus 15:1-27
Proverbs 24:10
Revelation 15:1-4
Revelation 21:7-8
Words to Know
ADVERSITY - a state of wretchedness or misfortune, poverty, or trouble
JIHAD - a holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious duty
AMPUTEE - one that has had a limb amputated
PROSTHESIS - an artificial device to replace a missing part of the body
The Lesson
Can you imagine what it must have been like watching the Red Sea part as it made a path in between two foaming, unsupported high walls of water? The water must have churned and bubbled as God held the sea back by His power. This happened after God told Moses to stretch his rod over the sea.
A strong east wind blew all night long and dried the path. Then the Israelites walked across the bottom of the Red Sea on dry land with two towering walls of water standing on either side. Only the hand of God was holding back these two walls of water. What a sight! It was awesome!
Do you think seeing this miracle would have made believers out of the Israelites? Would it have made a believer out of you? Would this miracle have put the fear of God in you? After seeing something like this, if God said do something, would you say, "Yes, Lord” and immediately obey? After seeing such a miracle, do you think you would have complete faith in God to take care of you and never let you down? How long do you think this experience would last in your mind and keep you obediently trusting God? This miracle had a great impact on the children of Israel. They were afraid and revered God. They believed in Him and in His servant Moses. But how long did this last?
After reaching the other side of the Red Sea and seeing Pharaoh and his chariots and armies drown in it, Moses and the Israelites sang a song to God. It was about how gloriously He had triumphed over Pharaoh's chariots and armies. You can read the song in Exodus 15. The Israelites recounted how the waters divided into two walls. It talks about how God blew His wind and the sea covered the Egyptians and they sank as lead in the mighty waters. It went on to proclaim how loving and kind God was to guide them and that He would reign forever.
Then Miriam, the sister of Moses, took a timbrel and led the women in a dance. Miriam began singing:
"Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously.
The horse and rider have been drowned in the sea.”
"Then Moses led the people of Israel on from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the wilderness of Shur and were there three days without water." They made it to Marah, and they couldn't drink the water because it was bitter. Doubtless, they were disappointed. But now their attitudes were being tested.
The Israelites had problems. After finding the water at Marah to be bitter, would they still trust God and believe in His servant, Moses? No. They turned against Moses. "Must we die of thirst?" they demanded. Does getting thirsty give us the right to turn against the leader God gives us? Does it give us the right to accuse and complain? What does your memory verse say? "If you faint in times of trouble, how small is your strength!"
They had seen such mighty miracles as the ten plagues God brought on Egypt to free them. They saw the parting of the Red Sea, and walked through it on dry land. Then what would they have to see before they would have the strength to believe that God could provide such a simple thing as water? A little human discomfort and things changed from singing, dancing, and praising God to complaining.
Moses asked God to help them and again, God came through. He showed Moses a tree to put in the bitter water. When he did, the water became sweet.
Now that God had taken care of another one of their needs, He wanted to test their commitment. He said, “If you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and obey it, and do what is right, then I will not make you suffer the diseases I send on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.” What a blessing! He'll protect them from diseases and He will heal them.
The Israelites made their way to Elim where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees and camped there.
Captain David Rozelle had a price on his head in the Iraqi war. The enemy did everything it could to disrupt his mission. "Finally, when an anti-tank mine tore off his right foot, the warriors of jihad in Iraq thought they had neutralized one of their most resourceful, determined foes. They were wrong.
After months of recovery and getting a good protheses, "refusing to let his injury stop him, Captain David Rozelle roared back into action, returning to Iraq as commander of an armored cavalry troop. He became the first amputee in recent military history to resume a dangerous command on the same battlefield" (Back in Action).
God is looking for young people like Captain Rozelle who don't faint in a time of adversity. Matthew 10:22 tells us that "All of you who endure to the end shall be saved." Revelation 21:7 says, "He that overcomes shall inherit all things."
Trials, adversities, problems, and hardships are bound to come. The question is, how are you going to handle them? Will you complain and turn on your leader, or will you look to God with faith and believe He can help you overcome it? Will your faith endure to the end?
Student Prayer
Eternal Father,
Thank you for this lesson that shows your power and your love for me. It is so easy to faint in a time of adversity, but help me to remember that Captain Rozelle lost a leg and resumed a dangerous command on the same battlefield. Help me to trust you and endure to the end.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - Exodus 15:1-7
Monday- Exodus 15:8-10
Tuesday - Exodus 15:11-16
Wednesday - Exodus 15:17-19
Thursday - Exodus 15:20-21
Friday - Revelation 15:1-4
Saturday - Revelation 21:7-8
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Tell the story in today's lesson.
2. Discuss how the Israelites had so much evidence that God would take care of them.
3. Apply today's lesson when the going gets rough in their life.
Topics & Themes
Adversity
Faith
God’s Omnipotence
God’s Protection
God’s Provision
Grumbling
Miriam
Moses
Overcome
Red Sea
Song of Moses
Trouble
Water
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse charts, songbook, butcher's paper, marker pens, map of the exodus, prize
How to Teach This Lesson
Open the class with prayer. If your class is large enough, appoint five team leaders and have them select one of the five statements you wrote on paper before class. Divide the class into five groups under team leaders. Explain that students will teach today's lesson by drawing it as they have done in the past two lessons. They can use their Bibles and YEA books to aid in drawing what is on the statement they picked. Give them about 25 to 30 minutes. Then call the class back to sit in a semicircle. Vote on the best drawing and give a prize to that team.
Debrief - Ask: How did you feel about your assignment to draw a portion of today's lesson? What did you learn from doing this that you didn't learn when you read your lesson? How will this help you to better remember these events? How were the events you drew like or unlike other things in your life? Who would like to show us on the map where these things took place?
Israelites' attitude - Ask: How did you feel about the Israelites turning against Moses when they were three days without water? Do you feel this justified their actions? What things had God done to show them He would take care of them? What should they have done?
Application - What types of adverse things do teenagers experience in their lives? How are these things like or unlike what the Israelites experienced on their journey out of Egypt? How would you compare the adversities in your life to Captain Rozelle having his leg amputated? What would you have done had this happened to you? Would you persist until you mastered using a prosthesis? What scripture can you think of that shows we are to persist and not give up? Ask a student to read Matthew 10:22. Say: Adversities, bad times, setbacks, problems and disappointments are bound to come. Ask: The question is how will you handle them when they come? Will you trust God or will you turn on your leader? What things have you learned from today's lesson that will help you trust God when the going gets rough? Ask another student to read Revelation 21:7.
Teacher-Directed Activity
Go over the Activity in the Students' Book with the class.
REACH Activity
Memory Verse Spotlight: Proverbs 24:10
Look up the word “trouble.” Write down the Hebrew word and its meaning. Then find three other Scriptures where this word is used.
Jesus said in John 16:33 that in this world, we will have trouble. Is there any way to avoid trouble?
Where in the World? Marah and Elim
Add Marah and Elim to the map you started for Lesson One. Make a key to add notes so you will know what happened at each location.
They Did What Back Then? Marah
Three days after crossing the Red Sea and seeing God destroy the Egyptian army, the people turned against Moses. They had no water and they accused Moses of bringing them out into the wilderness to die. The people had experienced God rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. They had seen all of the plagues which destroyed Egypt. They had seen how God protected them from the last seven plagues, making a distinction between His people and the Egyptians. They still had the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. And now they are accusing Moses of bringing them out into the wilderness to die?! Why in the world would they do that? Did they think God was not powerful enough to give them water? Did they think that maybe God changed His mind? Hebrews 3:12 says that the Israelites had an evil heart of unbelief. They simply didn’t trust God even after all He had done for them. Write about this in your Bible notebook.
Making It Mine: Grumbling and Complaining
Exodus 16:8 makes a startling statement. The people were not actually complaining and grumbling about Moses because Moses was just doing what God told him to do. The people were actually grumbling against God. Read 1 Corinthians 10:10 and Deuteronomy 28:47.
Now apply these verses to your life. God is sovereign. If there is something happening in your life, He either caused it to happen or He allowed it to happen. And like Job, you may never know why things happen the way they do. Your job is to trust God - no matter what! There’s no room for grumbling or complaining.
Write about this in your Bible notebook. Then think about specific ways to change your attitude into one of thanksgiving and joy rather than grumbling and complaining. Talk about this with your family. Come up with a family plan to stop the grumbling and complaining.
Worldview Collisions: Goodness and Severity
There’s a fascinating verse in Romans 11:22 which talks about the goodness and the severity of God. Some worldviews see God as a benevolent old grandfather who dotes on His people, giving them good things, extending mercy and grace, and excusing their bad behavior. There are other worldviews which see God as a harsh taskmaster, requiring people to submit to His laws and give up all their fun. A true Biblical worldview shows a balance of justice and mercy, goodness and severity, righteousness and grace. Find three scriptures which describe God and show the complexity of His nature.
Questions
As you’re working through the YEA lesson, Daily Devotionals, doing the activity, or reading the Bible, be sure to write down any questions you have. That way you’ll remember to ask someone. Also remember to share the really interesting things you’re learning with family and friends.
Song
"Awesome God" is on page 55 of The Group Songbook.
Closing Prayer
Ask the students to form a circle and join hands. Go around the room beginning with yourself, and have each person give one way that adversity or a problem could tempt them to turn on their leader. Ask: Who would like to tell us what we should do to ensure this doesn't happen? Lead the class in prayer thanking God for today's lesson and ask God to strengthen each one when he or she is confronted with adversity or problems.
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