YEA Lesson Library

Objectives

At the end of this lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Describe the scene as Israel left Egypt and Pharaoh's army pursued.

2. Tell what God sent as a guide and protection for the Israelites.

3. Explain why the Israelites felt so hopeless.

4. Explain how God performed a miracle to save the Israelites and get them safely across the Red Sea.

5. State that when everything looks hopeless, we need to look up to God for help.

Topics & Themes

Clouds
Egypt, Coming Out
Faith
Fear
Follow God
God’s Protection
Miracles
Moses
Obedience
Pharaoh
Pillar of Fire
Prayer
Red Sea
Trusting God

Materials Needed

Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse chart, stickers, music player and CD or cassette, songbook, index cards, pencils, map, box, chalkboard and chalk or newsprint pad and markers

Preparation

Emotionally, socially, and physically kids seem to be growing up must faster today than they did in past generations. However, they may not be any better equipped to handle the stresses of life today than they were in the past. As these preteens test their independence, they are often frustrated when things seem beyond their control. We all face times when situations seem hopeless. No matter how hard we try we can't find away out. When things seem hopeless, remind your students that our all-powerful God is always there to help them.

Before you come to class, write the two examples below on index cards.

How to Teach This Lesson

Hopeless Situations - Begin by giving each student an index card and pencil. Tel them to begin thinking about a situation that they have seen, experienced, imagined, or read about that seemed hopeless. Then read them the two examples: 1) On July 17, 1987 a busload and vanload of young campers were on their way home from a week of church camp in the Texas Hill Country. Water began to rise in the roadway. As the young people were being evacuated, a surge of water swept them downstream. Ten young people drowned. Thirty three others clung to bushes and were in the tops of trees. Swirling water surrounded them. They were frightened. Is it hopeless? 2) In July of 2002, nine miners were trapped in a coal mine flooded with water, some 240 feet underground. It was dark. The cold water was chest deep. There was no way out. Was it hopeless? Have each student write their own Hopeless Situation on their index card and place it inside the box.

The Exodus - Moses and the Israelites had been set free- they left Egypt and slavery behind. Discuss the exodus - the number of people, the method of travel, the hardships, etc. Ask: Why did the Israelites head south from Egypt instead of taking the shorter route due east? (Show them on the map that the land of Canaan was east and north from Egypt.)

God's Guides - God didn't send the Israelites into the wilderness to roam around aimlessly. Ask the students to: Describe the "guides" that God sent to lead His people.

Seaside Camp - The exact location of the Red Sea crossing is not known. "The tongue of the Suez gulf may have reached further north than it does today. ‘Raised beaches’ in the area indicate the possibility of such variations of land and water levels. If such were the case, the sea would flow north into the depressions known today as the Bitter Lakes" (Halley's Bible Handbook by Henry H. Halley). God's cloud led the Israelites to the Red Sea where they set up camp.

Pharaoh Gives Chase - Ask: Why did Pharaoh change his mind about letting the Israelites go? Discuss the differences between Pharaoh’s army and the migrating Israelites. Ask: Would this be a fair fight? Why does the situation look hopeless? (On the right side of a chalkboard or newsprint pad ask one student to draw the Red Sea. Have another student draw many small circles
representing the Israelites next to the Sea. On the left side, have a student make a number of x's to represent Pharaoh's army approaching.)

God's Rescue - Ask: What was the first thing God did to protect the Israelites? (Cloud blocked the way - draw cloud.) Ask the students to: Describe what happened next. (Parting of sea, dry ground crossing.) Ask: Could the Egyptian army with their chariots catch up with the slow moving Israelites? Why?

When You’re"Between A Rock And A Hard Place" - The Israelites were between the sea and Pharaoh's army. There was no place to run or hide. Their only hope was to look to God. Ask: When problems in your life make things look hopeless, how can God help you? His Word gives direction (Psalm 119:105). His Word brings correction and instruction (2 Timothy 3: 16). Prayer is the way we ask God to act on our behalf (James 5: 16, Philippians 4:6,7). There is nothing too hard for God - (Jeremiah 32:27).

Review Questions

1. About how many people left Egypt with Moses?

2. Why was the shortest route not the safest route?

3. How would God lead His people through the wilderness?

4. What protected theIsraelites from the advancing Egyptian army?

5. According to your memory verse, what will suffering bring?

Teacher-Directed Activity

Have each student draw an index card out of the box. Read the Hopeless Situation from the card. Have them write a possible solution to the problem on their card. (It can be a human solution or a God solution). If time allows, have them read their problems and solutions aloud.

REACH Activity

Back to the Bible: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
The Bible relates lots of “hopeless” situations - like what happened to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. King Nebuchadnezzar commanded that everyone bow down to the golden idol he had made. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew worshipping an idol was displeasing to God. They also knew the king would throw them into a fiery furnace if they disobeyed his command. What would they do? Read all of Daniel 3. Even if you already know the story, it is a wonderful story of faith in God in the face of what looked like a hopeless situation.
Write about the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in your Bible notebook. How is it an encouragement to you to do what is right always?

Journal Jot: Personal Testimony Time
Have you ever experienced God rescuing you when there seemed no way out? Write about this in your Bible notebook. In fact, it’s a good idea to start a little notebook of God’s faithfulness. That way, when you are faced with a hopeless situation in the future, you can look at God’s faithfulness to you in the past and remember to trust in Him no matter how scary it looks.

Word Study: elpis
The word “hope” in your memory verse is the Greek word elpis, which means “the desire of some good with the expectation of obtaining it.” (Source: Zodhiates’ Hebrew-Greek NAS Key Word Study Bible, 1990.) As a Christian, our hope is based on God’s faithfulness. Therefore, you could say that our hope is a blessed assurance; it is not like the hope of the world. People say things like, “I hope it doesn’t rain.” That’s the hope of the world where there’s no way to actually get what you want.
Write this word, its definition, and the scripture reference in your Bible notebook.

Just Toolin’ Around: The Numbers
Some scholars estimate that there must have been over 2 million people who left Egypt - along with all of their flocks and herds. Wagons don’t move very quickly and people don’t walk very quickly if they have to walk for hours at a time. How long would it take all of the Israelites to get out of Egypt?
To help you get your mind around the numbers, think about the last time you attended a parade. How many floats were in the parade? How long did you watch the parade? The Rose Parade in Pasadena has approximately 50 floats every year along the 5.5-mile route. The parade lasts about two hours.
When the pioneers were headed west on the Oregon Trail, they figured that they could make about 10 miles a day, on a good day.
Scholars don’t really know where Succoth was. So when you look up the distance from Rameses to Succoth on the internet, you’ll get a wide range of answers - everything from 8 miles to 110 miles!! Regardless of the actual distance, just the difficulty of trying to get that many people and animals all moving in the right direction would have been incredibly difficult.
Keep the notes of what you discover in your research in your Bible notebook.

Did you Know? Skills
Egypt lost their workforce of about 600,000 men. These people were skilled, not only as brick makers, but also in “construction, weaving, farming, music, metalworking, leather making, and glass blowing” (Source: The Victor Journey Though the Bible, V. Gilbert Beers, 1996, p. 63.)
Think what would happen in your community if all of the electricians, plumbers, trash collectors, farmers, jewelers, computer techs, construction workers, road workers and other necessary workers suddenly left. It’s no wonder Pharaoh pursued them! He must have wondered how Egypt would function without all of these people.

Stretch It Out: Drawing
On a piece of 11 x 17 drawing paper, create a drawing or painting of the Israelites leaving Egypt. You will want to include the pillar of cloud or fire. You may want to include the Egyptians pursuing in the distance in their chariots. Make sure you have men, women, children, and animals all depicted. Use your favorite color to add color. Write your memory verse across the bottom of the page as a caption. Display where you can see it this week to remind you to memorize your memory verse.

Music Notes: He is Able to Deliver Thee
This hymn is on page 72 of the CEM Hymnal.
William Ogden wrote both the words and the music for this joyful hymn of faith, which was first published in 1887. William started his music education very early in life. “Beginning at age eight, he received his early musical training in community singing schools. By age ten he could read music fairly well. A little later, he could write a melody by hearing it sung or played. When he was eighteen, he became a song director in his home church. . . During the Civil War, Ogden served in the 30th Indiana Volunteer Infantry for four years, and he organized a men’s choir which became well known throughout the Army of the Cumberland.” (Source: https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/he-is-able-to-deliver-thee/)
Having served in the army, you can well imagine that William Ogden knew firsthand that we depend on God to deliver us from the dangers we encounter in this world. The hymns he wrote indicate that William also knew that we have to depend on God to deliver us from our sinful carnal nature.
After singing this hymn, write a couple of lines which you really like in your Bible notebook. Think about what God is delivering you from.

Questions?
Remember to write down any questions that you think of as you are reading your lesson, daily devotionals, or doing the REACH activities. Plan to ask your parents or your pastor these questions.

Song

"My God Is So Big" is on page 14 of Kids Classics Collection.

Closing Prayer

Ask each student to name a time when God helped them out of a Hopeless Situation. Lead the students in prayer thanking God for His deliverance of the Israelites and for each student.