YEA Lesson Library
God’s Rescue
About This Lesson
This lesson teaches that, just as God rescued His people from Egypt and Pharaoh’s army, God rescued His people (including the student) from sin by sending Jesus as the Savior of the world.
Scriptures
Exodus 14:5-31
Exodus 14:13
Psalm 18:16-19
Psalm 20:7
Psalm 34:4
Psalm 54:7
Psalm 60:11-12
1 Corinthians 10:13
Words to Know
CHARIOT - a horse-drawn, two-wheeled cart to ride in
FIRM - fixed in place, strong
HORIZON - the line where land meets the sky
SLAVERY - being owned by another person and forced to work for him
The Lesson
Do you remember how Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron during the night? He told them that he wanted the Israelites to get out of Egypt. So God’s people left Egypt at night with all their children and animals. There were many, many people and animals going out into the wilderness to the Promised Land. Do you remember how they knew where to go? God led them with a pillar of fire at night and a pillar of cloud during the day.
God was with the Israelites in the wilderness. His cloud led them to the shore of the Red Sea. But, they had no boats to get across. So the people camped and rested awhile.
"What is that sound?" someone asked. Everyone stopped to listen. The people heard a rumbling in the distance. Was it thunder? There were no rain clouds in the sky. Someone saw clouds of dust on the horizon. The rumbling sound seemed to get closer. Then someone called out, "The Egyptians are coming with chariots!"
All of the people knew they were in trouble. Pharaoh's soldiers must be coming to take them back to Egypt. The Israelites couldn't fight the soldiers. There was no way to run away. They couldn't outrun horses and chariots. The Red Sea was in front of them. They couldn't get across. They were afraid. They cried out to Moses and to God, "Why did you bring us out here to die? We were better off in Egypt.” But, were they?
In Egypt, Pharaoh made the Israelites work very hard. The people were slaves. They had to make their own bricks. They built buildings and cities for Pharaoh. But, God led the people out of Egyptian slavery. He led them with His cloud and pillar of fire. Now Moses said, "Don't be afraid. Stand firm. You will see how the Lord will save you.”
God told Moses to stretch his rod out over the sea. Moses did what God commanded. The wind began to blow. There were big waves on the sea. Then God made the water stand up like a pile of snow. He even made a dry path right through the middle of the water. The cloud that had been leading the Israelites moved behind them. It blocked the way and kept the Egyptians back. The Israelites hurried down into the sea and crossed on dry ground.
Once God's people were safe on the other side, the Egyptians followed. They drove their chariots into the middle of the path in the sea. Then God did something else to save the Israelites. The wheels on the chariots came off. Horses fell down. The water of the Red Sea came back together. Pharaoh's soldiers couldn't escape. They got stuck in the mud and drowned in the sea.
God saved His people from their enemies, the Egyptians. He saved them from the waters of the Red Sea. He even saved them from being slaves in Egypt. God is in the saving business!
Many years after God saved the Israelites in the wilderness, God did something to save us, too. There are some things we cannot do for ourselves. We are like the Israelites. They couldn't save themselves. And there is nothing we can do to save ourselves from our sins. Everyone does bad things. God's Son, Jesus, had to come to earth. He died, willing to pay for our sins.
God was there, ready to help the Israelites. Moses told them not to be afraid. God would take care of them. He has that same message for you- "Don't be afraid. God will take care of you."
Student Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for saving your people, the Israelites, from the Egyptians. You made a dry path through the sea for them to walk on. All they had to do was do what you told them. Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to save me from my sins. Help me always do what you tell me to do.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Daily Devotions
Sunday - 1 Corinthians 10:13
Monday - Psalm 34:4
Tuesday - Psalm 54:7
Wednesday - Exodus 14:15-16
Thursday - Psalm 18:16-19
Friday - Psalm 60:11-12
Saturday - Psalm 20:7
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the children will be able to:
1. Describe how God made a dry path through the Red Sea.
2. Tell how God saved the Israelites from the Egyptian soldiers.
3. Explain how God made a way to save us from our sins.
Topics & Themes
Chariots
Egyptians
Egypt, Coming Out
God’s Protection
Jesus, Savior
Pillar of Cloud/Fire
Pharaoh’s Army
Red Sea
Materials Needed
Bible, YEA Students' and Teacher's books, attendance and memory verse charts, stickers, music player and CD or cassette, songbook, blue construction paper, butcher's paper, finger paints, old shirts or paint smocks, soap, water and towels for cleanup, rod
Preparation
Developing a faith to live by is a lifelong process. The children in your class will be at different stages in this process.To some, the idea of salvation will refer only to something done by a superhero. Others will ask questions and desire further explanation regarding the use of the term in relation to their sins. Be ready to explain in the simplest words you can. Avoid using fear as a means of bringing these children into relationship with the Savior. And, expect the Holy Spirit to help God's Word take root in the hearts of these young children.
Before you come to class, pour blue, green and white finger paints into shallow pans. Cover your table or an area of the floor with lots of newspaper to protect ti from paint. Lay your length of butcher's paper (see lesson 4) on the newspaper.
How to Teach This Lesson
Introduce this lesson by asking the children to think of someone who was able to do something amazing. They may need some prodding. Be ready to give a few examples, such as: astronauts walking on the moon; doctors being able to take a heart out of someone who died and putting ti into someone else to help them
live.The children may tell about a fictional character, like Spiderman walking up the side of a building. Be sure to point out that these are only pretend, not real. Today's lesson is about something that God did that was truly amazing!
Give each child a sheet of blue construction paper. Have them form two lines, standing at arm's length apart facing each other. They should then hold their paper out in front of them so that the papers meet in the center. This will represent the Red Sea. Walk up to the “Red Sea" as you begin to tell the story.
God was with the Israelites in the wilderness. Ask: How did He lead the people? God’s cloud and pillar of fire led them to the shore of the Red Sea. They had no boats to get across, so they camped and rested.
(Cup your hand behind your ear.) "Listen, what is that sound?" someone asked. They heard a noise in the distance. Ask: What did they think it was at first? But, what was it really? The Egyptians were coming. Pharaoh had sent his soldiers with chariots and horses. He wanted the Israelites back.
The Israelites were up against the Red Sea. They couldn’t get across. The soldiers were coming up behind them - fast! Ask: What were they going to do? Why do you think they didn’t just fight or run away? (Allow time for the children to process and reason out this question.)
The Israelites were really in trouble. They needed help. And, God was going to help them in an amazing way.
God told Moses to hold his rod out over the Red Sea. (Hold your “rod” over the papers.) When he did, the wind started to blow. (Tell the children to wave the papers.) Then the water stood straight up, like piles of snow. (Children raise paper over their heads.) There was a dry path right through the middle of the sea.(Walk through the path.) Moses and the Israelites went across on dry ground!
While they were crossing, God's cloud kept the Egyptians back. It stood between them and the Israelites. It gave light to the Israelites and darkness to the Egyptians. But, when the Israelites were safely across, the cloud moved. The Egyptians followed the Israelites into the sea. (Have someone follow you into the "path.") But, the waters came crashing down on top of them. (Have the children bring their papers back down.) The Egyptian soldiers drowned in the sea.
Ask: Can you think of two ways that God saved the Israelites from the Egyptian soldiers? First the cloud held them back, then the water drowned them. God was protecting the Israelites. He was going to take them to the land He promised to them.
There are some things that people cannot do for themselves - we need help. We need God’s forgiveness for the bad things we do. We couldn't do that for ourselves. But because we all do bad things, God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth to die for our sins, so that we could be forgiven. God is preparing us a place in His Kingdom. It is a perfect place.
Review Questions
1. Where did God’s cloud lead the Israelites?
2. Who came after them riding in chariots?
3. Why were they chasing the Israelites?
4. How did God make a dry path through the Red Sea?
5. What kept the Egyptians back so the Israelis could get safely across?
6. What happened when the Egyptians got into the middle of the sea?
7. What did God do to save us from our sins?
Teacher-Directed Activity
Lay your butcher's paper on the table or floor. Have the children wear old shirts or smocks to protect their clothing from paint. Set out shallow pans of blue, green and white finger paint. Allow them to use their hands to paint the Red Sea as God made a dry path through the middle. Add this painting to your time line by hanging it on the wall when it dries.
REACH Activity
Materials Needed: tempera paint, paint brushes, clay, package of colorful construction paper, string, glue, tape, Kids Classics Collection songbook and/or CDs, Bible, YEA book, Bible notebook, black permanent marker, watercolor paints, 11 x 17 drawing paper, pencils, markers, colored pencils, crayons, scissors, ruler, index cards, CEM Hymnal, Bible dictionary, concordance, access to encyclopedia or the Internet, Bible encyclopedia, Bible map or Bible atlas, dictionary, video recorder, small box, plaster of Paris, tiny people figures, butcher paper, camera
1. Review the plagues.
2. On a piece of butcher paper, have someone outline your body. Write the memory verse in big letters. Hang it in your bedroom.
3. Create hand motions for the memory verse. Teach them to someone else. Practice until the verse is memorized.
4. Use Bible reference books to research chariots. Write the information in your Bible notebook.
5. Create a model of a chariot using materials of your choice. Use the model to retell the YEA lesson.
6. Read the YEA lesson Scriptures. Using 11 x 14 construction paper, create a comic strip from the YEA lesson. Include at least ten frames in the comic strip. Give the comic strip a title. Draw the pictures with color pencils. Share with family and Sabbath School class.
7. Draw: On a piece of drawing paper, draw God’s people being caught between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army. Write the memory verse as a caption across the bottom.
8. Write a newscast of the parting of the Red Sea. Then do the newscast. Video tape, if possible.
9. Role play being caught between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army.
10. Perform the YEA lesson using Readers’ Theatre. If possible, perform outdoors to allow more movement for the story. Gather props and materials. Invite family and friends.
11. Ask someone to take pictures of the Readers’ Theatre performance and frame one to give to a friend or family member.
12. Create a picture album from materials of your choice. Put a title on the front of the album. Fill the album with pictures from the Readers’ Theatre performance. Share the album with family and Sabbath School class. Remember to share the album again during the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread season.
13. Design and make invitations for the Readers’ Theatre presentation. Choose a design that shows what the YEA lesson is about.
14. Sing: “Jesus Saves” on page 42 of the CEM Hymnal; “God is So Good” on page 87 of Kid Classics Collection.
15. Have you ever felt rescued by God? Think about a situation that was hard or difficult for you. Talk to your family about how God rescued you. In your Bible notebook write a prayer thanking God for His help.
16. How is Jesus saving you like God rescued the Israelites from Egypt? Write your answer in your Bible notebook. Find as many parallels as you can. Discuss this with your family.
17. Jesus Christ died to pay for our sins. Use a Bible concordance to find two Scriptures with the word “sin.” Write them in your Bible notebook.
18. Create a diorama of the parting of the Red Sea.
NOTE: Diorama: To construct a diorama, find a small box. Mix some plaster of Paris to make the hills, valleys, and the parted Red Sea. Put twigs from trees or pieces of cedar (for trees and bushes) into the plaster while it is still wet. After the plaster dries (one to two days, depending on how much plaster you used), paint your set with tempera paint. Add tiny plastic figures, if desired.
19. Do a sword drill with the Daily Devotionals for this week. Write the one verse that is your favorite when you are finished.
NOTE: Sword drill: Use the Daily Devotional Scriptures to have a sword drill. Read the Scripture reference to the child. Then start the timer. When the child has found the verse, stop the timer. Read the verse and talk about how it relates to the lesson. Challenge the child to see how quickly he/ she can find each of the verses in the Bible.
Culminating or On-going Activities
1. Create a newspaper or newsletter with headlines from each of the YEA lessons, or write your own. Each reporter should have their own story to write. Use pictures with each story. Make copies for each family member or Sabbath School student.
2. Design one mural for these ten lessons. Additions are made after each lesson. Hang the mural when completed. Invite others to your Exodus mural.
3. Ask students to create a game from the YEA lessons on the plagues. Provide simple materials and supplies. Students share and teach the games to each other. Store games in ziplock bags or small boxes.
4. Set up the classroom as a news station. Create call letters for your news station, for example BNN - Bible News Network or BNS - Bible News Station. Invite family and friends to hear the newscast of what happened during these ten YEA lessons. Divide the newscast into several parts: headline news, eyewitness/man on the street segment, weather report, sports, and the strange and unusual. Have someone videotape the newscast for the class to watch at a later date.
5. Write a thank you note to your Sabbath School teacher and/or your parents, telling them which lesson you liked best in On The Move and why.
Song
“God is So Good” is on page 87 of Kids Classics Collection.
Closing Prayer
Lead the children in prayer, thanking God for saving the Israelites from the Egyptian soldiers, and for sending Jesus to save them from their sins.
Printable Pages
