Moses’ Big Mistake

This story is about doing what we think is best.

The child will learn that:-

  • Moses made a mistake when he acted too quickly in anger.
  • We cannot escape the consequences of doing wrong things.

 

Bible Story Reference: Exodus 2: 1 – 10

Memory Verse: 

Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Opening Activity

  • Sometimes we think we know best. Choose an example of something that a child might be shown how to do by an adult but the child does it his own way and it doesn’t work out right!
  • Last week we learned about Moses. Where did Moses go to live when he was a boy? What were his own people called (Israelites/Hebrews).
  • Remind the child that they were slaves and how they were treated cruelly by the Egyptians.
  • In today’s story Moses is grown-up. Listen carefully to learn about a situation where Moses thought he knew best.

Bible Story

  • One day Moses went to visit his own people. Suddenly he noticed one of them being beaten by an Egyptian. How would Moses have felt? (angry, wanting to defend his people).
  • Quickly Moses looked around to see no-one was watching and killed the man from Egypt. Then he hid the body in the sand. Moses thought he had done the right thing but had he? Enable the child to see that Moses’ action was very wrong. (You may also want to suggest how God viewed the Egyptian’s wrong-doing and refer to how God will deal with all wrong in the future.) Do you think Moses will get away with what he did? If not why not? (Exodus 2: 11 – 12)
  • The next day Moses saw two Hebrews fighting. As he asked what was going on, one of the men said, “Who do you think you are to judge us? Are you thinking of killing me, as you did to the Egyptian?” Now Moses knew that he had been seen killing the Egyptian. How would he feel now? (scared that the King would hear). Soon Pharaoh did hear about what Moses had done and wanted to kill him. Moses had to run for his life to another country called Midian where he worked as a shepherd for a man called Jethro. (Exodus 2: 13 – 15)
  • God also knew about the wrong thing which Moses had done. Talk about how God sees everything we do and we cannot hide our wrong-doing from him. Even though Moses was a grown-up, he made a mistake and did not do the right thing. He still had much to learn before he was ready to be a leader. We need to learn from Moses’ mistake and rely on God to help us act in the right way which is pleasing to Him.

Questions

  1. Use these True/False statements for a quiz:

    1. Moses killed an Israelite.
    2. He thought no-one saw him.
    3. Another Hebrew man had seen him.
    4. God saw what happened.
    5. Pharaoh put Moses in prison.
    6. Moses still had lots to learn before he was ready to be a leader.

Prayer

Thank you God for forgiving me when I make a mistake.

Crafts

Moses Kills An Egyptian

This is to remind us of the country Moses escaped from after making a mistake.

What You Need

  • Hard paper e.g Manilla or cardboard
  • White paper
  • Stapler
  • Glue
  • Crayons or coloured pencils
  • Scissors

Steps 

  1. Fold hard paper up a third of the paper, lengthwise.
  2. Staple two staples on each side of the paper to form a ‘pocket.’
  3. Draw Moses kneeling down.
  4. Color and cut out Moses.
  5. Glue or staple Moses’ knees ONLY to the bottom of the folded edge. *Caution: If Moses is completely glued or stapled, the pocket will not open.
  6. Draw an Egyptian with his eyes closed, laying with his legs straight out.
  7. Color and cut out Egyptian.
  8. Place Egyptian in the pocket, so he can be taken in and taken out of the pocket.
  9. Write “Moses Kills An Egyptian” and “Exodus 2:11-15” at the top of the paper.
  10. Write “sand” at the bottom of the page, close to the folded edge.
  11. Color sand.