Opening Activity

• Talk about important changes in our lives – e.g. moving house, moving to high school, getting married.
• Moses had a lot of changes in his life – recall his first months as a baby, then living in Pharaoh’s palace until he was 40, followed by his life in the desert for another 40 years. (In a classroom situation it would be useful to put pictures of these events on a timeline of Moses’ life.)
• Now Moses was facing the biggest challenge in his life. What had God asked him to do?

Bible Story

• Moses now had a wife and two sons in the land of Midian. He asked his father-in–law, Jethro, if he could go back to Egypt. Jethro agreed and Moses set out along with his wife and his sons who rode on a donkey. Moses also brought with him his special rod that God had told him to use. God told Moses that the men who had wanted to kill him when he was last in Egypt were no longer alive. God was helping Moses not to be afraid. Already God was keeping His promise to Moses. Can you remember the key verse from last week? (Exodus 4: 18 – 20)
• Then God kept another promise He had made to Moses. While Moses was still on his journey, his brother Aaron came and met him. Why was Aaron going to be with Moses? Moses told Aaron all that God had told him, including the signs he had been given to do with his rod. God can always be counted on to keep his promises. If we belong to Him He will do the same for us. (Exodus 4: 27, 28)
• When they arrived in Egypt, Moses and Aaron met with the leaders of the Israelites and told them God’s plans. Then all the people came together and Moses showed them the miracles God had given him to do with his rod. Moses threw the rod on the ground and it became a snake and then when he took hold of the snake’s tail it became a rod again. Next he put his hand inside his cloak and when he brought it out it was covered with leprosy (explain) but when he put it in a second time it was healed. (Exodus 4: 6 – 9) When the people saw these wonderful things they could see God’s power, and understood that Moses had really been sent by God. How do you think the people felt? (amazed / so happy that God was going to rescue them from being slaves.) (Exodus 4 : 29 – 31)
• Moses must have been excited to see God prepare the way for him as he came back to Egypt. Review those in this story who enabled God’s plan to move forward – Jethro, Aaron, the leaders and the people. Who did Moses and Aaron still have to present the plan to? Emphasise that although it wasn’t going to be easy, they could still rely on God to work things out. He was in control!