Mother’s Helper / Daddy’s Helper
MOSES AND THE FINAL PLAGUE
Scripture Reading: Exodus 11:1 – 12:38
Before Moses left in anger, he warned of the last plague to come on Egypt (See Ex. 11:4‑8). God would go through the land of Egypt about midnight and in every house cause the death of the first‑born child and the first‑born of the cattle. Moses said, “But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue against man or beast: that ye may know how that Jehovah doth make a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out.”
The dogs would not bark at them, and the Egyptians would beg them to leave. God asked Moses to prepare the people to leave Egypt.
The Passover lamb, a male without blemish, was to be taken on the tenth day of the month. It was to be killed the fourteenth day of the month, and some of its blood placed on the lintel and two side posts of the houses in which it was to be eaten. They were not to leave the house until the next morning. God would pass through the land and the lintel and side posts would save them from the death of their first-born. God said the blood would be a token and He would pass over the houses where it was seen. Later this would become one of their yearly feasts.
As Moses had warned, at midnight Jehovah smote all the first‑born children in Egypt, from Pharaoh's house down to the man in the dungeon, and all the first‑born of cattle. There was a great cry throughout Egypt because in every house there had been a death. Pharaoh and the Egyptians now wanted Israel out of the land. They urged them to go, and take all they owned with them. Israel did leave with everything they owned and with much of the possessions of Egypt.
Moses, acting under God’s orders, directed Israel to ask the Egyptians for their jewelry, their gold and silver and whatever was precious. Jacob had come into Egypt a rich man, and the children of Israel left Egypt a rich people. The Bible says that God gave them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians so that whatever they asked, they received.
Hebrews left hurriedly, carrying their uncooked dough, bound up in their clothes and on their shoulders.
Pharaoh, after all of his bad treatment of the Israelites, had the nerve to ask Moses for a blessing. It appears Pharaoh had finally learned that God was greater than he. When our story began, Pharaoh said, “I know not Jehovah.” Now he knows, but the lesson was soon forgotten.
Questions
1. What was the final plague, and what time did it occur?
2. What would the dogs not do?
3. When was the lamb taken, and when was it killed?
4. What were the Israelites to put on the lintel and side posts?
5. How would it help the people?
6. What did this become later?
7. Did it all happen like Moses told Pharaoh it would?
8. What did they ask the Egyptians for, and did they give it to them?
9. How did Jacob come to Egypt and how did the Israelites leave Egypt?
10. What did Pharaoh ask for from Moses?
Drawing to Color
Observations for Parents and Children
1. The Bible teaches, as we sow, so shall we also reap. Pharaoh did a lot of bad sowing. As a result, he and all of Egypt suffered a lot of bad reaping.
