The Plagues - Exodus Series
Today in Calvary Kids, we learned that Pharaoh is going to find out exactly who the LORD is-and what the consequences are for refusing to listen to God. It's the story of the ten plagues! A plague is something disastrous that causes destruction or disease over a group of people or a large area, like a city or country. God sent ten terrible plagues on Egypt to punish Pharaoh. Through this, God was doing several things. He was displaying His power over the false Egyptian gods the people worshiped, and He was dealing with Pharaoh's disobedience. But He was also giving an opportunity for anyone who chose to trust in His word to be spared from some of the plagues. God would have a special protection for His own people through most of the plagues and it shows us that God will protect us from many disasters as well. Even though the plagues created chaos, these weren't just random disasters-God had a plan to make His name great in all the earth and to deliver His people from slavery.
Read Exodus 7:14-11:10
Moses met Pharaoh at the Nile River in the morning (V15) Aaron stretched out the staff over the water and ALL the water in Egypt turned to blood. The fish died, the river stank, and no one could drink water for seven days The Egyptians worshipped the Nile River as if the river was a god - but God showed He's the real God of the waters! Pharaoh's magicians copied this miracle but couldn't fix it, they could only copy it, which made things worse, showing that they are no help at all.
God gave Pharaoh another chance - "Let My people go!" but Pharoah was stubborn. You would think after the first plague Pharoah would give up, but he chose to say no to God so another consequence came to Egypt. This is a great example of how our sin affects other people. When Pharaoh refused, frogs came up everywhere - in beds, ovens, food, everywhere! Imagine opening your cereal box and a frog jumps out. Pharoah wanted them gone so bad that he asked Moses to pray to God to take them away. Eventually God did and there were so many frogs that they had to make huge piles of frogs when they were cleaning them up. And they stank! It would have been like driving by a bunch of stinky dumpsters. "Can you imagine frogs in your bed? In your cereal bowl? In your backpack? Hopping on your head during class? The Egyptians couldn't escape them! But when Pharaoh promised to let the people go, God removed the frogs. Then Pharaoh broke his promise!" So since Pharoah asked God to take them away, maybe he is finally going to surrender to God, but he doesn't. The next two plagues are lice and gnats
The plagues just kept coming but with the third one there was no warning. Aaron struck the dust and it became gnats (or lice) on everything! Lice are bugs that get in your hair and are really itchy. Imagine them everywhere! The magicians tried to copy this but couldn't - they told Pharaoh "This is the finger of God!" Even Pharaoh's wise men recognized God's power, but Pharaoh's heart stayed hard. And you might be thinking, when is Pharaoh going to listen. But this shows us when your heart is hardened toward God you face a lot of unnecessary trouble. But there wasn't just lice, there were flies too. For the 4th plague of flies, God does something new - He protects Israel completely! Flies swarmed all of Egypt but not one fly is in Goshen where Israel lived! God was showing that He is in control of who gets blessed and who gets judged. Pharaoh tried to bargain: "Worship your God but stay in Egypt" - but God wanted complete freedom for His people! "God put an invisible wall between Egypt and Goshen. Flies were everywhere in Egypt, but in Goshen kids were playing outside with no bugs at all! God knows how to protect His people even when judgment is all around."
The Fifth Plague was a disease on Livestock, (Exodus 9:1-7) meaning all their farm animals like cows and goats, which was their food source, died. All Egyptian animals died but not one Israelite animal died! Exodus 9:4 - "And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel."
Next was boils, which was the sixth plague (Exodus 9:8-12) Exodus 9:10-11 "Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians." Painful sores were on the skin of all the Egyptians. Even the magicians couldn't stand before Moses! But Pharaoh's heart was still hard!
The Seventh Plague was Hail (Exodus 9:13-35). This was the worst hailstorm in Egypt's history, in which fire is mixed in with the hail! Some Egyptians believed Moses' warning and brought their servants and animals inside to save them. Pharaoh admitted "I have sinned" but his repentance was fake. Pharaoh still didn't surrender to God and God used this to continue to show His power through the plagues.
The eighth plague was Locusts. Locusts ate every green plant the hail hadn't destroyed. Pharaoh's servants begged him: "Let them go! Don't you see Egypt is destroyed?" Pharaoh tried to bargain again: "Only the men can go" - but God wanted everyone free! Then the ninth plague was darkness (Exodus 10:21-29). The Bible says in Exodus 10:20 that the darkness was so thick you could feel it, but Israel had light in their homes! God supernaturally gave His people light. This is just like how Jesus is our light whenever it feels dark around us. Pharaoh threatened to kill Moses if he saw him again, but the next plague would be so bad for Pharaoh that he would finally break.
God announces the final plague - the death of all firstborn sons. This would strike every family in Egypt, from Pharaoh to the prisoners to the animals, but God would protect every Israelite family that obeyed His instructions. (This is called Passover which we'll learn about next week!) Finally, after this last one, Pharaoh would not just let them go - he would BEG them to leave!
"God gave Pharaoh ten chances to obey. TEN! Each plague was worse than the one before. Each time Pharaoh could have said 'Okay, God, You win!' But his proud heart wouldn't bend. This reminds us that God is patient, but His patience has limits. Think about God's protection through all these plagues. When Egypt had darkness, Israel had light. When Egyptian animals died, Israel's animals lived. God knows how to take care of His people even when the whole world seems to be falling apart! It's also the same for us: God takes care of us and protects us when things are not going well. When bad things happen all around us - when there's sickness, or storms, or scary things in the world - remember the plagues. God knows exactly where His children are and He knows how to protect us. We might go through hard things, but God is always with us.
Christ Connection:
Key Connection: "The plagues showed God's power over false gods and brought judgment on Egypt, but Jesus shows God's love and brings salvation to the whole world!"
1. Moses was mediator for the people (Exodus 7:1) → Jesus is mediator for us (1 Timothy 2:5)
2. Moses announces judgment (Exodus 7:4-6) → Jesus announces forgiveness and healing (Luke 4:18-19)
3. Moses' first miracle was turning water into blood → Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine. (John 2:1-11)
4. Water to blood brought death (Exodus 7:20) → Jesus' blood brings life. (1 John 1:7, John 6:53)
5. The plagues brought darkness to Egypt (Exodus 10:21-22) → Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)
6. The firstborn of Egypt died (Exodus 12) → Jesus, the only Begotten Son, died for us (John 3:16)
7. The plagues showed God's judgment on sin → Jesus took God's judgment for our sin (Isaiah 53:5)
8. The plagues freed Israel from slavery (Exodus 7:5) → Jesus frees us from the slavery of sin (Romans 6:18)
9. The plagues defeated Egypt's false gods and showed God's power over them → Jesus defeated satan and all evil powers (Colossians 2:15)
10. Israelites were set apart in Goshen (Exodus 8:22) → Jesus sets us apart as a holy people (1 Peter 2:9)
The plagues were terrifying and showed God's judgment on sin. But Jesus came to save us from the ultimate plague - eternal separation from God. While the plagues brought destruction, Jesus brings restoration. While the plagues brought fear, Jesus brings hope!
Application:
1. God is more powerful than anything you're afraid of - Just like He was stronger than all Egypt's gods, He's stronger than bullies, sickness, or anything that scares you.
2. Don't wait through "nine plagues" to obey - When you know what's right, do it the first time! Don't be like Pharaoh who needed disaster after disaster to almost listen.
3. Trust God's protection - When bad things happen around you (like family problems or world events), remember how God protected Israel. He knows where you are and watches over you.
4. Fake repentance doesn't fool God - Pharaoh said "I have sinned" but didn't mean it. When you say sorry, mean it and change your behavior.
5. God's patience has limits - He gives many chances, but eventually judgment comes. Don't test God by continuing to disobey, thinking you have unlimited chances.
Discussion Questions:
1. Which plague would have been the worst to experience? Why do you think God sent that particular plague?
2. Why did God protect the Israelites from the plagues? What does this teach us about God's care for His people?
3. Pharaoh said "I have sinned" during the hail, but did he really mean it? How can we tell the difference between real and fake repentance?
4. Some Egyptians started believing in God during the plagues. What made them change their minds? Has God ever used something hard to help someone you know believe?
5. If you were an Israelite kid watching the plagues, how would you feel? Scared? Amazed? Protected? Why?
Memory Verse:
"And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord" Exodus 7:5a
Read Exodus 7:14-11:10
Moses met Pharaoh at the Nile River in the morning (V15) Aaron stretched out the staff over the water and ALL the water in Egypt turned to blood. The fish died, the river stank, and no one could drink water for seven days The Egyptians worshipped the Nile River as if the river was a god - but God showed He's the real God of the waters! Pharaoh's magicians copied this miracle but couldn't fix it, they could only copy it, which made things worse, showing that they are no help at all.
God gave Pharaoh another chance - "Let My people go!" but Pharoah was stubborn. You would think after the first plague Pharoah would give up, but he chose to say no to God so another consequence came to Egypt. This is a great example of how our sin affects other people. When Pharaoh refused, frogs came up everywhere - in beds, ovens, food, everywhere! Imagine opening your cereal box and a frog jumps out. Pharoah wanted them gone so bad that he asked Moses to pray to God to take them away. Eventually God did and there were so many frogs that they had to make huge piles of frogs when they were cleaning them up. And they stank! It would have been like driving by a bunch of stinky dumpsters. "Can you imagine frogs in your bed? In your cereal bowl? In your backpack? Hopping on your head during class? The Egyptians couldn't escape them! But when Pharaoh promised to let the people go, God removed the frogs. Then Pharaoh broke his promise!" So since Pharoah asked God to take them away, maybe he is finally going to surrender to God, but he doesn't. The next two plagues are lice and gnats
The plagues just kept coming but with the third one there was no warning. Aaron struck the dust and it became gnats (or lice) on everything! Lice are bugs that get in your hair and are really itchy. Imagine them everywhere! The magicians tried to copy this but couldn't - they told Pharaoh "This is the finger of God!" Even Pharaoh's wise men recognized God's power, but Pharaoh's heart stayed hard. And you might be thinking, when is Pharaoh going to listen. But this shows us when your heart is hardened toward God you face a lot of unnecessary trouble. But there wasn't just lice, there were flies too. For the 4th plague of flies, God does something new - He protects Israel completely! Flies swarmed all of Egypt but not one fly is in Goshen where Israel lived! God was showing that He is in control of who gets blessed and who gets judged. Pharaoh tried to bargain: "Worship your God but stay in Egypt" - but God wanted complete freedom for His people! "God put an invisible wall between Egypt and Goshen. Flies were everywhere in Egypt, but in Goshen kids were playing outside with no bugs at all! God knows how to protect His people even when judgment is all around."
The Fifth Plague was a disease on Livestock, (Exodus 9:1-7) meaning all their farm animals like cows and goats, which was their food source, died. All Egyptian animals died but not one Israelite animal died! Exodus 9:4 - "And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel."
Next was boils, which was the sixth plague (Exodus 9:8-12) Exodus 9:10-11 "Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians." Painful sores were on the skin of all the Egyptians. Even the magicians couldn't stand before Moses! But Pharaoh's heart was still hard!
The Seventh Plague was Hail (Exodus 9:13-35). This was the worst hailstorm in Egypt's history, in which fire is mixed in with the hail! Some Egyptians believed Moses' warning and brought their servants and animals inside to save them. Pharaoh admitted "I have sinned" but his repentance was fake. Pharaoh still didn't surrender to God and God used this to continue to show His power through the plagues.
The eighth plague was Locusts. Locusts ate every green plant the hail hadn't destroyed. Pharaoh's servants begged him: "Let them go! Don't you see Egypt is destroyed?" Pharaoh tried to bargain again: "Only the men can go" - but God wanted everyone free! Then the ninth plague was darkness (Exodus 10:21-29). The Bible says in Exodus 10:20 that the darkness was so thick you could feel it, but Israel had light in their homes! God supernaturally gave His people light. This is just like how Jesus is our light whenever it feels dark around us. Pharaoh threatened to kill Moses if he saw him again, but the next plague would be so bad for Pharaoh that he would finally break.
God announces the final plague - the death of all firstborn sons. This would strike every family in Egypt, from Pharaoh to the prisoners to the animals, but God would protect every Israelite family that obeyed His instructions. (This is called Passover which we'll learn about next week!) Finally, after this last one, Pharaoh would not just let them go - he would BEG them to leave!
"God gave Pharaoh ten chances to obey. TEN! Each plague was worse than the one before. Each time Pharaoh could have said 'Okay, God, You win!' But his proud heart wouldn't bend. This reminds us that God is patient, but His patience has limits. Think about God's protection through all these plagues. When Egypt had darkness, Israel had light. When Egyptian animals died, Israel's animals lived. God knows how to take care of His people even when the whole world seems to be falling apart! It's also the same for us: God takes care of us and protects us when things are not going well. When bad things happen all around us - when there's sickness, or storms, or scary things in the world - remember the plagues. God knows exactly where His children are and He knows how to protect us. We might go through hard things, but God is always with us.
Christ Connection:
Key Connection: "The plagues showed God's power over false gods and brought judgment on Egypt, but Jesus shows God's love and brings salvation to the whole world!"
1. Moses was mediator for the people (Exodus 7:1) → Jesus is mediator for us (1 Timothy 2:5)
2. Moses announces judgment (Exodus 7:4-6) → Jesus announces forgiveness and healing (Luke 4:18-19)
3. Moses' first miracle was turning water into blood → Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine. (John 2:1-11)
4. Water to blood brought death (Exodus 7:20) → Jesus' blood brings life. (1 John 1:7, John 6:53)
5. The plagues brought darkness to Egypt (Exodus 10:21-22) → Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)
6. The firstborn of Egypt died (Exodus 12) → Jesus, the only Begotten Son, died for us (John 3:16)
7. The plagues showed God's judgment on sin → Jesus took God's judgment for our sin (Isaiah 53:5)
8. The plagues freed Israel from slavery (Exodus 7:5) → Jesus frees us from the slavery of sin (Romans 6:18)
9. The plagues defeated Egypt's false gods and showed God's power over them → Jesus defeated satan and all evil powers (Colossians 2:15)
10. Israelites were set apart in Goshen (Exodus 8:22) → Jesus sets us apart as a holy people (1 Peter 2:9)
The plagues were terrifying and showed God's judgment on sin. But Jesus came to save us from the ultimate plague - eternal separation from God. While the plagues brought destruction, Jesus brings restoration. While the plagues brought fear, Jesus brings hope!
Application:
1. God is more powerful than anything you're afraid of - Just like He was stronger than all Egypt's gods, He's stronger than bullies, sickness, or anything that scares you.
2. Don't wait through "nine plagues" to obey - When you know what's right, do it the first time! Don't be like Pharaoh who needed disaster after disaster to almost listen.
3. Trust God's protection - When bad things happen around you (like family problems or world events), remember how God protected Israel. He knows where you are and watches over you.
4. Fake repentance doesn't fool God - Pharaoh said "I have sinned" but didn't mean it. When you say sorry, mean it and change your behavior.
5. God's patience has limits - He gives many chances, but eventually judgment comes. Don't test God by continuing to disobey, thinking you have unlimited chances.
Discussion Questions:
1. Which plague would have been the worst to experience? Why do you think God sent that particular plague?
2. Why did God protect the Israelites from the plagues? What does this teach us about God's care for His people?
3. Pharaoh said "I have sinned" during the hail, but did he really mean it? How can we tell the difference between real and fake repentance?
4. Some Egyptians started believing in God during the plagues. What made them change their minds? Has God ever used something hard to help someone you know believe?
5. If you were an Israelite kid watching the plagues, how would you feel? Scared? Amazed? Protected? Why?
Memory Verse:
"And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord" Exodus 7:5a
Posted in Calvary Kids