BABY MOSES
Leader Bible Study
When Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill all male babies instead of bringing them safely through delivery, Shiphrah and Puah courageously refused to obey the orders of the most powerful man in the world. Instead, they offered the excuse that Hebrew women were so strong they gave birth to healthy babies before the midwives could arrive! Due to their bravery, these two women saved an untold number of boys' lives.
Not to be outwitted by slaves, Pharaoh abandoned his tactic and issued a new order that "all his people" were to throw every son born to the Hebrews into the Nile. Imagine the terror of a postpartum mother who knew that, at any moment, someone could rip her baby boy from her arms and drown him by order of the king. These were the circumstances into which Moses was born.
The author of Hebrews wrote that Moses' family kept him hidden for three months because they saw that he was ostelos (Hebrews 11:23). This rarely used Greek word is difficult to interpret, and it conveys more than Moses' physical appearance. Various translations read "beautiful" (CSB; ESV), "no ordinary child" (NIV), "unusual" (NLT), and "proper" (KJV). There was something unique about this baby that made his family believe he was destined for greatness, and they were determined to do whatever they could to save his life.
Jochebed took matters into her own hands and placed Moses in a pitch-covered "ark," demonstrating that, just as God saved Noah and his family (Genesis 6-8), she believed He would save her son. Instead of allowing a cruel king to determine his fate, she trusted God to spare her boy's life. In a surprising twist, God used the compassion of Pharaoh's daughter to reverse Moses' misfortune. Instead of being drowned in the Nile, Moses earned his name by being "drawn out" of the water and adopted into the very family that had plotted his execution. Thanks to the quick thinking of his watching sister, Moses returned to his biological mother for a few priceless years, during which he was physically and spiritually nourished.
How are you trusting God with the lives of those you love? As you pray this week, thank God that no one can thwart His good plans for you and those you love. Ask Him for the strength to trust Him as unconditionally as Jochebed did.
Introductory Activity
Place a large piece of blue paper on the floor to represent the Nile River. Provide a baby doll, small blanket, and basket. Invite children to take turns gently wrapping the baby in the blanket, placing him in the basket, and setting the basket on the river to "float" across! After each child has had a turn, tell children that today they will learn about a mother who placed her baby in a basket by the river to keep him safe, while you explain how "God watched over baby Moses and had a special plan for his life."
Bible Story
An Israelite woman had a baby boy. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, did not want baby boys to live, so her baby was in danger. For three months, she hid her baby. When she could no longer hide him, the mother did something to keep the baby safe. She took a basket made from the strong stems of a plant and covered it in a special type of tar to keep the water out.
The woman placed her baby in the basket. She took the basket and set it in the tall grass near the edge of the Nile River. Miriam, the baby's sister, stayed near the river to watch what would happen to the baby.
Pharaoh's daughter went to take a bath in the river. She saw the basket in the tall grass and sent one of her helpers to get it. When she opened the basket, she saw the baby crying. She felt sorry for him.
Miriam came to Pharaoh's daughter and asked, "Do you want me to get someone to take care of the baby? I can get a woman to feed and care for him."
"Yes," Pharaoh's daughter said. Miriam hurried to get her mother. "Take this baby and care for him," Pharaoh's daughter said.
When the child grew older, his mother took the baby to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses.
Wrap It Up
Wrap up the lesson and say the verse together! Sing :Show love to one another. Romans 12:2 to your favorite tune! Pray together transition to the next activity on your schedule.
Provide each child with a small paper mache basket and paint. Let children paint and decorate their baskets with paintbrushes or sponges. As children paint, remind them that Moses' mother cared for him, placed him in a basket, and put the basket among the tall grass by the river to keep him safe. Talk about how God watched over Moses and protected him. When finished, allow the baskets to dry and remind children that "God cared for Moses."
Provide children with blocks and a laundry basket. Invite them to use the blocks to build the sides of a river, leaving a pathway between them. Place people figures in the laundry basket and let children take turns gently pushing the “basket” down the river. As they play, teach the children that baby Moses was placed in a basket by the river, where God watched over Him and kept him safe. Teach them how "God protects families." Encourage children to rebuild and change their river as they play.
Provide children with dress-up clothes, crowns, and royal accessories. Invite children to pretend to be kings and princesses. As children play, tell them that Pharaoh’s daughter was a princess who went to the river and found baby Moses in a basket. She cared for Moses and brought him into Pharaoh’s palace. Remind children that "God cares for families."
Provide several flavors of baby food. Invite children to taste the food and guess the flavors. For fun, ask children who prepares the food at their house. Talk about ways families love and care for each other.
Bring oatmeal or cereal from home. Invite children to take turns pretending to feed a friend by first putting a "bib" (smock) on their baby and then feeding them. Tell preschoolers the story of baby Moses and how the Pharaoh's daughter and his mommy fed and cared for him. Ask preschoolers to share ways they can care for their own families. End by saying the Life Point together.
Place a blue plastic tablecloth on the floor in the book area with several lawn chairs. Play the sound of a flowing river on your phone (with the screen locked) and place it out of sight in the area. Set a basket of books nearby, and invite children to pretend to relax by the 'river' while they choose and read stories from the basket.
Play lullaby music and place baby dolls, doll bed, rocking chair, and baby care items in the music area. Invite preschoolers to rock and sing to the baby as they care for the dolls. Talk about ways families can love and care for each other.