LESSON FOR THE JUNIOR CLASSES
STUDY SCRIPTURE:
EXODUS 15:1-21
Key Verse
“Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took the tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing”.
Exodus 15: 1-21
INTRODUCTION
It was a tough life in bondage when the children of Israel was in Egypt. Being a slave is not a good position to be in for your overseer who is the slave-master will work you to do death and have you do things you do not want to do. Slaves have no rights. The people of Israel cried to God and He heard them since He was concerned about them. He sent Moses to free them from slavery in Egypt. God gave Moses special powers so he could bring plagues on the land of Egypt and force Pharaoh to let the people go free. Pharaoh refused until the final plague hit the land with the angel of death killing the firstborn in every house that did not have the blood of a lamb that had been slain and its blood put on the doorposts. This blood made the angel pass over that house and no one in the house was killed. This was the Passover Feast God had established for the children of Israel. God would save them from death and force the king of Egypt to free them from slavery. They would be redeemed by God and led to the land of Canaan God had promised them. All the firstborn of the Egyptians in the land of Egypt died because they did not believe God would send the angel of death who would do his task perfectly and would only pass over the houses where the shed blood was to be found. Even Pharaoh and his officials and servants lost their firstborn because of their refusal to believe God. So the grieving Pharaoh was forced to free the children of Israel and they then left led by Moses
But after the children of Egypt were freed and left Pharaoh changed his mind and wanted to recapture the children of Israel and bring them back to become slaves again. So he sent his army when the people were at the shore of the Red Sea believing that the people could not escape his army. But God opened the Sea and the children of Israel went through to the other side safely, and then God closed the opening in the Sea when the Egyptian army went into the Sea chasing after the people, and everyone in the army drowned.
Moses and Miriam and the jubilant and very happy children of Israel then sang a Song of Praise to God who had saved them from capture, a return to slavery, and death. They were free to go to the land God had promised their forefathers.
They praised God that he was a God who saved, redeemed, and destroyed the enemy of His people. He was a warrior God and so He fought and destroyed the enemy. He delivered His people and He judged and punished the enemy of His people. Moses, Miriam and the people sang that there was no one like their God. He was holy, and glorious in His holiness. He was all-powerful. He did wonderful things. Nothing could stand in the way of their God of Israel.
Miriam led all the women in singing and they used their tambourines as they danced and praised God for His mercy and kindness.
We too must remember that we serve the same warrior God who fights for us and frees us from bondage to sin and everything else that holds us down. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. No army, dictator, sickness or past sins we had done could stop God from saving us, and bringing us safely to Him. God has power and will overcome all kinds of evil, and every kind of evil. We can trust Him therefore. He is concerned about His people, hear their cries for help, and will not allow them to stay in a miserable condition.
So we always must talk to God honestly about what we are feeling and about the condition in which we are. He hears and He knows everything about us, and what He has to do to save us. Prayer is important. We must be patient as we go through the difficulties of life. All we have to do is hold on to Him even if we feel weak or discouraged for He will never leave us.