James Street Children's Church Bible Stories!

When they do leave Egypt something happens that makes them feel trapped.

God had told Pharaoh that bad things would happen if he didn't let God's people go. Do you know some of the bad things that happened? frogs, flies, hail, darkness, etc.

God had Moses tell Pharaoh that something even more terrible would happen if he didn't let his people go. Moses told Pharaoh that the oldest boy in every house in Egypt would die. Do you think Pharaoh obeyed God and let his people go when he heard that? No he did not. And when it happened, the Egyptians were so upset that they shouted at Moses to take all of God's people and "Get out of Egypt and never come back!"

It was in the middle of the night when it happened. God's people got up in the middle of the night, gathered up their animals and started to leave Egypt. But it was dark and they didn't know which way to go. So God led them with a bright pillar of fire. The fire lit their way and moved in front of them so they could see and know which way to go.

But then something terrible happened. Pharaoh changed his mind. "We've lost our slaves!" he cried. "We must catch them!" Then he and his soldiers got on their horses and chased God's people.

God's people followed God as He led them with the pillar of fire right to the shores of the sea. Suddenly they realized that Pharaoh was chasing them. The people became very upset. "We're trapped!" they shouted at Moses.

"Fear not!", cries Moses bravely to the people. "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."

Even as Moses speaks something begins to happen. The pillar of cloud moves mystereiously toward the onrushing Egyptians, and becomes a barrier between them and the frightened Hebrews. As night falls, the cloud brings dense darkness to the camp of Israel.

And now Moses, left alone, kneels in prayer to God, telling Him all that has happened. But this is not only a time for prayer, but for action.

"Wherefore criest thou unto me?" God says to him. "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward."

Suddenly the wind begins to blow. And what a wind! It roars in from the east with great fury, throwing up huge clouds of sand in the desert and lashing the Red Sea into a foaming mass of white-capped waves

Standing on the shore, his rod in his outstretched hand, Moses watches the tremendous sight. For this is no ordinary storm. God is working through the wind.

He is cutting a path through the sea!

Down, down, goes the water until the sea bottom is uncovered! Now straight ahead, from shore to shore, is a wide strip of dry land!

"Forward!" cry the leaders of Israel, passing on the word of command. "Forward! Everbody forward!" What a relief it must have been once everyone got across.

But wait! Pharaoh and the Egyptians chased God's people into the sea. They were coming right through the channel between the walls of water! "Oh God!" cry the people in their fear and anguish. "O God, help us! Save us from the Egyptians!"

"And it came to pass," the Bible says, "that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, and took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians."

Now, as Moses holds his rod above the sea, the wind changes. At God's command it had cut this amazing path through the sea, and had kept it open while Israel passed through to safety; but now it causes the walls of water to come tumbling down, covering the chariots and drowning the soldiers.

"And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them."

God kept his people safe!

Were God's people ever trapped when they followed God to the sea?

No. We're never trapped when we follow God!

Have you ever felt trapped?

How can we follow God when we feel trapped?

By trusting God to take care of us, by praying to Him.

Prayer:

God, help us to follow You and to always trust You to take care of us, even in times when we do feel trapped. Amen.

The Escape From Egypt!

In this story God's people felt like they

were caught in a trap.

What does it feel like to be caught in a trap?