LESSON 6

THE ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT

When Yahweh caused the death angel to kill all the first-born in Egypt, the king's son also died. This made the king very mad and he told Moses to take his people and to get out of Egypt fast, and to take all of his people and their cattle and every thing of theirs with them. The Egyptians wanted the Israelites to leave as fast as they could because they said, "We will all be dead if you don't leave." So the Israelites filled their baking pans with unleavened dough because there wasn't any time for their bread to rise. They carried their clothing and things on their shoulders.

The Israelites also took with them the bones of Joseph because before Joseph died, he told his sons that Yahweh was going to bring them out of the land of Egypt and into Canaan and that is where he wanted to be buried (Genesis 50:24-25). The Israelites set out on foot from Rameses for Sukkoth. There was a shorter way to go (through the land of the Philistines) but Yahweh knew that if the Israelites had to fight they would turn back to Egypt. The Israelites were armed for battle. Yahweh led the people instead in a roundabout way through the desert toward the Red Sea. There were about 600,000 men, not counting women and children. A large number of other people and many sheep and goats and cattle also went with them.

The Israelites had lived in Egypt for about 280 years. The night before they came out of Egypt was a night to be much remember. Moses said to the people, "Always remember this day."

The people left Sukkoth and camped at Etham on the edge of the desert. During the day Yahweh went in front of them in a pillar of cloud to show them the way, and at night he went in front of them in a pillar of fire to give them light, so they could travel day and night. The pillar of cloud was always in front of the people during the day and the pillar of fire at night.

When the king of Egypt was told that the people had escaped, he and his officials changed their minds and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and we have lost them as our slaves!" The king got his war chariot and his army ready. He set out with all his chariots, including six hundred of the finest men. The Egyptian army with all the horses, chariots and drivers caught up with Moses and the Israelites where they camped by the Read Sea.

When the Israelites saw the king and his army coming after them, they were terrified and cried out to Yahweh for help. They said to Moses, "Weren't there any graves in Egypt? Did you have to bring us to the desert to die?" (Exodus 14:11).

Yahweh said to Moses, "Why are you crying out for help? Tell the people to move forward. Lift up your walking stick and hold it out over the sea. The water will divide and the Israelites will be able to walk through the sea on dry ground."

The angel of Yahweh, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud moved until it was between the Egyptians and Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel so the armies could not come near each other all night.

Moses held out his hand over the sea and Yahweh drove the sea back with a strong east wind. It blew all that night and turned the sea into dry land. The waters were divided and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with walls of water on both sides. The Egyptians went in after them with all their horses, chariots and drivers. Just before dawn Yahweh looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian's army and caused them to panic.

He made the wheels of their chariots get stuck, so that they moved with great difficulty. The Egyptians said, "Yahweh is fighting for the Israelites against us. Let's get out of here!"

Yahweh said to Moses, "Hold out your hand over the sea, and the water will come back over the Egyptians."

So, Moses held out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the water returned to its normal level. The Egyptians tried to escape from the water, but Yahweh threw them into the sea. The water returned and covered the chariots, the drivers and all the Egyptian's army that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them was left. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on both sides.

On that day Yahweh saved the people of Israel from the Egyptians. The Israelites saw the great power with which Yahweh had defeated the Egyptians, they stood in awe of Yahweh and they had faith in Yahweh and His servant Moses. Then Moses and the Israelites sang a song (Exodus 15:1-18).

The prophetess Miriam, Aaron's sister, took her tambourine and all the women followed her playing tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang for them (Exodus 15:19-21).

Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Rea Sea into the desert of Shur. For three days they walked through the desert, but they could not find any water. Then they came to a place called Marah, but the water there was so bitter that they could not drink it. It was called Marah because that means bitter. The people complained to Moses and asked what they were going to drink? Moses prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh showed Moses a piece of wood, which he threw into the water; and the water became good to drink.

The Israelites set out from Elim and, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt, they came to the desert of Sin which is between Elim and Sinai.

There in the desert they all complained to Moses and Aaron. "We wish that Yahweh had killed us in Egypt. There we could at least sit down and eat meat and as much other food as we wanted. But you have brought us out into this desert to starve us all to death."

Yahweh told Moses that he was going to cause food to rain down from the sky for everyone to eat. So Moses and Aaron told the Israelites, "This evening you will know that it was Yahweh who brought you out of Egypt."

Moses said to Aaron, "Tell all the people to come and stand before Yahweh, because He has heard their complaints."

As Aaron spoke, they turned toward the desert and suddenly the dazzling light of Yahweh appeared in a cloud.

Yahweh said, "I have heard the complaints of the Israelites. Tell them that at twilight they will have meat to eat, and in the morning they will have all the bread they want. Then they will know that I am Yahweh."

In the evening a large flock of quail flew in; enough to cover the camp and in the morning there was dew all around the camp. When the dew evaporated, there was something thin and flaky on the surface of the desert. It was as delicate as frost. When the Israelites saw it, they didn't know what it was.

Moses said to them, "This is the food that Yahweh has given you to eat." Moses told them that Yahweh commanded each of them to gather as much of it as he needed.

The Israelites did as they were told. When they measured it, they found that the ones that gathered more did not have too much and the ones that gathered less did not have too little. Each had gathered just what they needed.

Moses told them that they were not to keep any of it for tomorrow. But some of them did not listen to Moses and saved part of it. The next morning it was full of worms and smelled rotten. Moses was angry with them. Every morning each one gathered as much as he needed and when the sun grew hot, what was left on the ground melted.

On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts for each person. They were to bake and boil what they wanted and what was left over they were to keep for the next day, the Sabbath. They kept what was left over until the next day; but this time it did not get any worms or spoil. Moses said, "Eat this today because today is the Sabbath to Yahweh. You will not find any of it on the ground today. Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any. Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none" (Exodus 16:25-27).

The people of Israel called the food manna. It was like a small white seed and tasted like thin cakes made with honey.

Yahweh told Moses to save some of the manna--to be kept for their descendants so that they could see the food which was given them to eat in the desert, when Yahweh brought them out of Egypt.

Moses and Aaron took two quarts of manna and placed it in the Covenant Box, so it could be kept. (The standard dry measure then in use equaled twenty quarts today.) The Israelites ate manna for the next forty years until they reached the land of Canaan where they settled.

The Israelites were told to remember the day on which they left Egypt, the place where they were slaves for so many years.

Yahweh had told the Israelites that they were to dedicate all the first-born males to Him and every first-born male animal belongs to Yahweh (Exodus 13:1-2) because Yahweh had saved their first-born form the death angel.

We are to remember and to observe the Passover every year.

Let's do some activities and take a Quiz to see what you learned from this lesson!

Wilderness Menu - Exodus 16

The Israelites needed food while they traveled to Canaan. Yahweh sent manna. Look up the verses in your Bible to find some manna facts. Write the answers on the lines below.

1. How much manna was each person to gather (verse 16)?
2. How long did the Israelites eat manna (verse 35)?
3. What did Yahweh call the manna (verse 4)?
4. What did manna taste like (verse 31)?
5. What else did the Israelites get to eat every day (verse 13)?

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WORD FIND - OLD TESTAMENT CHARACTERS

Below is a word find that has twenty well-known characters in the Old Testament. See if you can find them all. We've listed the names below the puzzle.

Word List

Aaron	Ezekiel	Job	Noah
Abraham	Isaac	Jonah	Samson
Daniel	Isaiah	Joseph	Samuel
David	Jacob	Joshua	Saul
Eliyah	Jeremiah	Moses	Solomon

QUIZ - What have you learned?

This is a "thinking" quiz. Some of the questions could have different answers and that is why it is very important to think about the question before answering it and then have your Mom or Dad review it with you.

1. Why did the Israelites have unleavened bread?
   ____________________________________________________________
2. About how many men left Egypt?
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3. Where did the Egyptian army catch up with Israel?
   ____________________________________________________________
4. How did Moses make the water divide?
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5. What happened to the Egyptians in the sea?
   ____________________________________________________________
6. How did the Egyptians feel?
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7. What made the sea go back together?
   ____________________________________________________________
8. What does "Marah" mean?
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9. How many days each week did they gather manna?
   ____________________________________________________________
10. How long should Passover be remembered?
    ____________________________________________________________

 

What is going on here? When did it take place?

Memory verse: Exodus 13:10

You must keep this
ordinance at the appointed
time year after year.

This concludes our series on Passover for the younger set. We pray you enjoyed it and were able to learn and understand the true meaning of Passover. If you have any questions or comments on this series, please contact us by clicking here.

HalleluYAH!